The Toyota Corolla hasn't changed much over the past 20 years — because Toyota is smart enough to not fix what isn't broken.

No one has sold more cars than Toyota has sold Corollas — something like 44 million of them so far, over the course of about 50 years. To put that number in context, Volkswagen sold only half as many Beetles in over 80 years.

The Beetle — not the new one but the original model, with the engine in the back and cooled by air rather than water — was made from the 1930s through 2003, when the last one was produced in Mexico.

Toyota has only been making Corollas since 1966 — and is still making them.

Because unlike Volkswagen, Toyota didn't fix what wasn't broken.

What It Is

The Corolla is the world's bestselling car — ever. It is also the bestselling compact car. Though it has been updated here and there over the years, the basic recipe has not changed much at all: Keep it affordable; keep it simple; keep it reliable — and people will keep on buying them.

The $19,600 L-trim comes standard with sensible features such as 15-inch steel wheels — tougher than aluminum and much cheaper to replace than aluminum (if you ever do manage to bend one), a 1.8-liter engine without a turbo and manual-control air conditioner. It also includes surprising features such as adaptive cruise control, in-car Wi-Fi, a 7-inch touch screen and a seven-speaker stereo with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Toyota also offers a larger 2.0-liter engine with an available manual transmission. The Corolla SE comes with both — for $22,750.

The almost-top-of-the-line XLE comes with a digital gauge cluster — the kind of thing you used to have to spend $80k to get (in an Audi or Lexus or BMW or Benz), plus a larger 8-inch touch screen, heated seats and Soft-Tex (simulated leather) seats.

It stickers for $24,050.

A top-of-the-line XSE — which comes with the XLE's luxury upgrades plus the SE's more potent 2.0-liter engine — goes for $25,550.

What's New

The 2020 Corolla is new — and expanded. In addition to the traditional sedan, you can also buy a Corolla hatchback or hybrid.

They'll be reviewed separately.

What's Good

It's still simple — in an era of hypercomplexity.

It's durable — in an era of disposability.

It has a compact footprint and a midsize inside.

What's Not So Good

Manual transmission isn't standard.

Manual transmission isn't available with the standard engine.

Gas mileage is about the same today as it was 25 years ago.

Under the Hood

The Corolla is available with two engines — and two transmissions — but what you can get depends on which trim you buy.

The base L, LE and XLE trims come standard with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, without a turbocharger or direct injection — paired only with a continuously variable automatic transmission. This engine makes 139 horsepower and delivers 30 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.

If you want more power — and a manual transmission — Toyota offers a 2.0-liter engine (also without a turbo) that makes 169 horsepower that you can pair with a six-speed manual transmission.

But only in the SE and XSE trims.

Interestingly, the more powerful Corolla uses less gas — at least when you pair it with the CVT automatic. This combo rates 31 mpg city, 40 mpg highway — probably because this engine is direct-injected.

Direct-injection engines — in which fuel is sprayed directly into the engine's cylinders under more than 2,000 pounds of pressure (versus 30-35 pounds in a port fuel-injected engine) — atomizes the fuel more finely and allows extreme fine-tuning of the fuel spray.

With the manual transmission, mileage dips to 29 mpg city, 36 mpg highway — probably because the six-speed is less efficient than the CVT automatic.

Either way, though, you avoid any possibility of having to replace a failed turbo at some point down the road — no small thing given how much it can cost and no small risk given the heat and pressure turbos are subjected to.

At the Curb

Nominally, the Corolla is a compact sedan. But the definition of "compact" has morphed a bit.

Back in '95, a Corolla was definitely a compact — 172 inches long. The 2020 Corolla sedan is 182.3 inches — which is almost a foot longer overall.

By the standards of 1995, the 2020 Corolla would almost qualify as a midsize sedan.

And by today's standards, it almost does, too — as far as inside room. It has 42 inches of legroom up front and 34.8 inches for the backseat occupants — comparable to larger-on-the-outside sedans like the current Camry, which is a foot longer than the Corolla at 192.7 inches but with only slightly more backseat legroom.

The Rest

As noted earlier, you can get the Corolla with many of the latest things — including power-adjustable sport seats, a larger LCD touch screen, leather trim, adaptive headlights and ambient interior lighting.

But it comes standard with all the needful things — such as air conditioner, power windows, locks and a six-speaker stereo with Bluetooth connectivity.

The Bottom Line

Never fix what's not broken.

View the Toyota Corolla this week.

Eric's new book, "Don't Get Taken for a Ride!" is available now. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.