Refreshed hybrid family hatch has already impressed, but does a bigger engine boost its appeal? On sale Now Price from £30,210
Max Adams max.adams@haymarket.com
IN A WAY, you could consider the Toyota Corolla a British success story. Produced at the firm’s Derby facility since 2018, it has risen almost to the top of the family car class. We awarded the latest version the full five stars when we pitted it against the Honda Civic – our 2023 Family Car of the Year – and the Corolla only lost on points, leapfrogging the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf in our rankings.
That was the 1.8-litre hybrid version, though. It’s highly recommendable, having been recently boosted to 138bhp from the previous rather weak 120bhp, but it’s now time to see if the 2.0-litre version is worth upgrading to. It, too, has had a power hike (from 178bhp to 193bhp), reducing the 0-62mph time from 7.9sec to 7.4sec. Officially, that makes it quicker than the Civic, and it feels much perkier than the Corolla 1.8.
Like the 1.8, the 2.0 is a hybrid, and thanks to its potent electric motor and substantial battery, there’s a strong surge of power from stationary. There’s also enough stamina to trundle in traffic on battery power alone for decent stretches. Due to the nature of the Corolla’s CVT automatic gearbox, the engine revs flare up when you’re accelerating up to motorway speeds or overtaking, but with the 2.0’s extra power, the din is shorter lived than with the 1.8, because you’ll get up to speed sooner.
Even this more powerful Corolla can’t match the Civic for driving enjoyment, though. With larger wheels and tyres than the 1.8, the 2.0 has more cornering grip, but the soft suspension brings on more body lean in bends than the Civic’s, and it doesn’t share that car’s agility on a twisty B-road.
The Corolla is comfier, though. It deals with potholes and speed bumps around town really well and remains composed over uneven surfaces on the motorway. Its light yet precise steering is better suited to making tight U-turns around town, too.
Inside, you get a sombre-looking but very well-made interior, and every Corolla has a 10.5in central touchscreen infotainment system, along with a 12.3in digital instrument panel. The latter is fully customisable, like the equivalent in the Golf, but the Corolla’s is more distracting to tweak on the move.
The infotainment, though, is much more straightforward to use than the Golf’s. It isn’t as responsive to inputs as the best systems, but at least you can mirror your smartphone with ease. You also get physical controls for the air-
