Corolla shines without the flash

It may not be flashy. It may not be sporty. Heck, it may not be a car to which you’d even give a second look. Be that as it may, the Toyota Corolla is still a favourite among drivers.

Trying to understand why can be a daunting task, especially to those who have never set foot in one.

Having been in a few now, I’ve come to appreciate the simplicity of Corolla.

There aren’t many extra bells and whistles, it won’t blow the doors off too many cars on the road and frankly, it’s pretty boring.

Yes, I know. Sorry, but it’s true.

From a standpoint of functionality in a small car, the Corolla gets it all right —making tweaks here and there to stay with the times.

Keyless entry and pushbutton start are mainstay features with most luxury vehicles and they’re welcome surprises in a car of this size and price category. Nothing says ‘let’s go for a drive’ like a car that unlocks when you put your hand around the door handle. And it’s only available in the LE trim package.

The doors are very light to open and close, but don’t make a real solid sound when shut. A minor quibble to be sure — at least they still close.

The 2010 Corolla is slightly larger on the inside, giving all who travel along a little more leg room. And who doesn’t like that?

The kids have little concern riding in it but for adults, the rear seats can still be a bit cramped and if you are wearing large boots, you might really struggle to get in and out.

Rear passengers will like the rear heat ducts that come with climate control system in the LE trim level — why they aren’t in the base CE I’ll never know.

The audio system comes as an AM/FM/CD/MP3/WMA/SAT package with an audio auxiliary input jack and six speakers. It won’t rock you like a hurricane or any other hard rock analogy, but at least you can enjoy the tunes you want in the format you want.

The Corolla LE also gets a smattering of wood-like trim, heated exterior mirrors, fog lamps, telescopic/tilt steering wheel and rides on 16-inch aluminum alloy wheels.

Cargo space is adequate as well and can be expanded with the 60/40 split-rear seats folded down.

Powering the Corolla is a 1.8-litre four cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The combination is capable of 132 horsepower and 128 lb.-ft. of torque. Not lighting fast, but quick enough.

As a city street runabout it does a good job, but on the highway it can get a bit spooky with very little top end power left in reserve for passing.

The best part about the small engine is you sip through gas, which above all, is a huge factor in buying any car.

It may not scream look at me, but the Corolla is a tried and true vehicle for the masses.

All those people can’t be wrong, can they?