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Toyota's venerable Corolla has gone through many changes since it was first introduced in 1968. Over the course of its long life, the Toyota Corolla has appeared as a hatchback, coupe, wagon and sedan. The world has seen enough people fall in love with this Toyota car to make it the best-selling nameplate in the history of automobiles. You don't earn a distinction like that without some measure of undeterred loyalty. 

But unlike more notable cult cars, such as the Beetle or the Mustang, the Corolla didn't inspire its massive following because of unique styling or lusty performance. Instead, it has used a more conservative, but no less desirable, combination of an affordable price, excellent fuel economy and superb engineering to convince millions upon millions of car buyers that the Toyota Corolla was the car for them.

Based on our testing, the ninth-generation Toyota Corolla sedan is certainly a likable car. Although it's available only in sedan form, the similarly priced Toyota Matrix and Scion tC can accommodate those seeking a small five-door hatchback or two-door coupe. Inside, the Corolla is thoughtfully designed with a user-friendly control layout and materials that seem nice enough to be used in a more expensive Camry. Although room in the front seat is merely average, the backseat is spacious enough to accommodate adults comfortably. Trunk capacity is rated at a generous 13.6 cubic feet. Save for the 164-horsepower Corolla XRS model, performance is about average among economy sedans. 

If you're looking for nothing more than basic transportation, the Corolla -- particularly a loaded-up version -- seems a bit like overkill. There are a number of sedans that offer equivalent accommodations, features and performance for considerably less money. Do they have the same reputations for quality and reliability? Probably not, but with warranties extending as far as 100,000 miles, it hardly seems much of a risk. For those who are willing to spend a little extra for peace of mind, however, the 2006 Toyota Corolla makes perfect sense.