2009 Toyota corolla SE

The 2009 Toyota Corolla has a split personality: the utilitarian base car and the slightly edgy, expensive Corolla SE.

For 2009, the Toyota Corolla features two engine options, as well as several different transmissions that deliver acceptable driving performance and solid fuel economy.

Powering every version of the 2009 Toyota Corolla is Toyota’s 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, which Car and Driver points out “has 132 horsepower, up from 126” on last year’s Corolla. Edmunds finds that this powerplant “delivers respectable acceleration in normal traffic situations.” All four lower-end models of the Corolla Toyota offer one of two transmissions, which Motor Trend lists as either a “four-speed automatic” or a “five-speed manual.”