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Better than any other four-door sedan, the Toyota Corolla exemplifies the automobile as utilitarian appliance. Like a fridge or stove, this kind of car is purchased, used, taken for granted, eventually replaced with another, with nary a worry along the way.

Nobody buys a Corolla as a guy or chick magnet. Emotional involvement, in most cases, is nil. Psychological implications, absent. But even new appliances are expected to boast some improvements while if they remain a dead ringer for their predecessors.

So it is with the 2009 Corolla, the 10th generation in the series. If it were an appliance, the Energy Star label would be prominently displayed in showrooms, for this Corolla uses less fuel than did the ninth-generation model that was sold until February. The car did win the award as 2009 Best New Small Car under $18,000 in the Canadian Car of The Year competition run by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada.

A week's driving in Toronto (about 245 kilometres over all, with less than 35 km on the 401) averaged 7.6 litres/100 km. In Natural Resources Canada's EnerGuide listing, the '09 model's city rating with automatic transmission is 7.4 L/100 km, down from the predecessor's 7.8.

Another improvement is antilock brakes, which are now standard on all Corollas. They make a big difference in curtailing skids. Front, rear and side curtain airbags are also now standard.

The '09 model offers several functional advances, but whether the styling really shows the results of four months of study in Turin, Italy, as Toyota says, is debatable. My hunch is that a team of Japanese product planners ate and drank their way through four months in Tuscany and filed a report saying Torino was abuzz over the magnifico new model. A little flashier than the earlier model, agreed, with protruding head and tail lamps and an assertive hood.

This model is slightly larger inside and out than past versions. The body's 60 mm additional width provides more shoulder and hip room and the trunk is now rated at 470 litres, up from 390. A flattened rear floor makes it easier to carry three backseat passengers than in other cars of this size. Foot room, however, remains cramped because of the lack of clearance between the front seats and the floor.

Air-conditioning and keyless entry are part of a convenience package accounting for $1,905 of the test car's $19,010 total price. Powered mirrors are now standard, and the steering wheel tilts and telescopes. Despite these advances, the manual wind-up windows remain and there is no cruise control in this level of Corolla.

Some details are impressive, however. Upper and lower glove boxes increase storage space and there are not only two cup holders front and rear but also useful bottle cavities within the door panels. The car is manufactured in Cambridge, Ont., one of 16 plants worldwide making this model, and Toyota Canada says input from Cambridge went into the new design: the cup holders can handle Tim Hortons cups, and there's enough space between the pedals to accommodate winter boots.

The power steering is now electrically assisted, removing oil from its operation and aiding fuel economy. The four-speed automatic transmission is also said to boost efficiency with its light weight and shift strategy. The automatic is rated more fuel efficient than the manual transmission, at 7.4 L/100 km versus 7.5, respectively. (Both are rated at 5.6 L/100 on the highway.)

Some drivers may object to the noticeable gear shifts, particularly if they're accustomed to inefficient shifting in other cars, but I enjoyed the sensation. A five-speed automatic is optional in the case of top-of-the-line XRS, which also has a larger, 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine. But this combination increases fuel consumption for a rating of 9.4L/100 km city, 6.5L/100 km highway.

The 1.8-litre four cylinder engine that powers most Corollas delivers adequate acceleration from its 132 horsepower and 128 lb-ft. Getting from zero to 60 km/h took 5.0 seconds, an improvement over the 9th-generation Corolla's 5.5 seconds.

Driving is generally satisfying, never thrilling. On the highway, road holding is good, handling sure and the ride reasonable. Some chatter from the tires is heard over broken pavement, but bumps are handled fairly well. The Corolla is well-suited to city driving, with a fairly tight turning circle and easy parking agility.

Despite Toyota's reputation for excellence, this model reflects its lower price with a basic rear suspension, rear drum brakes rather than superior discs, doors that close with a whack rather than a pleasing thunk, and paint that shows rather more roughness than befits a distant relative of the Lexus.

But how well it works. How impressive its rating in Consumer Reports' reliability survey — no black marks in six years. And how little fuel it requires. As the automotive equivalent of a Kenmore or a Maytag, Corolla's value comes to the fore.

• 2009 TOYOTA COROLLA CE
• Type: Four-door sedan
• Base price: $14,835; as tested, $19,010
• Engine: 1.8-litre, inline-four, DOHC
• Horsepower/Torque: 132 hp/128 lb-ft
• Transmission: Four-speed automatic
• Drive: Front-wheel-drive
• Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 7.4 city/5.6 highway; actual urban driving, 7.6; regular gas
• Alternatives: Honda Civic, Ford Focus, Chevrolet Cobalt/Pontiac G5, Hyundai Elantra, Suzuki SX4, Nissan Versa

Like

• Fairly smooth ride
• Great fuel efficiency
• Near-flat floor in rear seat
• Anti-skid brakes now standard

Don't like

• Manual wind-up windows
• Rudimentary rear suspension
• Rear drum brakes
• Rear foot room is tight
• No cruise control