2009 Toyota Corolla Review

It is hard to talk about the Toyota Corolla and not mention the longevity of the brand name. To survive almost 40 years, the Corolla has had to do something very right. Given that it clearly has not been an exterior "wow" pioneer for looks, function has got to win out over form -- and it does in the form of the 2009 Corolla.

One of these days I will have to resist the urge to poke fun at Toyota for less-than-inspiring design. Every time I mention lackluster style, I find myself a few lines later writing about the great engineering or the reliability. After all, who is laughing all the way to the bank?

The correct answer is not just Toyota. Anyone buying a Corolla over the last four decades has undoubtedly found himself reaching 100K on the odometer and wondering how much further they can go. Heck, with mileage at 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway, Corolla sure beats a Yaris on comfort.

Relatively speaking, the Toyota Corolla has been a tried-and-true option for buyers who care less about stunning design and require more dependability and function over flash. My tester, a 2009 Corolla XLE sedan, is one of five models offered by Toyota. The other four trim levels are: Standard, LE, a sport-oriented S and an XRS performance model.

The 2009 Corolla is all new. With a base price of $15,250 for the Standard Corolla trim and a base price topping out for the XRS at $19,950, you get a lot for your money - including enormous peace of mind.

Much of that peace of mind comes from the standard safety features on the Corolla. My XLE featured anti-lock brakes with Brake Assist, dual front airbags, head curtain airbags, side-impact airbags, whiplash protection active head restraints as well as a tire pressure monitoring system.

Powering the all-new Corolla is the 16-valve, 1.8-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. This engine delivers 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. If you were to opt for the performance XRS model, expect the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine to offer 158 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque.

My tester featured the smallish 1.8-liter engine, but I think that most Corolla owners are quite happy with the small engine - mostly because of its small appetite for fuel. In a day of fuel prices bounding between $2.50 and $4.50, better to be safe. Overall, the four-speed automatic transmission in my tester was quite adept at shifting through whatever paces I put it through. At a curb weight of 2,850 pounds, the Corolla gets around well with its lesser powerplant.

Exterior styling for the Corolla is all new this year. Is it a dramatic departure for the Corolla? Probably. Will it win any style competitions? No. Are these things important to Corolla owners? They should be, but practical good sense does seem to win out more times than emotional reaction does with Corolla. While I think it is mediocre looking at best, Corolla does sport a bit more aggressive feel than past models. I like the standard 16-inch wheels, which helped sell the sportiness.

My XLE is a small sedan and inside the cabin you feel like you are in a - well, a small sedan. That is not a dig on the interior, but rather a compliment to say you get what you expect. The flat floor in the back really helped legroom for passengers and the varied positions available for the steering column helped me find a perfect driving position.

Trunk space was ample for this size vehicle and I appreciated the 60/40 split seats in back that allowed for longer items to pass through.

The XLE comes with a decent standard audio package featuring CD player and MP3-capable formatting. Six speakers are standard. My tester had a $1,060 upgrade system, which really made the roof shake. Featuring eight speakers in six locations and steering wheel mounted controls for the 6-disc player; it was worth the cost of admission.

Other options were Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Traction Control for a mere $250, a bargain. Which, if you have no problem with middle-of-the-road styling and some plastic interior panels and knobs, Corolla will deliver the goods and meet all your expectations at a final price of $19,920.