Toyota unveils 2009 Corolla and Matrix
Richard Truett Automotive News October 31, 2007 - 3:49 pm ET
LAS VEGAS - Toyota pulled the covers off the 2009 Corolla sedan and Matrix sport wagon today at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show here.
The new Corolla, the 10th generation of the world's best-selling compact sedan, stays about the same size, but its appeal could be greater because of an expanded lineup.
Sales are expected to start Feb. 11, said Ed La Rocque, Toyota's national car marketing manager. He said prices won't be announced until close to launch.
The 2009 Corolla will be available in five versions: standard, LE, XLE, S and XRS. A 1.8-liter, 132-hp engine powers all but the top-of-the-line XRS, which gets a 2.4-liter, 158-hp engine, 17-inch wheels and other performance-oriented spiffs.
The 2009 Corolla is 2 inches wider than the current model.
The new Matrix will be available in three versions: standard, S all-wheel drive and XRS. It looks a bit like a scaled-down version of the Lexus RX
350. The same two engines from the Corolla will be offered in the Matrix. Tim Morrison, Toyota division corporate marketing manager, said it is essential that Toyota gets the Corolla right because of the growing number of stylish small cars coming to the United States."In style and substance, the tenth-generation Corolla will have a strong, new identity all its own," he said. "It will be far more than merely the next-generation Corolla and will position itself perfectly above our entry-level Yaris and below our sales leader, the Camry."
Toyota says it is on track to sell about 390,000 Corollas in the United States this year.