Nearly 40 years after the Corolla was introduced to American drivers, an all-new, 10th generation 2009 Corolla will continue to offer the quality and value for which the brand has long been known.

Using a modeling technique called "sweep cut," designers crafted character lines that sweep from the hood toward the A-pillars, and that carry back from the top edge of the front bumper into the subtle but muscular front-fender flares. Other character lines carry rearward at the level of the door handles, emphasizing the Corolla's new low profile, and sweep down from the C-pillar and along the top edges of the rear fenders.

The all-new Corolla will come in five grades - Standard, LE, XLE, the sporty S, and the performance-driven loaner Toyota lent us, the XRS.

The 2009 Corolla's interior is sporty and distinctive - with roomy-feeling comfort. The vehicle maintains the same headroom, legroom and shoulder room as the previous model.

Focusing on the shape and dimensions of the Corolla's seats, engineers. measured and charted the driving positions of people who were tall or of average height. The data they gathered was incorporated into the shape of the Corolla's new front seats.

During testing, every time a seat-test subject expressed a feeling of pressure, the seat contour was adjusted in one millimeter increments. Then, to improve the seat's fit for shorter people, engineers slightly modified that shape by altering the contour of the forward edge pads. The result is seats that are comfortable for people of almost any height.

Results are also found under the hood of our tested model. For those who crave just a bit more horsepower and torque, the XRS sports a 2.4-liter engine. The 16-valve DOHC engine uses VVT-i. Undersquare, with a bore of 3.48 inches and a stroke of 3.78 inches, it displaces 2,362 cc or 144.1 ci and operates with a 9.8:1 compression ratio to produce 158 hp at 6,000 rpm and 162 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm.

If you don't have the need for speed, Toyota also offers another engine option. The Standard, LE and XLE will be equipped with the 16-valve, DOHC four-cylinder engine, which displaces 1,798 cc or 109.7 ci, produces 132 hp at 6,000 rpm and 128 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm.

Both configurations can be mated to a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic for the 1.8L engine while the 2.4L will be paired with a five-speed automatic.

The new Corolla also offers many features on the standard grade like P195/65 R15 tires, a heavy duty rear window defogger, AM/FM/CD audio with four speakers that is also satellite capable, air conditioning with air filter, driver and front passenger airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags and side curtain airbags, intermittent windshield wipers, two 12-volt power outlets, daytime running lights, black manual folding power mirrors, power steering, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, 60/40 split folding rear seats, and more.

In addition to features on the LE grade, the XLE grade adds P205/55 R16 tires with full wheel covers, variable intermittent wipers, remote keyless entry, Optitron gauges, center console with sliding armrests, wood grain trim, and driver and passenger rear-seat pockets.

Further to S grade features, the XRS grade adds rear deck spoiler, P215/45 R17 tires with alloy wheels, sport strut tower brace, VSC with TRAC and off switch, XRS scuff plate, leather-trimmed shift lever and knob, cruise control and interior chrome accent.

With features galore Toyota has improved a winning recipe again and choosing this little guy to adorn your driveway may just be a safe bet.

Expect 22 mpg for city driving and 30 mpg on the highway.

Base Price - $15,250

Price as tested - $24,210

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Daniel Souza can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or http://sixthgearherald.blogspot.com