Using the usual naming conventions that Toyota is so proud of, the word Corolla which is Latin for small crown became synonymous for a very popular subcompact car produced by the automaker. According to polls and studies done by Toyota, the Corolla is the most popular and best selling model the company has ever manufactured. One Corolla in any of its many different styles has been sold every 40 seconds since it was first launched in 1966. While the line of cars that emerged since then has changed drastically from that very first one, they have all carried the name Corolla.
Most of the Corollas found in the United States have been both priced and sized between the Toyota Yaris and the Toyota Camry. It has been manufactured in Japan but it has also been manufactured in the Toyota plants that are located in the United States, Canada, Korea, China, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom just to name a few. As with most Toyotas, the chassis is designated with a letter - in this case E - and the new 2010 model is getting ready for release after a short production hiatus.
Over the years the chassis of the Corolla has been used in other vehicles, most especially in the Corolla’s up scale sibling, the Sprinter that was only sold in the Japanese market. Additionally the Corolla has been named numerous things to represent the current model edition. The Corolla Levin, the Corolla FX Hatchback, and the Corolla Verso - a compact MPV - are just some of the different vehicles that have been named Corolla since the entire line was launched. There is even a Scion xB version in the Japanese market called the Corolla Rumion.
The Matrix that is sold in North America is actually known as the Corolla Matrix as it shares the E120 and E140 chassis with the Corolla. This car is considered a sport wagon/hatchback counterpart to the regular Corolla sedan since Toyota discontinued selling the standard Corolla hatchback in the United States. The Pontiac Vibe also shares the same platform as the Corolla and Matrix except it is the General Motors version of the car.
Buying Corolla in the United States to buy is nigh impossible as people keep these vehicles for years due to their reliability. You will need to use a Japanese car exporter like PicknBuy24.com in order to have one brought into the States. Some exporters will roll their shipping and warranty fees into the price; some will not, so make sure you ask when you get your quote. Right now PicknBuy24.com has Corollas from 1995 to 2000 selling for $1,950 to $2,950, cheaper than anyplace you would find it in America.