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2009 Toyota Corolla XRS
Sport-tuned compact sedan
By Nina Russin
2009 Toyota Corolla XRS
No car in Toyota’s line-up exemplifies its core values better than the Corolla. After forty years, the Corolla has become a fixture on American highways: the iconic compact sedan.
While Toyota has maintained its customer base through value-focused marketing, it has also widened the Corolla’s footprint by adding the Matrix five-door model, and XRS sport grade. The XRS, available on both the sedan and hatchback, appeals to driving enthusiasts with a more powerful engine, special trim and sport-tuned suspension.
Last year, Toyota introduced the tenth-generation Corolla, with a new 1.8-liter and reconfigured 2.4-liter engine. The XRS comes standard with the larger engine and choice of five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.
Seventeen-inch alloy wheels are an upgrade from 15 and 16-inch rims on other grades. The XRS also comes with standard four-wheel disc brakes, giving it better all-weather stopping power than the rear drums on the S, LE and XLE models. Read the rest of this entry »
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2009 Scion xB
Evolved box
By Nina Russin
2009 Scion xB
Since I began writing about cars twenty years ago, I’ve seen more automakers use Toyotas in their brand B comparisons than any other marque. The Toyota guys love it, since aspiration is the greatest form of flattery.
The Scion xB crossover vehicle is a perfect example. As Kia, Nissan and other manufacturers introduce box-shaped crossovers, they inevitably compare those cars to the xB. Scion’s parent company is Toyota.
Scion’s ace-in-the-hole is experience. Having learned some important lessons from the original model, the second-generation xB is a better fit for its intended audience.
The first xB was a revised version of a Japan market car; the current model was designed specifically for American buyers. It’s larger and more substantial than the model it replaces, with a more powerful engine, and larger wheels that perform better on the highway. Read the rest of this entry »