Engineering student lives out dream during Toyota test drive
By Tim Wong
Special to the Lance
January 30, 2008
 Toyota Canada unveiled the all-new 2009 Toyota Corolla within the walls of the University of Windsor’s Centre for Automotive Education and Research (CARE) on Jan. 15.
It was a day to be remembered, especially since the University received the keys to not only a 2009 Toyota Corolla, but a 2009 Toyota Matrix as well.
“...I’m pleased to donate a 2009 Corolla to the University of Windsor, in the heart of Canada’s automotive industry, and home of one of the foremost Automotive Engineering programs in the country,” Stephen Beatty, Managing Director of Toyota Canada. “The all-new 2009 Corolla is the product of many years of engineering learning for Toyota, and we are pleased to be able to share that learning with the faculty and students of the University.”
The second donation of Toyota Matrix was a surprise that no one expected. The day was a full on launch of the new 2009 Toyota Corolla.
After a brief overview of all the features of the new car, an open question and answer session was directed to Corolla and Matrix executive chief engineer Soichiro Okudaira, and Corolla chief engineer Shinichi Yasui.
Toyota Canada kindly provided spectators with five cars to drive in all four trim levels: the 158 hp XRS, an S model, a mid level LE and a base CE. The route was presented to us in the form of a very nice pictorial, showing the approximate distances between each landmark. The route snaked across Windsor from the CARE building on campus to Fort Malden and ended at the Caboto Club for lunch.
Along the way, we encountered stop and go traffic and highway driving.
Being a current owner of a 2005 Toyota Matrix, I was very interested to know how it stacked up. Smoothness is immediately apparent with throttle application, and shifting was silky. Power was also more than adequate for an economy car.
A Royal Soldier greeted us into Fort Malden for some coffee and a tour of the place.
As I walked back to the car, I could soak up what I really liked about it. It looks pretty darn good. I can’t fault any of the styling, as it looks nicely aggressive with clean lines throughout. The skirt kit on the XRS certainly adds to the appeal.
Comparing this model to the last one is like comparing a Lamborghini to a Pinto, one actually has something worthy to look at.
While sitting in the passenger seat, I examined the interior details. All the materials have been given a nice upgrade in quality. Toyota said they lifted a few tips from their Lexus division and it definitely shows. The cabin is an inviting atmosphere sure to please anyone but the pickiest scrutinizer.
The highlight of the day was on the drive back. I had been given a base manual Corolla. My partner in the car had already stalled so I would not feel so bad if I stalled it myself. Especially considering I had only driven a manual car for no longer than the two hours that day.
Best of all, in the back seat answering any questions for us was Okudaira. It is the engineer’s equivalent of having Steven Spielberg critiquing your YouTube home videos. I would have been happy to meet him, let alone drive him around!
Overall, I had a great experience with the new 2009 Toyota Corolla. I was even able to visit parts of Windsor that I never knew existed. The driving route and entire event was well planned out. There is nothing better than cruising through Windsor in a brand new 2009 Toyota Corolla... okay, maybe cruising in a Lamborghini would be nice.
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