Toyota has a winner with the Corolla; after 28 years of production it has become the second best-selling car in automotive history. We feel that this is due to its solid engineering, available saffety features, and fun-to-drive attributes when equipped with a five-speed manual transmisson.

The Corolla is a fine car with good handling characteristics, a well-designed interior, and attractive, if not earth-shattering, looks. Additionally, the optional antilock brakes, better than average crash test scores and integrated child seat go a long way toward making a safe compact family-sedan that is not too expensive.

Unfortunately for Toyota, there is a good reason to skip th Corolla when shopping for a new car; the Geo Prizm. Built on the same assembly line as the Corolla, out of the same parts and by the same workers, the Prizm is everything that the Corolla is and more. Most importantly the Prizm is signifigantly cheaeper than the Corolla and comes with a roadside assistance warranty that the Corolla lacks. We like the Corolla, but, unless we needed a station wagon, we would buy the Prizm.