It's the Perspective, Stupid

After a recent discussion on whether the desi Corolla is indeed larger than its North American counterpart, I decided to verify the dimensions on their respective websites. Sure enough, as was the consensus after the aforementioned discussion, the sizes were the same (assuming that I converted the metric units to English ones correctly).

And yet, every time I happened upon the Indian version during my recent trip, I was convinced that we in the US were getting shortchanged by the ever cost-cutting Japanese. It was not just the increase in proportion - the car looked more regal. Let's face it, 'regal' doesn't come to mind when we picture a Corolla here!

So, why the distortion? The obvious answer is the space surrounding the same-sized automobiles. The lack of it in India and it's abundance in America. However, I'd like to think there is more to that argument. I believe it's India's new image that exudes positivity - it's its we-can-do-anything optimism. This attitude makes things appear larger than life, including the new Tokyo imports.

That, and the fact that Corolla owners in India have drivers who polish their cars daily.