2009 Toyota Corolla Overview Change Vehicle

This 2009 Toyota Corolla overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2009 Corolla, and includes Toyota Corolla safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

It’s hard to mess with success, but the capable Corolla had grown a bit old by 2008, leading to the debut of a redesigned model for 2009. Though it rides on the same wheelbase, the new Corolla sports more contemporary styling and offers a wider track for improved handling, a larger trunk, and more shoulder and hip room for the driver and front passenger. Safety has also been addressed, with the long overdue addition of standard antilock brakes and better crash-test scores.

Other noteworthy changes include the re-introduction of the Corolla XRS, now powered by a 2.4-liter engine. The standard 1.8-liter four-cylinder has been updated with direct injection and a negligible gain in horsepower.

Toyota sells the Corolla in five different trim levels. Standard, LE, and XLE are the mainstream Corollas, ranging from basic to nicely equipped. The S and XRS are the sporty Corollas, the former a stylistic exercise and the latter equipped with actual go-faster hardware.

Car shoppers familiar with the Corolla likely associate the CE designation with entry-level status. For 2009, that name has been replaced by Standard, the new budget-oriented model equipped with amenities such as a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, a split-folding rear seat, air conditioning, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, and prewiring for XM satellite radio service.

The Standard is followed by the 2009 Toyota Corolla S, which adds a lower body kit, smoked headlight housings, fog lights, and a fancy chrome exhaust tip. Inside you’ll find an audio system with steering wheel controls, leather accents, and sport bucket seats up front.

Starting where the S stops is the XRS, a sport variant that last appeared in the Corolla lineup in 2006. It marks its return with a 2.4-liter engine, four-wheel disc brakes, standard stability and traction control systems, and a strut tower brace. Like the less capable S, the 2009 XRS also features fog lights, leather trim, tinted headlights, and an audio system that’s setup for XM satellite radio. On top of that the XRS tacks on 17-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, and chrome accents.

Pointed more in the direction of creature comforts than sporty driving is the 2009 Corolla LE. Toyota has fitted this version with power windows and door locks, though little else differentiates it from the pack.

For the top-of-the-line treatment, you’ll need to bump up to the new XLE model, which is where you’ll find features that were standard on the LE last year. We’re talking about fake woodgrain trim, keyless entry, and a six-speaker sound system.

Among the options available for 2009 are a new navigation system with XM real-time traffic information, and carryovers items such as a power sunroof and leather-clad seats.

Except for the XRS, all 2009 Corollas draw motivation from a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, though the powerplant now features direct injection and delivers 132 horses instead of 130. Managing that output is the job of a standard five-speed manual transmission, or an optional four-speed automatic. As has long been the case, the Corolla delivers commendable fuel economy, registering 26-mpg city/35-mpg highway with the manual gearbox and 27-mpg city/35-mpg highway with the automatic.

Fans of the 2005-06 Corolla XRS will likely be disappointed – at least somewhat – by the 2009 iteration. Instead of a high-revving, 170-horsepower engine, the new XRS features a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with direct injection but only 158 ponies. Adding insult to injury, the six-speed manual transmission that once was an XRS exclusive has been replaced by a five-speed manual. A five-speed automatic, the first for any Corolla, is optional. Regardless of which tranny you choose, the EPA suggests you’ll experience relatively disappointing fuel economy equaling 22 mpg around town and 30 mpg on the highway.

Toyota’s compact sedan has scored well, if not outstanding, in crash tests over the past few years, but its list of standard safety equipment has been noticeably lacking. Thankfully, there are a few upgrades for 2009, including standard front-seat, side-impact airbags, side-curtain airbags and antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution. Unfortunately, four-wheel-disc brakes and stability control are standard only on the sporty XRS, the latter a must-have safety feature that’s optional on all other trim levels.

Put it all into play and you have a compact sedan that earns top scores in the offset frontal impact, side impact, rear crash protection, and roof crush strength assessments from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, making the Corolla a Top Safety Pick when it is equipped with stability control. In the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s front-impact, rear side-impact, and rollover resistance tests, the Corolla gets 4-Star ratings, while driver protection in a side-impact crash scores 5 Stars. All in all, this is one safe Toyota.

On the reliability front, the Toyota Corolla ranks near the head of the class, with J.D. Power and Associates as well as Consumer Reports predicting better than average dependability.

The addition of standard antilock brakes, side-impact front seat airbags, and side-curtain airbags is big news for the 2009 Corolla, along with the versatility offered by the car’s larger trunk and the efficiency promised by the new direct injection base engine. But the lack of standard stability control on all models is disappointing. Nevertheless, the Corolla is a safe, reliable, and sensible choice among small cars.

By Thom Blackett