Any specs/dimensions yet?

Looks like it will have a available 2.4l. If they can keep the weight down, that would be a fun performer. They show a XRS too. Probably the 2.4 engine option, but hey if it runs on 87 pump, has the power of a camery with as little weight as possible, that would actually be fun.

One of my main complaints about newer cars is they add power, but they add weight to pretty much offset any power gains. Ya, the car is more plush, but take away the goodies, strip it down, and it would actually move rather well.

I guess car makers don't want the public to know that they "could" make rather zippy cars that don't even cost that much money. The current manual corolla has a curb weight right around 2550lbs. Not too bad at all actually since my 89 CRX was right around 2200lbs. If they can keep the weight down, I would actually wait to look at it.

Corolla now comes in XLE???

Then does that mean the Yaris takes the place of what the Corolla was? (A basic car that transports you from A to

And the Corolla is now just a smaller version of the Camry?? Or Scion ??

Toyota just announced the 2009 Toyota Corolla and 2009 Toyota Corolla Matrix!!! Lots of pictures at these links!

I want one.

Dimension wise, expect the new Corolla to be about the same as the Asian and European market:

178.7" long

69.3" wide

58.1" tall

102.4" wheelbase

Curb weight: about 2800 manual to 2850 automatic

I got several disappointments/complaints:

1) Only 132 HP for the 1.8L? Now the Corolla will lag far behind the Civic, which makes 140 HP. What's worse, if the new Corolla is anything like the rest of the world, its going to weigh a lot. I heard australian tests with the 1.8 in manual were just awful (0-60 in 9.7 seconds, and that was with 136 HP).

2) Its STILL got a 4 speed auto. At least go to 5 speeds, if not CVT.

3) It is nice to see the Camry's 2.4L engine come in, but that engine is a bit outdated (it debuted in 2000). With the extra weight of the engine, the new XRS is probably going to be tipping the scales at close to 2900 lbs. Sure this engine's got more useable power than the XRS, but its certainly not going to accelerate as fast as the old one did. They should at least consider installing dual vvt-i. It would probably boost the power to about 165 HP or more (on par with the 2ZZ-GE).

4) The new Corolla almost as big as the 1992 Camry, which when it was debuted was coined "world-sized". It seems like the definition of compact car is just being thrown out the window today. This new Corolla is now just as wide as the Camry was, weighs almost as much, makes just as much power as it did, and is taller. It's wheelbase is just 1" shorter than the old Camry.

Whatever is happening with the 3ZR-FAE I keep reading about (2.0L valvematic)? Now that engine's got a lot more potential. It makes as much power as the 2AZ-FE (Camry's 2.4L), but it weighs a good 50 lbs less and it makes superior fuel efficiency. On strict Japanese tests, the 3ZR-FAE achieved 33 MPG average.

As far as I can tell, the only car Toyota has installed Valvematic in is some junky van for the Japanese market called the "Noah".

That means everyone can now list their older models on e-Bay and put in their order for a 2009.

27/35 mpg by the new standards is about 31/38 by the old standards. Is this for automatic or manual? If its based on manual tests it sounds like the new Corollas are going to take a hit to their mpg, on top of being slower. Right now they're up to 32/41.

Looks like the Corolla XRS is going to be lame, just like the last model. This time there is torque but no horsepower instead of horsepower and no torque of the 2ZZ-GE. Toyota can't figure out that high HP and torque is a good thing?

Toyota should have made the XRS more high-performance and added a supercharger like the one that was SEMA. http://blogs.motortrend.com/6220282/auto-s...tyle/index.html

Looks like the Corolla XRS is going to be lame, just like the last model. This time there is torque but no horsepower instead of horsepower and no torque of the 2ZZ-GE. Toyota can't figure out that high HP and torque is a good thing?

Toyota should have made the XRS more high-performance and added a supercharger like the one that was SEMA. <a href="http://blogs.motortrend.com/6220282/auto-s...tyle/index.html" target="_blank">http://blogs.motortrend.com/6220282/auto-s...tyle/index.html</a>

That link doesn't work.

Toyota isn't the only one who does low torque, high HP cars. Seems to be the trend with any smaller displacement normal aspirated engine. The larger the engine, the more torque it can have. A power adder would help add power. It's not a matter of Toyota not getting it right. The XRS didn't take off, but I don't believe it's because it was a bad car. Toyota didn't advertise it and they never stick to anything when it comes to it's sportier cars. I test drove one and I liked it. The main reason we didn't want to shell out the cash for it was because it didn't have a LSD. That might sound silly, but all the other cars in the XRS class have a LSD up front and it makes a difference. It makes a huge difference in the snow too with snow tires.

I spit on Toyota for not sticking to their own cars. They always give up the Celica and MR2, and then they bring it back after 5 years or so. They only ran the XRS for maybe all of two years before axing it.

Toyota should take a clue from American auto makers. Even if the higher end cars don't have a large volume, they give the brand name a good name and they get people in to the dealer. Buyers might eye hump the car they want, but then they will buy the car they can get.

.............That link doesn't work.

 

Toyota isn't the only one who does low torque, high HP cars. Seems to be the trend with any smaller displacement normal aspirated engine. The larger the engine, the more torque it can have. A power adder would help add power. It's not a matter of Toyota not getting it right. The XRS didn't take off, but I don't believe it's because it was a bad car. Toyota didn't advertise it and they never stick to anything when it comes to it's sportier cars. I test drove one and I liked it. The main reason we didn't want to shell out the cash for it was because it didn't have a LSD. That might sound silly, but all the other cars in the XRS class have a LSD up front and it makes a difference. It makes a huge difference in the snow too with snow tires.

................

Oops, sorry for the incomplete link. Here it is. http://blogs.motortrend.com/6220282/auto-s...tyle/index.html

I also testdrove the 2ZZ-GE XRS and I wasn't a fan. The main reason I didn't like it was because of the ultra-narrow powerband of the engine. Below the 6,600-6,800 RPM 2nd cam switchover point, the engine is pretty gutless. The fact that when you shift at redline from 1-2 and cannot keep the 2nd high HP cam engaged is ridiculous, same with the 2-3 upshift. Flirt with the redline and you get fuelcut if you get anywhere close. Ouch. I thought it was narrow in the 2000 Celica, but at least in that car you can run through the gears on the high-lift cam. In every Honda VTEC powerplant I have driven, you can easily stay on the 2nd cam. The instrument cluster was hit and miss, loved the electroluminescent gauges, but what's up with the tiny tach?, especially when the car makes you flirt with the redline so precisely? Other than that, I did like the upgraded interior and the increased handling, but that powertrain made me shake my head and be glad to be in my CE after the testdrive believe it or not.

The XRS has no torque (127 lb-ft....haha), so lack of LSD I can forgive, but yeah every performance car should be equipped with LSD, especially high torque and HP FWD cars like the SRT, Mazdaspeed 3, Spec-V...etc., not to mention performance RWD *cough* BMW 335i, Porsche Boxster *cough*

Toyota USA's own site:

http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/coro...OLLA_FUTURE_IMG

Personally I think if they want to make a REAL Corolla XRS, they should drop in a V6 from their GR engine family. Even the smallest engine in that family, the 4GR-FSE from the IS250, makes 204 HP and 185 ft-lbs torque! Now that would give a Civic Si a run for its life.

Nice read and nice pictures, but we're not quite ready to replace our Corolla just yet.

I had better start saving now, in ten years I might be able to afford one.

YUK!

Toyota is finished with these new copy cat mazda models.

Honda cars much more appealing now. Compare new Civic with Corolla. LOL.

Toyota owner for 25 years.