2009 Toyota Corolla and Toyota Matrix
The Matrix's new all-wheel-drive system borrows hardware from the RAV4 and is an on-demand system that uses the front wheels for most of the propulsion; during initial acceleration and when wheel slip is detected, up to 45 percent of the available torque can be dispatched to the rear wheels.
Sampling the new Corolla family near Raleigh, North Carolina, revealed no great strides in speed or driving dynamics. The 1.8-liter engine delivers noise and forward thrust in equal doses. The power steering is nicely tuned for effort but numb to road feel, especially with all-wheel drive. Ride motions are well-damped and never offensive. Base edition interior trim is hard to the touch, except at handgrip and elbow-rest points. The sedan's handiest feature is two stacked glove boxes.
The top Matrix XRS is as racy as the new Corolla family gets. While its 2.4-liter four runs strong and sweet to a 6500-rpm redline, the upright seating necessitates a long shift lever that saps the fun of rowing through the gears. The combination of a shoulder-high beltline and a supersize C-pillar hides illicit behavior from prying eyes.
But don't be fooled by the XRS's sagging slacks and eighteen-inch footwear. Coolness is strictly limited when the Camry is your big brother.
The first Corolla
It was, perhaps, an inauspicious start. The first Toyota Corolla arrived here in 1968. Powered (if that's even the right term) by a 60-hp, 1.1-liter engine, it cost less than $1700. Two years later, offered as a coupe, a sedan, and a wagon, it was the best-selling Toyota and the second-most-popular import in the U.S. (after the Volkswagen Beetle). Worldwide ubiquity would soon follow.