During the latter part of my test week I ventured up to a local ski resort to spend some time with my family. I was interested to take the Corolla with me for a number of reasons. Firstly, one family member, who will remain nameless, tends to pack way too much stuff for her own good. Since we were taking two cars, this family member decided to load some of the excess gear into my test Corolla being that the second car, a 2-door

I didn't have a problem loading up the CE with all the extra stuff, especially since its cargo capacity is about 391 litres (13.6 cu-ft). (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

coupe, couldn't fit in all the gear. I didn't have a problem loading up the CE with all the extra stuff, especially since its cargo capacity is about 391 litres (13.6 cu-ft), and because I was driving up solo and had only a small duffle bag, purse and bag for shoes and accessories. As for me, I am not prepared for the worst when I pack. The basics are all I need.

Another reason for my enthusiasm was not only because the Corolla has a very smooth ride, due to its McPherson gas strut front independent suspension, with coil springs and stabilizer bar, or its rear torsion beam type coil springs with stabilizer bar suspension, or even its set of P185/65R15 tires, front disc and rear drum brakes, although some were contenders for spots on the list... but really, it was the gas mileage that got me stoked. And in the Special Edition, fuel economy is fantastic. For example, I drove just over 300 km, mainly on the highway, and my gas gauge was just under half full. When I went to a refueling station to fill up the tank, it cost a mere twenty-two dollars and some odd cents, and that at 98.5 cents/litre. That's not bad at all. The Corolla's modest fuel consumption rings in at an estimated 7.1 L/100 km in the city and 5.3 L/100 km on the highway. It just doesn't get any better than this, unless I'm in a Prius. And now with gas prices escalating to a whopping $1.10+ per litre here on the West Coast, it's good to know that filling up the CE won't give my wallet a heart attack.

As I mentioned, the Corolla has a smooth ride, and executes corners well too. Throughout my drive up the serpentine Sea-to-Sky highway, the Special Edition remained stable at slightly over posted speeds, managed

The balance of driving experience, including the easily actuated clutch matched by a fluid-like gearbox, made my life a whole lot more enjoyable. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press)

curves very well, while the steering wheel didn't vibrate at all at any velocity - taking into consideration the max speed in the Corolla CE is a mere 180 km/h (which I, um, of course, um, officer, read in Toyota's press materials). It was the perfect car to "putt" around in, whether driving on the highway or in the city.

The balance of driving experience, including the easily actuated clutch matched by a fluid-like gearbox, made my life a whole lot more enjoyable, but I must say that at the beginning of my test week the gears did feel a little sticky. I had a few encounters where I couldn't downshift or upshift into third gear without some fussing around. Perhaps this was because the car had hardly been broken in, with very low kilometers. My theory may be accurate, because by the end of the week the stickiness had gone away and it was smooth shifting from that point on.