Toyota Corolla: King of the Compacts

The 2009 Toyota Corolla has been redesigned to offer more power but the same high gas mileage and quality. Too bad it's still so bland


Editor's Rating: 3.5 stars


The Good: Fuel economy, decent price, comfort, reliability, available stick shift

The Bad: Unexciting styling, lack of sportiness

The Bottom Line: Toyota should have made its top-selling compact edgier


Up Front

Fuel-efficient compact cars are hot right now, for obvious reasons. However, there's a big question hanging in the air for anyone considering buying a new compact to save on gas: Which is better, the new '09 Toyota (TM) Corolla or the hot-selling but aging Honda (HMC) Civic, which last got a major redesign for the '06 model year?

The Civic has been gaining ground and could very well pass the Corolla as America's top-selling compact car this year, at least if you include booming sales of the Civic Hybrid. On that basis, the Civic has outsold the Corolla through April, 111,695 units to 99,482.

But that's an unfair comparison because the Corolla's sales undoubtedly have tailed off as many shoppers waited for the redesigned '09 models to hit Toyota showrooms. Also, if you exclude the Civic Hybrid (as is only fair since it competes mainly against the Toyota Prius, not the Corolla), the two archrivals are running neck and neck this year, even though Corolla sales fell 18.2% through April after declining 4.4%, to 371,390, in 2007.

The question now is whether the redesign will make the Corolla attractive enough to boost its cachet with consumers. I've just test-driven it, and for me Toyota played it too safe by not making the new Corolla's styling and handling edgier. In my humble opinion, the newly redesigned car isn't a huge improvement over the bland model it's replacing. I still prefer the Civic.

However, many compact car shoppers couldn't care less if the new Corolla isn't particularly exciting to drive—or look at. Those put off by the Civic's more outré styling touches, such as its robotic-look center stack and sharply raked windshield, may even prefer the new Corolla's more conservative design. Indeed, according to the Power Information Network (PIN), nearly two-thirds of compact car buyers borrow money to make the purchase, and a relatively high 45% of them are female. I'd guess from these statistics that safety, reliability, low price, and excellent fuel economy are more important to many buyers than looks and handling (the top priorities of male car reviewers).

I test-drove the Corolla XRS, the sport version of the car, and let me say right off I wouldn't pay extra for that model. The XRS comes with a big, 2.4-liter, 158-horsepower four-cylinder engine that's the same as the base engine in the Toyota Camry, as well as a five-speed automatic or manual transmission, bucket seats, a small rear spoiler, and some extra cladding along its flanks. Not surprisingly, the XRS is the most expensive Corolla: It starts at $19,420 with a stick shift and $20,610 with an automatic transmission.

Even so, the XRS isn't particularly sporty. And the tradeoff for the bigger engine is that the XRS only gets 22 mpg in the city and 30 on the highway (in 207 miles of lead-footed mixed driving, I only got 23.7 mpg).

If fuel economy is a priority, go with the LE, XLE, or the sporty S—or, if you really want to scrimp, the bare-bones Standard. They all come with a 1.8-liter, 132-hp four-banger, and a four-speed automatic or manual transmission, and are rated to get an impressive 26-27 mpg in the city and 35 on the highway. Their prices are lower, too, starting at $15,910 for a Standard with a stick shift, ranging up to $18,210 for the relatively fancy XLE with an automatic. (Manual transmissions always provide better fuel economy as well.)

The version that appeals to me is the Corolla S, which starts at $16,980. It only has the small engine but is available with a five-speed stick shift. It also has many of the same add-ons as the XRS, including a front underbody spoiler, sport seats, black headlamp housings, and fog lamps.

Corollas aren't fancy, but they come with a surprising amount of standard equipment. The entry-level model may only have manual roll-down windows, but it still comes standard with a tilting and telescoping steering wheel, intermittent windshield wipers, 60/40 fold-down rear seats, tire pressure monitors, and power steering. The LE adds power windows, while the XLE has wood-grain interior trim, variable intermittent wipers, and remote keyless entry. (Only the XRS has four-wheel disc brakes; all the other models, including the S, only have 9-in. drum brakes in back.)

Corollas are manufactured in North America. Production is split between a plant in Ontario and the NUMMI plant in Fremont, Calif., a joint venture with General Motors (GM) that also makes the new Pontiac Vibe.

Corolla sales will probably pick up substantially now that the new models are available, but competition from the Civic will likely remain fierce. Even excluding the hybrid, the Civic's sales were up 13.8% in the first four months of 2008, and up 4.6% to 298,520 in 2007. Include the hybrid, and the Civic's growth was even faster.

Other rivals have been gaining on the Corolla this year, too. Sales of Ford's (F) Focus were up 29.1%, to 72,920, through April, after falling 2.1%, to 173,213, last year. And North American sales for Nissan's (NSANY) Sentra have climbed 4.8%, to 34,206, in the first four months of this year, after having dropped 10% last year, to 106,582.


Behind the Wheel

The new Corolla is almost exactly the same length as the previous model. The big change is that it's 2.5 in. wider and an inch lower in height than before. The car feels slightly roomier inside, even though head, leg, and shoulder space are the same as before. There's plenty of room for four normal-size adults to feel comfortable on long rides. Among other changes, Toyota rerouted the exhaust pipe to make the floor nearly flat, which improves comfort in back. However, I don't agree with Toyota's assertion that three adults would be comfortable in the bench-style rear seat (three kids, maybe). And tall and heavyset adults probably need a bigger vehicle.

I was surprised by how fast the Corolla XRS accelerates from a dead stop. I clocked it at 7.9 seconds in zero-to-60 runs. At highway speed, though, the XRS isn't very responsive. There's a long hesitation when you punch the gas. And powered by the small engine, the Corolla is downright pokey. Motor Trend magazine says it only does zero to 60 in 10.3 seconds with an automatic transmission and about 10 seconds with a five-speed stick shift. Even the basic Honda Civic is quicker and handles better.

The Corolla's strong suit is comfort. There's nothing luxurious about the cabin, but the materials are high quality and everything is well made and conveniently laid out. The ride is very smooth for a small economy car. Several times, I found myself inadvertently cruising down the interstate at 85 mph thinking I was doing 65 because the cabin remains so quiet and the ride so smooth at higher speeds.

The Corolla's redesigned rack-and-pinion power steering system is also impressive. A compact motor, speed reducer, and torque sensor vary the assistance the system gives the driver according to engine and road speed. It doesn't give you a lot of road feel, but steering is nearly effortless, whether at highway speed or in a tight parking situation.

The Corolla's cabin has numerous convenient storage cubbyholes. For instance, there are pockets built into both the front and rear doors, all with enough space to hold 20-oz. bottles. There's also a cool new two-tier, two-door glove box, with a top drawer that opens upward and a bottom one that opens downward. The 12.3-cu.-ft. trunk is about average in size for a compact car, but it's unusually deep for a compact car. Toyota says it will hold four golf bags.


Buy It or Bag It?

The Corolla is an excellent choice for buyers who want Toyota reliability and great mileage at a reasonable price. If sportiness is a priority, be sure to test-drive the Civic Si against the Corolla XRS. If a touch of luxury is important, consider the Civic EX-L, which has leather interior trim, as well as the Corolla XLE.

Expect to pay a bit more if you go with a Honda. The '09 Corolla sells for an average of $17,851, about $700 less than the '08 Honda Civic, according to PIN. Another, slightly more expensive alternative to consider is the new, imported-from-Europe Saturn Astra (average price: $18,361). If you're on a tight budget, the '08 Hyundai Elantra ($15,393), the Ford Fusion ($15,372), and the Sentra ($16,334) all sell for less than the Corolla, on average.

The Corolla is the middle-of-the-road alternative. It will lower your gas bill and get you from here to there in comfort, but exciting it isn't.

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyl...ndex_lifestyle

 

wow, I never thought I'd see a Corolla for $20K....I don't think they'll sell many XRS's.

I think it looks a lot better than the outgoing model...not sporty, but its a Corolla - its not really trying to be.

 

I'd take a Mazda 3 over this every day of the week and it comes in nice 4 and 5 door flavors (I like the 5 door).

 

well to give credit where its due, the new corolla does look miles better than the outgoing version. it does look more "sporty" and its a mix between yaris and camry. i like it...lol

 

Those people complaining about the Corolla not being "edgy" enough just don't get it, that's the whole effing reason why this "boring" car is the "king of the compacts". I know most auto editiors are enthusiasts and many of them are even purists but they have to understand that majority of the people (if not more than 95%) who shop for a compact aren't looking for skidpad and slolam numbers, they are looking for comfortable, good FE and reliability and that's exactly what Toyota delivers with the Corolla.

If it was the other way around then the Mazda3 should be the segment leader...

 

I don't necessarily agree about everything inside being of high quality, especially some of the control *****, but he's correct about the car's ride comfort and noise level......along with the Hyundai Elantra, the best of the high-volume compacts in that regard.

Here's my take on the car:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...w+2009+corolla

 

you surprised? well meet reality... 20k is not much these days....

 

Yet another example of an "auto journalist" who doesn't know what he's talking about .

The new Corolla is certainly not bland; it's no less bland than a Mazda 3. If you're going to call the new Corolla bland, then you should also refer to the Cobalt, Mazda 3, and other bland compacts. Otherwise, you lose credibility as a journalist.

The new Corolla is a big improvement style-wise over the old model, and the XRS actually looks a bit sporty. The new Corolla has subtle elegance to it.

I wouldn't, especially not the 5 door but to each their own. IMO the 5-door reminds me of a Dachshund (wiener dog).

 

Opinion.

Opinion.

Opinions used to justify a conclusion, which doesn't make it true.

Opinion. My opinion is it's ugly in all incarnations, especially the XRS with tacked on cheesy plastic lower body kit parts.

We agree on to each their own.

 

I actually rented a 2009 Toyota Corolla LE a few days ago through Hertz. I have to say, it's definitely an improvement over the previous. It's pretty quiet, its powerful enough and has a lot of standard features for the money.

 

For some reason, I felt it wasn't as powerful as the 9th gen Corollas though. WIth the 9th gen, the gas pedeal is extremely responsive and gives you that sudden jerk from the start. With the 10 gen Corollas, it doesn't have that feel. A friend of a friend of mine bought the new 2009 Corolla S, and it lacked the quickness of previous 9th gen models (03-08). I use to own an 03 Corolla so I know the feel.

 

I currently am leasing an XRS; if I had to do it again, I would've just gone with the S. While it is nice to have some extra torque & 17" rims, with the way the gas prices are, the S would do better in normal driving. The XRS gets crappy mileage (comparable to the Scion tC) and the driving isn't all that exciting. The best features of the Corolla (besides the look of the S with the kit) is the interior, which is practically the same: the must have options like sunroof and the JBL/XM/Bluetooth combo are available in both grades (nav and leather are skippable), though the XRS has the Optitron gauges like the newer Lexuses and Toyotas.

 

king of boring, more like. how did toyota hold back the release of the currnet corolla and it still came out looking boring like the old model?

 

i guess i must be easily satisfied as far as car design is concerned. i like the corolla's looks. i like the direction it's going and in my eyes it looks like a shorter camry.

Take this one for example. Lower it and put some nicer wheels on it that will fit flush (staggered wheels if you wanna be silly) and you've got a pretty neat looking ride.



Interior isn't bad either. I mean - this car has door tweeters like my GS! (time for clifford to get a new car??)
*

 

No it's not opinion, it's fact. The journalist criticizes the Corolla for not being edgy enough, but that is EXACTLY why it sells so well because it attracts all kinds of buyers, from young to old.

Your point is? Yes, it's an opinion, just like this journalist's conclusions are opinion (not fact), and just like your statements about the Corolla and Mazda 3 are opinion.

Again, it's a fact that one of the reasons the Corolla sells so well is because it's not that edgy. Making it edgy would have alienated many Corolla buyers which would have led to lost sales.

Obivously it's an opinion, as styling is subjective.