Toyota Corolla Hybrid review: Small car is fuel efficient and safe

This small car has been on the top of Aussie shopping lists for decades and once you’ve lived with one it’s easy to see why.

2020 Toyota Corolla SX Hybrid sedan.

The Toyota Corolla has been one of the best selling passengers cars for the past decade. But why is it so popular? We find out.

VALUE

Prices start at about $27,500 drive-away and rise to about $38,500. Hatch and sedan variants cost the same and adding hybrid power adds about $2000. We are testing the mid-tier SX Hybrid sedan priced from about $34,500, which is only slightly more expensive than the smaller Yaris SX Hybrid hatch.

The Toyota Corolla has been one of the best selling small cars in the country for more than a decade.

Toyota has packed the SX Hybrid with all the necessary safety gear and it comes with a good amount of standard kit. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are accessed through an eight-inch touchscreen and are complemented by a wireless charging pad, satnav, Bluetooth and digital radio.

A faux leather wrapped steering wheel and gear shifter add a touch of class, but you’ll have to move up a grade if you want heated leather accented seats.

There’s a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and the capped-price servicing program is excellent value, as Toyota charges just $180 every 12 months or 15,000km for five years.

COMFORT

The Corolla’s sedan’s cabin is one of the most accommodating in the segment, with plenty of room for back seat passengers and an enormous boot that is twice the size of the Corolla hatch.

The hybrid is extremely thrifty with fuel.

The interior design doesn’t feel as premium as rivals such as the Mazda3, but the ergonomics are sound.

Soft suspension makes for a plush ride, while road noise is well suppressed.

SAFETY

The Corolla has a five-star ANCAP safety score, with an adult protection score of 96 per cent.

Passengers are protected by seven airbags, while driver aids include auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control and auto high-beam.

The Corolla’s interior is very functional. (ZR version shown)

DRIVING

The Corolla Hybrid is a camel; it can go without a drink for what seems like an eternity and gets by on regular unleaded. The claimed fuel use is 3.5L/100km, and that claim is achievable in city driving.

The petrol-electric combination is surprisingly punchy, too. It’s brisk off the line and there’s enough grunt when it’s asked to overtake on the freeway.

Passengers will appreciate the cosseting ride, but keener drivers may be disappointed by the sedan’s lack of steering feel and its tendency to pitch and lean through corners. The hatch is a much better proposition in this area.

The hybrid has a strong punch off the line.

VERDICT 4/5

It is easy to see why the Corolla is the best selling small car in the country. It doesn’t do much wrong and is affordable, reliable, safe and environmentally friendly.

ALTERNATIVES

Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid Elite, from about $39,000 drive-away

Punchier petrol-electric combo that drinks slightly less fuel. But you pay for the privilege.

Mazda3 G25 Evolve sedan, from about $33,900 drive-away

Stylish looking sedan with a classy interior and powerful petrol engine. Fuel use almost double.

Subaru Impreza 2.0i-S sedan, from about $35,000 drive-away

Top of the range all-wheel drive small car available at this price range. Thirsty and expensive to service by comparison.

TOYOTA COROLLA HYBRID SX SEDAN VITALS

Price: From about $34,530 drive-away

Warranty/servicing: 5-yr, unl’td km warranty/$900 over 5 years

Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, electric motor, 90kW/163Nm combined

Safety: Five stars, seven airbags, Auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control

Thirst: 3.5L/100km

Boot: 470L