Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Toyota Corolla XRS

The Toyota Corolla hasn't stirred passion since the AE86, so it's forgivable to greet an all-new version with a yawn. The Corolla recipe has been refined to the point of grand success for so long now that changes must be approached carefully. A new version must not upset the car's combination of refinement, value, and durability. To be sure, the 2009 Corolla is likely to continue the model's grade point average full of red circles from Consumer Reports. Objectively, it's tough to top - subjectively, not so much.


Photos Copyright ©2008 Dan Roth / Weblogs, Inc.

Toyota's Matrix wagon, Corolla sedan and its mechanical twin the Pontiac Vibe sport wagon are all in hot water after motorists have begun to issue complaints about their power side-front windows. Reports indicate the windows are getting stuck, making popping noises, and in some cases shattering and injuring passengers. To date, more than 503 complaints have been received by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is currently looking into the issue. Ultimately, the investigation may trigger a recall affecting 676,747 vehicles manufactured during the 2003 and 2004 model years at NUMMI, the GM-Toyota joint-venture plant that found itself in a pot of hot water after an employee accused her superiors last November of letting defective vehicles leave the facility.

Interesting to note: This may become the first windows recall that doesn't require PC owners to download a patch. (Hardy har har.)

[Source: Detroit News]

Photo: David Guimaraes

If you're an automaker and want to tap into the knowledge base of your most fervent fans, what better place to go for input than one of the many model-specific forums on the 'Net. Supposedly, that's exactly what happened over at Club4AG.

The site's founder, Moto Miwa, has been in contact with one of the chief engineers tasked by Toyota to begin developing the oft-rumored sports car that's been making the rounds on the Web. The unnamed engineer worked on the original AE86 Corolla, along with a host of other projects including the 2nd generation Prius. While Toyota's ubiquitous hybrid isn't what anyone would consider sporty, the man behind its development, who's now working on the coupe, is apparently quite the petrolhead.

In preparation for a meeting with Toyota's engineer, Miwa asked the Club4AG crew with what they want the new coupe to come equipped. Naturally, the consensus involved repeated pleas for something lightweight, rear-wheel-drive, a DOHC four-cylinder that trades big power for responsiveness, and a chassis and engine that's designed for modification.

Here's hoping that Miwa's Man on the Inside heeds the advice and brings an entertaining whip to those of us with shallow pockets and a penchant for wrenching.

[Source: Club4AG via Winding Road]

Each month, 13 million visitors use Edmunds to research cars and trucks, and once again Honda and Toyota dominate the site's list of top searches. The Honda Civic and Accord along with the Toyota Camry lead the hit parade, followed by six other Japanese models and the BMW 3-Series. The two Japanese juggernauts also owned the top truck searches, with the fuel efficient Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 taking first and second, respectively. The only other automaker to crack the truck/SUV/minivan category was GM, with the GMC Acadia coming in at number five, and the Saturn VUE rounding out the top ten.

It's interesting to note that the vehicles car shoppers research most aren't exactly the the ones that produce the highest sales volume, as evidenced by the Mazda3 besting the economy car sales champ Toyota Corolla by three spots. Also worth noting is that automotive stalwarts have a much larger presence on Edmunds than do new models like the Chevy Malibu or the Cadillac CTS. To check out the complete car and truck top ten from Edmunds AutoObserver, click the read link below.

[Source: AutoObserver]

We've all seen the ads in the newspaper or in commercials that say you can get a new car with zero money down and only $299 per month. Quick math tells you that even after taxes and destination, you're only paying about $4,400 the first year to own a brand new car. A recent study by consulting firm Runzheimer International shows that a new car will cost you considerably more in overall operating costs. At 15,000 miles per year, the cost of insurance, gasoline, fees, depreciation, and maintenance can drive the overall cost near $20,000 per year.

The 2008 Cadillac STS was tops in this year's test, costing buyers $19,537. The Lexus LS460 was close behind at $19,372. Big vehicles cost quite a bit also, with Ford's E-350 XL SuperDuty tallying a $16,543 bill followed by the Chevy Tahoe LS 4x4 at $15,789. There were some relatively low cost vehicles as well, with the first year costs of a Toyota Corolla CE coming in lowest in the test at $7,933 and a Ford Ranger XL pickup that hits $9,929. If these numbers seem high, it's because the highest liability in a new car balance sheet is depreciation, and new cars can lose thousands the day they're driven off the lot. Every mile on the odometer brings the resale value lower, and if your new car carried lots of incentives or it's a rental car favorite, its residual plummets even further.

[Source: The Car Connection]

UPDATE: Video of the Corolla and Matrix tuners is available after the jump

Click the image above for a dozen live high-res pics

It's got to be the shortest tuner turnaround time ever. Toyota unveiled the new Corolla and within minutes took the wraps off this SEMAfied version, dubbed the S3. Much like the Matrix Rally that shared the stage, the S3 is fitted with a supercharger and an intercooler, a set of awkwardly sized and horrendously designed dubs, plus some body adornments and interior trim that makes it everything a Corolla isn't.

Check out our full gallery of images below and compare it to its sedate sibling here.

UPDATE: Video of the 2009 Corolla unveiling has been added after the jump.

click above image to view more high-res shots of the 2009 Toyota Corolla

Finally got official shots from Toyota of the 2009 Corolla added to the gallery. While we're waiting for live shots of the car to arrive, we'll tell you a little bit about Toyota's new small car. The 2009 Corolla will come in five trims: Standard, LE, XLE, the "sporty" S and even "sportier" XRS. The car is about the same size as the last model, but the A- and C-pillars have been pushed out to give the greenhouse a more rakish look. Meanwhile, S and XRS models get a body kit that includes a chin spoiler, fog lamps, rocker moldings, spoilers and even an underbody engine cover to improve airflow beneath the car. Engines include the base 1.8L four-cylinder with dual-VVT-i producing 132 HP and 162 ft-lbs. of twist. The XRS alone gets a 2.4L producing 154 HP and 162 ft-lbs. of torque. Cars like the Honda Civic Si sedan shouldn't worry. S models also get 16-inch wheels that are unfortunately capped with wheel covers, while the XRS sports 17-inchers that are pure alloy.

There's no word on pricing yet, but the 2009 Toyota Corolla will be available in dealerships this February. Check out Toyota's full press release after the jump for more details.

Check out the simultaneous debut of the Corolla's sibling, the 2009 Toyota Corolla Matrix, by clicking HERE.

UPDATE: We figured it out. The car below is the Australian Corolla sedan, though what's to say the 2009 model destined for U.S. shores won't share the same front end?


Stranger things have happened, you know. We're about a week and a half away from the 2009 Toyota Corolla's official debut at this year's SEMA show in Las Vegas, and media will get to preview the new small car this week. It could just be, however, that a dealer somewhere spilled the beans by accidentally publishing a pic of the new Corolla in its weekly circular. Do we think that's the case? Hardly. It's probably just a Toyota model of which we're not aware, perhaps a Camry derivative. But hey, we've been wrong before. Muchos gracias to anyone who can correctly identify the car if it is, in fact, a current model.

Thanks for the tip, Peter!

[Source: Carspace]

The new Corolla?

The new 2009 Toyota Corolla should go on sale in early 2008, according to Automotive News, and we'll get our first look at the car this November at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. There will be quite a few changes, most noticeably a new "edgier" design. But when we take a look under that racier hood, we're likely to see even more changes. The newest Corolla will reportedly feature Toyota's new family of 1.8-liter engines, which should first show up in the 2008 Scion xD. Expect a very slight bump in power here, with 128 hp and 125 ft-lbs of torque, versus 126 hp and 122 ft-lbs. of torque for the current model. There will also be a second engine choice for uplevel Corolla models. The larger engine will be the 2.4-liter four from the Camry producing 158 hp. That will bring the Corolla's power output closer to the competition and might put to rest rumors of a possible V6, although we still think the car will be generally underpowered compared to its competition if Toyota doesn't raise the output of the 2.4L somehow.

The Corolla is already the best-selling car of all time, but Toyota needs to rethink things a bit to keep up with competitors like the Honda Civic and Mazda3. The new car might be sold alongside the 2008 version of the current car for a few months and will likely roll out as a 2009 or possibly a 2008.5.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req.]

Toyota, in its seemingly never ending quest for world domination, targets the mostly untapped Chinese market with a redesigned Chinese-market Corolla.

Looking much like a diminutive Camry, the 10th iteration of the China-bound Corolla will be on display starting Saturday at the 2006 Beijing International Automotive Industry Exhibition along with 28 other Toyota models including the Lexus RX400h hybrid.

According to Autoblog China, the new Corolla will have the same 1.8-liter four-cylinder we get in our version, but theirs will have a 6-speed manual instead of our 5-speed.

Also, according to a Toyota press release, the Corolla's Chinese name will be changed from Hua Guan to Ka Luo La. No, seriously.

Press release on the jump.

[Source: Autoblog China and CarScoop.com]