Everybody seems to be excited about the upcoming car show in LA. And this becomes even more exciting after the Toyota Motor Corporation revealed that they will be unveiling two of their car models at the said show - the 2009 Toyota Corolla and 2009 Toyota Matrix. Now isn’t that exciting? We wish that these car models from the Japanese car maker wear Toyota racing parts for a better performance level.

Patrick Olsen and Kelsey Mays, both from Kicking Tires, were able to describe the two new car models from Toyota. According to Mays, “The latest Corolla improves in some areas but disappoints in others. The dashboard has lots of hard, cheap plastic - like the last Corolla did - but it manages to look respectable and well-fitted.”

She also appreciated the new design and the space given to the new Toyota Corolla. She said, “Kudos to Toyota for including a two-tier glove compartment. It offers plenty of space and, in combination with the decent-sized center console, makes the Corolla one of the more storage-friendly compact cars out there. The A/C controls, in contrast, are a step down. I thought the previous Corolla had high-quality knobs and dials for a compact car, but Toyota seems to have ditched them for the cheaper controls from the Yaris.”

Patrick Olsen of Kicking Tires commented on the Matrix saying, “As a small hatchback, the Matrix's interior was fairly roomy, and the one-hand-droppable second row was a nice touch. Legroom in the backseat was reasonable, and the trunk/hatch space was decent. I sat in the XRS 'prototype,' and I liked its aggressive feel inside and out.”

Olsen continues, “As the dad of a soon-to-be teen driver, I might feel more comfortable letting my son drive the revamped Corolla (or, more likely, a 2003 Corolla); I'd be a little worried with him behind the wheel of the Matrix XRS' five-speed manual with the 158-hp engine. Yeah, it's a Toyota, but I can already smell the burnt rubber.”