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Simple, Straightforward Corolla Delivers

Overview

Many of our favorite quotes, proverbs and sayings have truth to them, there’s no question about that, but some could be reworked to better fit today’s circumstances. For example, “It ain’t over till the band plays three encores,” or my new favorite, “Don’t judge a Corolla by its cover.”

Corollas have been around forever, and my bet is that they’ll continue to be around for a long time. That’s because they’re good, solid cars, just like the 2009 Toyota Corolla I tested. No, it wasn’t “more than you bargained for”; it’s the equivalent of “good people.” The Corolla doesn’t claim to be anything it’s not. It’s a simple, honest, straightforward car. You might think it’s boring, but Toyota has struck the right chord with a small car that has quality touches, lots of storage and a feel-good vibe. It’s no surprise the Corolla is a popular car. In August, Toyota produced its 5 millionth Corolla at its Ontario, Canada, assembly plant. And did you know that Corollas have been available in the U.S. since 1968? That’s a pretty impressive couple of facts there, people. You like Corollas. I can certainly see why there’s no need to modernize the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Interior

The interior is nice. The fabric upholstery wasn’t staticky; there were lovely wood accents that weren’t overwhelming. There was a simple, modern stereo that wasn’t too intimidating, and the cupholders were terrific. There wasn’t any visual clutter. The Corolla isn’t humongous on the inside, but when the kids and I got in no one said, “It’s too small!” or “She’s/he’s touching me!”

The Latch connectors were easy to access, and booster seats fit flush against the rear seatback. The seat belt receptors took a little getting used to, but they were simple and easy for the kids to use after a few days. Another thing I like about the backseat is there’s no hump in the floor. I’m thrilled that I’m seeing this more often in my test cars. This makes a smaller car feel a lot bigger for the driver. I can set my bag on the floor behind the center console and reach it easily; plus, nobody will step on it. That being said, a rear-facing child-safety seat might be a pretty tight fit in the back.

There were enough storage spaces to keep my stuff corralled. There’s an auxiliary input jack and a mounted holder for your iPod. I’ll update the phrase, “A place for everything, everything in its place” to “There’s a place for my iPod, and my iPod is in its place.” The trunk accommodated my every need, but don’t get me wrong, the Corolla’s not going to get you from the membership warehouse to hockey practice (have you seen the size of those bags?!) to the golf course with ease. But you wouldn’t expect it to. Rather, it’s a great car if you don’t frequent Costco with the whole family, and your kids are in dance and soccer.

Exterior

The exterior is also nice. I don’t mean that in an I-can’t-find-a-better-cliché sort of way. It’s clean, simple, easy on the eyes, but not flashy; it’s very approachable and friendly. Design-wise, it’s easy to see why the Corolla has been around “since the dawn of time.” It’s got a little spoiler that’s a nice detail that keeps the car from being too vanilla-y.

While the Corolla isn’t going to win any races, it merges on the highway just fine and gets to the grocery store with ease. Maybe instead of “slow and steady wins the race,” today’s equivalent could be “moderately speedy merges safely.” I love testing small cars because I can drive and park them so easily. They remind me that I don’t have to own a behemoth for my everyday driving.

Safety

You know how they say “you get what you pay for”? While you’re not going to “spend an arm and a leg” for the Corolla, the doors sound tinny when they close, lending to a cheap feel. This always makes me wonder just how safe I am.

Fortunately, the 2009 Corolla does come with a slew of standard safety features. There are front-, side-impact and side curtain airbags; active head restraints; and all kinds of energy-absorbing beams and crumple zones. But vehicle stability control and traction control aren’t standard. If you want those items, they’re gonna cost you a bit more.

*For more information on the 2009 Toyota Corolla and its safety features, visit Cars.com. With questions or comments regarding this review, write to editor@motherproof.com.

LET’S TALK NUMBERS

Latch Connectors: 2

Seating Capacity (includes driver): 5

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT

Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Ample

Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair

SENSE AND STYLE

Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Fair-Great

Fun Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Some

Specs

2009 Toyota Corolla XLE

Base price: $17,650

Price as tested: $19,869

Engine: 1.8L 4cyl

Fuel: 26/35 mpg

Length: 178.7″

Width: 69.3″

Ground Clearance: n/a

Turning Radius: 17.8″

Cargo space: 12.3 cu ft

NHTSA Crash-Test Ratings

Frontal Impact

Driver’s side: 4 stars

Passenger’s side: 4 stars

Side Impact

Front occupant: 5 stars

Rear occupant: 4 stars

Rollover resistance: 4 stars