Toyota introduced the ninth generation of the Corolla in Japan in 2000, but it took the carmakers two years to bring it in the U.S. The Corolla was already the best-selling nameplate among passenger cars in the world. Its key-elements were simplicity and reliability. It was a very user-friendly vehicle. The 2002 Corolla tried to get rid of the older jokes regarding its performances, and the Toyota's designers managed to give the car a better look. The 2002 Corolla was not that bland anymore. Its angled headlights with clear lenses and the sportier-looking front bumper made it compete better with other Japanese carmakers. The carmaker offered the Corolla with side-skirts and a small wing on the trunk lid on the upper trim levels. While it didn't look as sporty as it tried, it looked sportier than the rest of its siblings. Inside, a three-spoke steering wheel and some wood-trims on the dash made the Corolla looks a little bit upmarket, even though it wasn't. The curved lines and the taller center console divided the front area into two. The carmaker installed white dials inside the instrument cluster for the sport trim-level and replaced the wood-trims with black plastic. Under the hood, Toyota installed a new engine with a variable valve timing system that brought more power to the 1.8-liter four-pot. While the base version provided 135 hp from a non-VVTi unit, the top of the range featured a 164 hp mill to bring more joy for the driver.