Cars.com Reviews 2009 Toyota Corolla

The Toyota Corolla has long been one of the best-selling cars in the U.S. Even last year, when its design was clearly showing its age, it saw increased sales, mainly due to high gas prices. Toyota has finally redesigned the compact car for 2009, and Cars.com’s Kelsey Mays put it through its paces in a full review, as well as in a video. Surprisingly, the new Corolla isn’t the slam-dunk economy choice anymore, even though there’s still plenty to like.

2009 Toyota Corolla Expert Review
2009 Toyota Corolla Videos

Comments

[LM]

Yes, it's an also ran that will also sell oodles of cars. What I don't get is this: you guys rave about how cars need to get better MPG - then when they do, you rant on how slow they are. It takes energy to move 3,000 pounds fast. Car guys are just as, if not more, responsible for our dependence on foreign oil than the manufacturers by writing pieces that tell all too gullible consumers to buy the more powerful model.

Now, Toyota should put a 5- or 6-speed auto in the 1.8L Corolla for 40mpg highway.

[ziggy]

Yea - I don't understand why most of the automotive reviews spend so much time and concern over 0-60 times and how fast it does the 1/4 mile in. I don't think that I have ever needed to get to 60mph in 10 seconds or less. In fact most cars that I have owned were slow off the line and it didn't make a difference.

[Dave T.]

LM,
But the Civic and Focus both get very similar mileage by 1 or 2 mpgs and are better drivers. I think mileage is the #1 selling point of the Corolla.

[Tony]

In the April issue of Car and Driver mag,
Corolla posted 28mpg over 300 miles. Focus had 25 mpg on the same course.
http://www.caranddriver.com/content/download/100679/1306099/version/1/file/Little+Feet+-+Powertrain.pdf

[Dave T.]

Tony,
Not sure what your point is here. Almost all of their cars tested in the 300 miles achieved the city EPA numbers so the difference is higher because the Corolla posts better city mileage. Note they have identical hwy EPA numbers.

[LM]

Ziggy,

The focus on it because it's fun! Hell, if I was a reviewer I would do the same thing. Drive the living hell out of it (especially since the rag picks up the gas tab!)

So while I'm with Dave and the gang on their discussing how these cars are not "fun to drive" since I enjoy fun to drive cars too and would never buy a Corolla, harping on it to most people and playing up the less efficient engine harms society in the long-run.

[Dave T.]

Well there's also a difference in giving up mileage for a Ford Mustang GT500 versus giving up 1 mpg for a Civic which on a day to day basis is more enjoyable to drive than a Corolla. That was my main point.

I'm so tired of being stuck behind corrolas and camrys (mainly the last gen). I think any car would get awesom mileage if it was driven the way I see the majority of these cars being driven.

On topic- I totally agree with this review. I think toyota dropped the ball. The interior is beautiful to me, but it seems to be a little out of place in this car. I am pretty sure Corrolla will continue to be a huge success- just not sure all these people that are buying them are even test driving all the other great cars that available- the ones that manage to be goodlooking, fun, reliable, and fuel efficient. just my opinion

Broq

[George]

Dave T: There's more to "fun to drive" than just performance.

Styling is important to many people. The Corolla has a sedate refined outward style. The Civic is more futuristic and youth oriented. Many people prefer sedate.

The Civic also has a large windshield that stretches too far toward the front. It's like a giant heat sink for sun - baking the car. Get in the thing on a nice sunny summer day and the thing is like an oven. The A/C has to work harder to cool things. Further, the sun gets in your eyes far easier in the Civic than the Corolla, due to windshield.

The Civic has a lower ride than the Corolla. Some people prefer the higher ride.

In my neck of the woods, Civics usually cost a bit more than Corollas.

The Corolla was never marketed as any sort of "hot" car. It's been successful on the basis of a simple, reliable way to get from here to there with a decent measure of comfort.

[LM]

People are comfortable with what they know. That's why Clinton keeps winning over "less-intelligent" people.

Americans don't like to think too hard. Europeans and Asians do, and that's why their products are better!

We are just in the minority here.

[KJ]

For my money I would buy a Hyundai Elantra over a Civic or Corolla.

[Dave T.]

Elantra is a good choice too.

I don't think many of George's comments are real detractors. The forward dash of the Civic is off-putting to many. That's fine to say as a reason not to buy it but I don't think the added glass and dash could alter the hear that greatly. The pricing as we noted below is not that favorable towards the new corolla.
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/04/frugal-compacts.html

But yes it is less than the Civic.

[J]

KJ,

Yep, you save money on the purchase price; but 3 years down the road, you will be paying much more than buying a Corolla or Civic. Makes no difference if you lease or buy.

I just don't understand the auto jornalists.
People who buy this kind of car don't put performance on top of their list!

[Jason]

Ziggy, if you lived where I do, you would need the 0-60 performance to merge into traffic. There isn't enough roads for viable alternative routes.

LM, you are not thinking enough, my friend. Clinton is behind Obama in the polls.

[LM]

Jason... not among stupid people. Clinton is winning those. ;)

[Spanky]

I've got the previous generation Corolla and I agree that they should have updated the automatic to at least a 5speed. That would've bumped the mpg by probably 1mpg and boosted the fun factor. As far as handling goes, the main problem with the Corolla is it's stock tires. I had Goodyear Integrity's on mine and I would agree with having a fear of hitting an expansion joint on a turn. As soon as I put some decent tires on it was a completely different vehicle.

[Dave T.]

J,
we understand buyers just fine but you can get all the reliability, resale and gas savings in a better driver with the Civic which also has a nicer interior. I don't know many folks who don't want those things.

[Spanky]

I'm a Toyota man and I agree with Dave T. Right now the Civic is just better all around. Let's compare the Corolla XRS vs. The Civic SI. 2.4 I-4 vs the Civics 2.0 that makes more power with the same mileage. My only concession is that the SI takes premium. In every other way it is far superior.

[LM]

Actually, the interior styling is debating among a lot of people. When buying a car for my Mom she hated the interior of the Civic, not to mention the jarring ride. This is why people buy Toyotas, not necessarily for fun-to-drive or handling.

[Dave T.]

LM,
The interior of the Civic is funky but of better quality than the new Corollas. I was very surprised at the Corolla actually. Not much better than an Elantra.

[J]

LM,

I hate to say this, but my classmates like the Civic much more than the Corolla (There are far more 8th gen Civic than 9th & 10gen Corolla put together in my campus's parking lots). And that translates to: Honda has found the key to attract younger buyer into becoming long-term customers, while Toyota is selling its Corolla in "zombie land".

[J]

Spanky,

Don't forget, the Si has one more gear to row. And it is far more fun to drive than the Corolla which needs steroid.

[LM]

Well, Civics to appeal to younger kids, that's been the case for over a decade. The Corolla was never a car that appealed to students, at least not as much as the Corolla.

Note I said my mother, a 50-some year old. She didn't like the Civic for both the ride and interior styling. I said nothing about quality.

Btw. She ended up in an xA, which was not as radical as the Civic interior and more importantly, did not ride as harshly. I would've picked the Fit over the xA, but it wasn't my choice.

[LM]

I wrote Corolla one too many times in the first sentence. I meant Civic.

BTW, Dave...I wish there was an edit function on here!

[J]

LM,

2 things.
A. If there is an edit function, I think it would be chaotic.
B. The Civic's interior is not that radical when comparing to the xA. What do you think? At least, the look of the gauges.

[Brandon]

saying that people that look at these cars don't care about performance out of them is just wrong. In fact the only reason i found this is that i was looking for the 1/4 mile times for the 09 corolla. Do i think its a sports car? No not at all, but i also would like to know if i have a chance of merging into traffic on the freeway w/ it or if it will be so slow that i will be frustrated the entire time that i am driving it. The other comments in here about the corolla never being a fun car, needs to take a look at some of the older models, just because Toyota has become more of a mundane auto maker doesn't mean the Corolla has never been fun. The AE86 chassis being the best example as well as the AE92 being good for a FWD model. Even the later model versions were good fun cars in other countries.