In big families, it's the little guys that sometimes have to fight for attention.

That seems to be the case with Toyota, too. The behemoth car maker has plenty of models in its lineup, each of them worthy in its own right.

But Toyota's Corolla, a loyal soldier all these years, tends not to get quite as much attention as it has in the past.

But don't count it out.

	The 2007 Toyota Corolla. Click image for larger version.

The Corolla may be small but it packs a wallop of a punch in the compact car field by virtue of its unshakeable durability, historic reputation and its reliable performance. No, it's not glamorous, though it is nicely appointed. But the Corolla does a good job of getting you where you want to go without a lot of fuss and muss.

Prices range from $14,825 to $16,835. Power comes from a 1.8 liter, 126 horsepower four that gets 32/41 miles per gallon. Trim models include CE, S and LE.

The last one I drove, a red S model, was plenty peppy and well appointed, and with its special sports trim, looked the part of being Corolla's sports model. The only real problem I had was that I thought the layout of the dash seemed outdated and in some ways, counter-intuitive, and I thought that the interior also showed some signs of aging when compared with its competitors.

But none of that takes away from the Corolla's basic goodness.

What's Coming in 2008

Toyota's Scion line has a lot to talk about this fall.

Remember the boxy, hip xB? It's back again, bigger and better than ever, with more style and equipment. Power comes from 2.4 liter, 158 horsepower four, about 48 horsepower more than the 2007 model, and it's about a foot or so longer, too. Dials land gauges are now displayed horizontally, and you get standard features like eight cupholders, cruise control, air conditioning, skid control, electric power steering, traction control and a host of other features. Mileage figures are not available.

Another new model for Scion is the hip-looking xD, which replaces the tiny xA. A bit boxier looking with a contemporary flair, the xD gets a 128 horsepower four, and has a standard sliding and reclining rear seat and you can get three optional stereo head units, too. Prices aren't known yet, but I expect somewhere around $13,800.