The Detroit Newspapers's view

Detroiters love cars. We can’t help ourselves.

Every new vehicle rolling into a dealership needs to be fancier, faster and more powerful to grab our attention.

We scan parking lots to size up the competition. We chat with strangers about the advantages of dual overhead cams and winter tires.

But when you leave Detroit you quickly learn that most people outside the Motor City lack any gearhead cred. They couldn’t find a cam shaft if it were sticking out of their own gasket. And they don’t want to.

The 2009 Toyota Corolla lives well in that other world. Detroiters can insinuate, with all the venom and vitriol they want, that the Corolla is an appliance. But the 372,000 people who bought a Corolla last year don’t see why that’s bad. And neither do I. Why fix what ain’t broke?

That’s the beauty of the Corolla. It’s the Maytag of small cars. Buy it, drive it, forget about it.

King of the compacts, the redesigned Corolla is fancier, faster and more powerful, technically. It’s the evolution of the Corolla, not an overhaul. Longer, wider and lower this time translates to .4 inches longer, 2.4 inches wider, .8 inches shorter. More powerful means six additional ponies to the engine.

The Corolla pulls off cool as well as I do in front of my 16-year-old niece and radiates about as much glamour as Levis and a sweatshirt, but here’s the thing about the Corolla: It gets the job done every single day.

The prosaic comfort of the 10th generation Corolla — it arrived in America in 1968 — soothes your sensibilities while driving. Ten minutes in a Corolla will cure any road rage.

There are more stylish compacts. The Mazda 3, the Volkswagen Jetta and the Honda Civic have sharper lines and make a statement about the owner. The Corolla says the only time this person thinks about his car is when he can’t find the keys.

It’s a nondescript look, with a snub nose, long midsection and high back side that make little impression. If someone robbed a bank in the new Corolla, the clerk would tell police the robber drove “a car.”

Unless the robber were in an S or all-new XRS model. Those top two models come with touches of style such as body kits that include a new front spoiler, bulging rockers and rear spoilers. But these aren’t the big sellers.

The standard model, LE and XLE models are the bread-and-butter vehicles for Toyota. Nothing on these cars’ exteriors is polarizing. It doesn’t offend — other than the Toyota badge, which can stir up ire all around Detroit.

Its power numbers won’t blow anyone away: The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine on the XRS has 158 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. The 1.8 four-cylinder engine hits 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. The Civic, Ford Focus and Mazda 3 all beat the Corolla’s 1.8-liter engine, but only by a few horses, hitting 140, 140 and 144 respectively.

The 1.8-liter engine is frugal with fuel, getting 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. That’s down a few gallons from the 2008 model — no doubt from gaining 215 pounds and now tipping the scales at 2,745 pounds.

The car only disappointed me once. While testing both models, I had the chance to drive them on Detroit’s snow covered roads.

All Toyotas use a safety device that limits the throttle when it detects wheel slippage. This causes the car to stop revving above 3,000 rpm if the tires spin. It works well and helps the Corolla remain surefooted in the snow. Not a big discovery; most front-wheel drive vehicles typically handle themselves respectably in bad weather.

This system basically prevents the driver from hitting the gas too hard and losing control. But I was trying to see whether I could slide around a few corners in the snow and the Corolla wouldn’t let me. The system is safe, but a killjoy for anyone searching for tire-spinning fun.

On the highway it hits 80 mph easily. Around town, its acceleration feels quick and the handling OK. The Corolla uses electric power steering that feels slightly disconnected from the road in big sweeping turns or at high speeds.

Really, the experience in a Corolla is numbingly pleasant. It’s not fun and not bad: Call it ‘Corolla clean.’

Inside, the car is incrementally improved. Generation after generation, it gets nicer as it tries to keep up with the increasing competition. The cloth seats treat you like your in-laws — they keep you comfortable, but there’s no reason to stay too long. The instrument readout is clean and the center stack feels intuitive.

There are lots of useful cubbies and storage spots inside the Corolla and the center console is pushed down and back to create a more open feel. Once again, nothing struck me as too exciting, but everything felt well-made. The touch points are soft, the buttons and knobs are easy to read and use.

The design lines throughout the car flow well in a calm, easy manner. The materials used never feel luxurious, but they do look durable.

And there’s plenty of room. Front seat legroom: 41.7 inches; second row: 36.3 inches; trunk space: 16.6 cubic feet. All respectable numbers in the compact segment. More importantly, standard features include a tilt and telescoping steering wheel — essential to getting comfortable in a smaller car — four-speaker stereo, two 12-volt power outlets, daytime running lights and 60/40 split folding back seat. Good safety features include stability control and traction control.

The XLE, which starts at $17,550, comes with a few more features, including remote keyless entry, six-speaker stereo with CD player, variable intermittent windshield wipers and 16-inch tires.

But the true beauty of the new Corolla is that it hasn’t changed dramatically.

In a time where so much around us must be bigger, badder and uncut, it’s refreshing to have a zone that is comfortable and complete. Filet mignon with zip sauce may get your heart racing, but meatloaf lets you pay the bills.

The 2009 Corolla isn’t about 0-60 mph times or torque-twisting power, it’s about getting home from work and grocery shopping on the weekend. It’s the car for people who don’t have the time to think about engines and don’t have the interest if they did. Their garages are filled up with kids’ toys and old sofas.

The new Corolla is the same as it ever was, as edgy as a basketball and as reliable as the sunrise. It may not be for everyone, but according to sales figures, it continues to be for most of the U.S. — the part outside of Detroit.

Report Card

Overall: HHH

Exterior: Fair: Small nose and squatted stance improve the car’s look but not dramatically. Still a bland exterior overall.

Interior: Good: Comfortable and clean. New features like the second glove box add more storage.

Performance: Good: Steady and stable, the steering can feel a little loose at top speeds but the ride is firm enough for tight turns, loose enough for bumpy roads.

Safety: Good: Standard stability control and traction control as well as front and side airbags.

Pros: Good value, reliable and upgraded interior.

Cons: Bland styling may push some buyers to sportier cars.

Grading Scale

Excellent: HHHH Good: HHH Fair: HH Poor: H

2009 Toyota Corolla

MSRP: $15,250

Trims: standard, LE, XLE, S, XRS

Engine: 1.8-liter, 2.4-liter (both have four cylinders)

Transmission: four-speed automatic or five speed manual

Power:

1.8-liter: 132 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm, 128 pound-feet torque @ 4,400 rpm

2.4-liter: 158 horsepower@ 6,000 rpm, 162-pound-feet torque @ 4,400 rpm

EPA mileage:

1.8-liter: 27 mpg city / 35 mpg highway

2.4-liter: 22 mpg city / 30 mpg highway

Notes: Only the XRS comes with the 2.4-liter engine

Auto Critic Scott Burgess is the auto critic for The Detroit News. He can be reached at sburgess@detnews.com.