The Toyota Corolla has been around for as long as we can remember.  Its reliability is one of the reasons why it is very popular among car buyers.  But while the Corolla is something that anyone can drive and own easily, it has its own critics as well. At the Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2009 Toyota Corolla was on display but was voted to be one of the losers at the show.  Ouch!

Joe Wiesenfelder from Cars.com had this to say about the 2009 Toyota Corolla:  "I suspect the Corolla will continue to be a good, well-rounded car for all the reasons it has been to date, but as long as there’s a Civic out there providing the quality it does, it’s hard for others to compete. Remember, these total redesigns are the manufacturers’ chance to leapfrog the competition. In this case, the Corolla doesn’t even match its main competitor, so it could fall even further behind."

David Thomas, Wiesenfelder’s colleague added this:  "I like the exterior design, but I was surprised at how cheap the interior remains; everything felt flimsy, though I liked the controls. The Corolla should perform better, but inside I don’t see how anyone could pick it over a Honda Civic. Even the Ford Focus and Hyundai Elantra could eat into this segment leader’s sales. Seriously."

Mike Hanley agrees with Wiesenfelder saying:  "The 2009 Corolla will probably prove to be a fine car, like its predecessor, but I agree with Joe that Toyota missed an opportunity here to do something new and different with its small sedan."

Although the new Corolla may have received not so good comments from these experts, consumers would still buy Corollas as these are proven to be reliable vehicles.

We know now that there are autos we have to stay away from. And of course, there are also vehicles which we definitely have to buy or go for.  We all have different preferences when it comes to buying a vehicle. Some may go for small cars for its fuel efficiency or performance while some may go for large vehicles with massive pulling power.  But most of us are looking for the best deal in any car that we buy.  Even millionaires would look for the best deal even if they can afford any car they want.

IntelliChoice recently named the best deals for this month.  As the trend in the market change, so does the price of vehicles.  For a vehicle to become a "best deal" it should be loaded with features but still reasonably priced.  Some of the vehicles included on the list are the Civic Hybrid and the Toyota Prius which shows that green cars are really making their presence felt.

Here are other vehicles included on the list:

• Compact Utility/Crossover: Ford Escape Hybrid
• Midsize Crossover: Toyota Highlander Hybrid
• Luxury Crossover: Lexus RX 400h
• Small Wagon: Toyota Matrix
• Midsize/Large Wagon: Subaru Outback Wagon
• Intermediate Utility: Hummer H3
• Full-Size Utility: GMC Yukon
• Luxury Utility: Lexus GX
• Compact Pickup Truck 2WD: Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab 2WD
• Compact Pickup 4WD: Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab 4WD
• Full-Size Pickup Truck 2WD: Toyota Tundra Regular Cab 2WD

James Bell, the publisher of IntelliChoice, has this to say regarding the factors which affect the cost of vehicles:  "What consumers need to know is that the best deals can change quickly from month to month. There are seven changes on our list of winners from October to November, which is a big number.  Gas is a big factor. Rising fuel costs favor fuel efficient vehicles, including hybrids, and there are six on the November list. Among non-hybrid vehicles, the Yukon knocked out the Sequoia. The Yukon beats the Sequoia on the MPG front, so as fuel costs rise, the opportunity arises to overcome the Sequoia’s strong retained value advantage."

Surely you don’t want to drive around on a car labeled as the worst automobile.  The Truth About Cars website recently polled its visitors as to what they think the worst vehicle for 2007 is.  Thousands voted and the Jeep Compass had the unwelcome title of being the worst vehicle for 2007.

It has been described as:  "Jeep’s recipe for disaster is both simple and comprehensive: laughable aesthetics, second-rate road manners, poky performance and interior materials pulled from the bottom drawer of Chrysler’s parts bin. But the Compass’ mortal sin-– for which we’ve slated it before, from which it can never be redeemed-– is the fact that this re-skinned all wheel-drive Dodge Caliber wears the storied Jeep badge. For shame."

The Compass is not the only vehicle bashed by the site.  Other vehicles included in the list of the ten worst automobiles are the Chrysler Sebring and the Chevy Aveo.

The verdict on the Sebring goes like this:  "The Sebring is a born rental car. It’s hideous in a deeply bland sort of way. Its cabin, handling, acceleration, and ride quality (or complete lack thereof) is to driving pleasure what hair shirts are to eczema sufferers. The fact that Chrysler is contemplating to kill the Sebring less than a year after its launch confirms it: this is an automobile even its mother can’t love."

And as for the Aveo:  "From its tinny-sounding doors to its penalty box interior, the Aveo screams cheap more loudly (and persistently) than an amphetamine-crazed parrot. Normally slow means frugal. Not here. So… what’s the point? Now that GM has proven they can’t build a decent small car in the U.S., perhaps they’re trying to demonstrate that they can’t build one in Korea either. Done."

Yes, the 14-race schedule for 2008 is set. And Spain will be a fascinating new territory.

The Canadian races are scheduled on June 29 in Mont-Tremblant, Que., July 6 in Toronto and July 20 in Edmonton.

Spain will be a new stop on the Champ Car World Series next year, but there will be no races in China or Las Vegas, said Steve Johnson, Champ Car’s president and CEO. “The Canadian races really seem to stand out this year," said Johnson. "When you look at Tremblant, that may have been one of the best races we had all year. We’re extremely happy with the fan base in Canada. They may be some of the best fans we have in the world and the most knowledgeable. They really support Champ Car and seem to embrace us as their own home-town sport."

Champ Car moved its race from Vancouver to Edmonton after the 2004 season. Johnson said there has been interest in adding another race in Canada. "We’ve had phone calls and that’s probably where I will stop," he said. "Nothing has come about other than some interest."

Aside from Canada, the 2008 schedule has 6 races in the United States, 3 in Europe and 1 each in Mexico and Australia. The season will open April 20 in Long Beach, Calif., and end Nov. 9 in Mexico City. The Spanish race will be held June 8 on a 2.7-mile track in Jerez, in southern Spain, reported the Canadian Press. It was where Canada’s Jacques Villeneuve grabbed the F1 title in 1997.

Driver Oriol Servia of Spain said he’s looking forward to showing a hometown crowd how exciting Champ Car can be. "I am excited to be racing in Spain again, not just to enjoy myself, but to show the fans the great product that is Champ Car," he said. "The Jerez circuit is a great one that offers good passing opportunities; they have a knowledgeable racing crowd and good weather."

Johnson noted that more races will be held outside of the U.S. this year than in American cities. "A majority of our drivers are from Europe," Johnson said. "That’s why it makes sense for us to grow there. As a world series and international series, we have to look everywhere, which includes the U.S."

Another viable market for the race is China. "That’s another market we would like to go to but we’re not going to make any announcements until we have signed agreements and everything done," said Johnson. "We are currently exploring opportunities for China (but) didn’t feel we are far enough along to stage an event there in 2008."

The anticipated Las Vegas race was dropped. "To make a long story short we’re not prepared to work with them," said Johnson. "We did consider different options for returning to Vegas in ‘08 but the tight timetable just didn’t allow it to happen."