"Still water run deep": what better phrase could have ever been written to describe the character of the Toyota Corolla. The Toyota Corolla has diligently and quietly gone about its job of propelling humans across the globe from one GPS coordinate to the next for well over thirty years. The Corolla is in fact such a part of our lives, not merely as Americans, but as global citizens,, a recent study concluded that there is not a person alive that has not had a Corolla owned by family, extended family or friends at one time or another. Think for a moment what a monumental statement that is. Yet think for a minute and I'm sure at least one Corolla driving person in your life comes to mind from yesterday or today. The main reason that this statement is even a possibility is due to the 30 plus million Corollas sold world wide since its inception. To put a sense of perspective to that mind boggling number, you could fill the parking lots of both Shea stadium, home of the Mets, and Yankee Stadium with Corollas for five and a half years, every day including New Years, and still have a few Corollas driving around the lot looking for a space! Any one who has gone to a game at either stadium and looked out at the massive parking lot will understand the magnitude of this analogy. That number blurs the statistics of every one of the world’s most beloved monikers, in fact the Corolla is currently the worlds most purchased vehicle, past or present. No other vehicle has sold as many vehicles as Toyota has sold the Corolla. Yet for all this honor, and obvious acceptance by a public that has voluntarily elevated the Corolla to this number one ranking, it stays relatively unnoticed in the shadows of other vehicles glories. We recently honored two iconoclastic vehicles, the Mini Copper, and the Fiat 500, both of which succeeded in taking residency in the hearts of the nations they emanated from and many other’s they emigrated to, yet neither of these beloved nameplates has surpassed the number of Corollas sold., but still at the end of the day the Corolla still stays in obscurity. I have never heard of a person saying, “Look at that vintage "80's Corolla over there, wow, cool man". The Corolla doesn't have a magazine named after it, it doesn't have a national fan club, or a single picture book on the shelves at Borders. The Corolla rarely ever gets the lavish attention of its other comrades, yet for all this lack of recognition, it is obviously the world’s first choice when it comes time to put the key into the ignition. So if this article is to provide anything it will be to help spread some love for the quiet “A student” in the back row of class, the Toyota Corolla. Its styling may not be as much inspiring as progressively ambiguous, its performance is clearly in the middle of the pack, yet it has reliably started each morning, often giving rides to neighbors who own one of those beloved temperamental icons. Last winter a neighbor of mine got up his steep driveway each morning, and was often the first one out, in his nearly twenty year old Corolla. I remember one morning in particular when that Corolla made it up and out of that driveway when another neighbor got hopelessly stuck in that same driveway in an off road equipped Chevy Avalanche.! The following pictures show some of the very first Corollas that hit our shores starting in the late sixties, the rest as they say has been history.
Toyota is currently working on an all new Corolla due out in our market next year. 
Today’s Corolla is still, however, a viable player. Its design is a timeless blend. It seems that over the course of Toyota history there are those keynote designs that seem to “speak” for a particular Toyota product at that point in history. The Second generation Celica is probably its most remembered design for that nameplate. The 1992 redesign of the Camry has become the design most thought of when the name Camry comes to mind. In my opinion it remains one of the best executed designed in Toyota’s past. Today's Corolla will without doubt join those others in the pages of Toyota design history. Past Corollas seemingly where always trying to find their design pace like a science club kid wearing Phat Farm pants. Today’s Corolla has transcended those gawky years and in some ways is a seemingly more noble design than some of today’s new Toyotas offerings. 
Yet for Corolla buyers it is its everyday ability that tops their decision list when it comes time to buy another “toaster on lay-a-way”. The current Corolla is not a bad little puddle jumper. Having had the need to reluctantly rent one for over a month last year, while my ride was in “surgery”, I have come to understand the subtle pleasures of the Corolla. Just like that quiet kid in school the Corolla doesn't readily make itself available. You must get to know it, and like any relationship this takes time. Take it from me, at first drive I was totally turned off by the Corollas weird driving position, with a steering wheel seemingly attaches directly to the dash, and its perceived “nerdy” associations. But with time I was able to look at the Corolla in a new way. Just like a relationship I found a car you would want to “marry” but may not enjoy “dating”. The Corolla makes a nurturing mother to your family starting each day delivering hybrid levels of fuel consumption, nearly 41 mpg on the highway at 75mph, giving you miles and miles of effortless flawless trips. Indeed a worthy life companion. Inside the dash is perfectly laid out with nice cubbies hidden by wood panels that look as if they where purloined from a Saab 9-3. 
The materials of the seats are first class offering good support with a backseat able to fit six footers with aplomb. The acceleration is not neck snapping but is only two tenths less than a Honda Accord. The Corolla absorbs bumps much better than its rivals cushioning the blows like a baby Buick. This is a nice change from other “molar busting” baby brats. Yet there must be an offset for this ride quality and it comes in the form squealing and tire scrubbing at every turn. A good set of tires with a reduced sidewall on a light set of alloys wheels could more than remedy this problem. Anything would be better than these grocery cart tires that come from the factory. All in all the Corolla is a mature ride that doesn't provide “quick passion” but a “lasting love” with each year. that goes by, and even if it doesn't have its own chat room or club meets each month it succeeds in being a “quiet hero” and certainly the world needs more quiet heroes. So let us give a warm round of applause for a car that has done so much for so many for so long. Lets just hope more owners begin to give their Corolla’s the praise it’s due and learn to take the definition of Corolla ,as stated in Webster’s dictionary, “Belonging to one; one's own; individual, a little more seriously .
