ALT-1 Toyota Corolla
Since Toyota’s redesign of the Corolla as a 2009 model, a lot of things have changed for the compact sedan. The CE trim had been dropped leaving the base model stating just, “Corolla.” The LE model is the mid-level Corolla, while S model is a sportier trim with sport fabric seats and an aerodynamic sport kit with alloy wheels and the XRS is the high-performance model with the 2.4-liter inline-4 engine derived straight from the Scion tC and xB, but the XRS model comes with only a manual transmission in the name of performance. The rest of the Corollas have a base 1.8-liter engine with 132 horsepower instead of 158.
Not to be confused with the Corolla’s “hatched” brother, the Toyota Matrix, the Corolla is your normal fuel-efficient sedan that comes with your everyday standard features such as power windows, door locks, air conditioning with an in-cabin filter, as well as a pretty descent-size trunk with 60/40 split rear seats. It also comes with standard front-disc and rear-drum brakes with ABS.
Like I have stated earlier, all of the Corollas with the exception of the high-performance XRS, come with a 1.8-liter 16-valve inline-four that puts out 132 horsepower, and 128 lb-ft. of torque. The Corolla’s acceleration is not like a rocket-ship, but it is not overwhelmingly slow either for a compact car. 0-60 mph comes up in 10.1 seconds for the 1.8-liter engine, and the 2.4-liter engine for the XRS clocks in at just a second quicker.
As far as features go, power windows, door locks, air conditioning with an in-cabin filter in the glove compartment are all standard on the 2010 Corollas. An AM/FM stereo system with a single-disc CD player is also standard, but if you opt for the JBL Sound System, you get an upgraded 6-disc CD changer with Bluetooth and steering-wheel mounted audio controls. iPod integration? An auxiliary jack is standard on all models, but if you want to go on a more sophisticated route, switch the stock radio for an aftermarket which has a built-in USB port.
Unlike a couple of the Corolla’s competitors like the Mazda 3 or the Honda Civic, the Corolla is not really meant to be driven hard like you would on a track. It is not meant to feel the road. With its 195/60R15 tires (and sometimes 205/55R16 if you opt for the higher-end Corollas), you will not feel a lot of grip on the road, and with its front-strut and rear-shocks suspension, you will feel a lot of body roll during hard turns and corners.
Since the Corolla is considered a “gas-sipper,” gas mileage is above average for a compact car. It gets 26 miles per gallon around town, and 35 miles per gallon on the highway; not exactly “hybrid” mileage, but close to it. All of the advertisements and commercials had been saying that the Toyota Corolla is ranked #1 by Consumer’s Digest, and I would definitely recommend this car to anyone who wants to save a bit at the pump, but does not want to spent a lot on a regular hybrid (ex. the Prius).
