The Corolla is the car to consider if you're looking for a sophisticated and utterly reliable sub-compact sedan that blends in so well it's almost non-existent. It's not too much of a stretch to say the Corolla is a baby Lexus, it certainly has the same DNA. If you want something with the same mechanical components but with some pizzazz you're in luck as the Toyota Matrix, which is built off the same platform and has the same engine, offers more excitement and utility.
Some may complain that Toyota has been conservative with its new Corolla but what it has cleverly done is create two very different cars - the Corolla for the conservative buyer and the Matrix for the young-at-heart person who wants Toyota reliability with a look that stands out in the crowd. You have your choice - the Corolla or the Matrix.