Retro with a smile

By Gary S. Vasilash

This is a car you will likely never buy. Likely not even see outside of pictures:

That’s because this model is a limited edition.

Severely limited.

As in 1,600 copies of the car produced for sale in the U.S.

Let’s put it this way: If every one of those FX Editions was parked at the Mall of America, there would still be room for 10,700 more vehicles.

This vehicle is a tribute to the 1987 Corolla FX16.

Let’s put that this way: 1987 was the year Fatal Attraction was released, that “Walk Like an Egyptian” by the Bangles was number one, that Ronald Reagan urged at the Brandenburg Gate, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

In other words, 1987 probably isn’t remembered by a whole lot of people, so perhaps that limited run of the 2026 FX reflects that outside enthusiasts there probably isn’t a huge market for the car.

But I argue that especially in Inferno body color (above) with the 18-inch gloss white-finished alloy wheels, this vehicle would have the same sort of success with a wide range of people like those who buy the Ford Bronco Sport Heritage in Robin’s Egg Blue with 17-inch Oxford white-painted aluminum wheels. (And to be fair: that trim is a tribute to the Bronco of 1966, the year the number-one song was “The Ballad of the Green Berets” and Thunderball topped the box office (it was the fourth James Bond film. There have been 22 more since.)

The Corolla FX simply has a look about it that evokes a smile, which is a good thing when you’re walking out to your driveway on a dreary morning on the way to work. Yes, a daily drive. But in something that seems like fun.

And a characteristic that is about driving and fun is that although there is a continuously variable transmission (CVTs) mated to the 169-hp 2.0-liter engine, and CVTs don’t have gears per se like an automatic transmission, select “Sport” mode and there are simulated shifts that are fairly convincing. You’re not going to go any faster or be thrown back to the Sport Touring seats with metallic accents and suede inserts, but it is good for effect. A fun effect.

While it is a tribute to 1987, on the inside there is a host of contemporary tech available through the 8-inch multimedia screen, including wireless Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto).

It should be noted that the iPod wasn’t released until 2001.