Toyota Corolla Touring Sports long-term test: report 4

The car Toyota Corolla Touring Sports GR Sport Run by Jonty Renk, Video Production Manager

Why it’s here To prove that you don't have to go German for the perfect estate car 

Needs to Offer impressive fuel economy, reliability and performance while offering all the carrying capacity I need

Mileage 3211 List price £35,120 Target Price £32,295 Price as tested £35,120 Official economy 60.1mpg Test economy 51.1mpg

17 June 2025 – "You're nicked, sunshine."

Ever since I took delivery of my Toyota Corolla Touring Sports, I’ve felt a bit like I’ve been living in a Matrix film. Remember when Neo started noticing the black cat walk by twice? Well, I’m noticing whenever a Touring Sports drives by – which is becoming an almost daily occurrence. 

Plenty of instances have involved Metropolitan police cars, mostly because there's a station just down the road from the What Car? offices in Twickenham. When I go for lunch, I often spot a battenberg-liveried Corolla or two. 

This month I stopped for a chat with an officer and he was kind enough to show me around his tricked-out Corolla. I got to see the cone-filled boot, all the gadgets and gizmos up front, as well as the rear-seat space reserved for, well, those who have possibly done something wrong.

It would appear that almost all police-spec Corollas use the 2.0-litre engine and start life in entry-level Icon trim (before getting various upgrades). It’s essentially the opposite specification to my 1.8-litre, GR-Sport-trimmed Corolla, but it makes sense, seeing as the police require power over sporty looks and creature comforts. 

One thing I thought was interesting was that police Corollas have a manual tailgate, rather than an electronically powered one. I thought perhaps pressing a button and having the boot open itself would come in handy for when the officer has their hands full. However, I understand why a manual tailgate would be favourable, because you can open it much faster in a hurry.  

Icon trim gets the smallest 16in wheels and I see why that’d be the logical option for the Met, too – police cars are often hitting speed bumps and kerbs at some pace and big wheels are the last thing you’d want in that scenario. According to the officer, some cars in central London have specific 15in steel wheels that can’t be specced from dealers in the UK.

Our local traffic officer was impressed by the Corolla. He said the boot was big and wide enough to store all sorts of awkwardly shaped items – from traffic cones to shovels, first aid kits to fire extinguishers, as well as tow ropes. The fuel-saving hybrid system also allows the force to go further on a tank, all the while pumping out less CO2 than old diesel Vauxhall Astra police cars. And that, in my best politician's voice, is good news for everyone.

My conversation with the officer also highlighted the car’s great visibility, which I can also attest to being great and very handy in urban environments. The Touring Sports is a long car, relatively speaking, but I never find myself struggling to get in and out of tight parking spaces or narrow streets. Wherever a video shoot may be – and we've shot in some tricky locations – my Corolla proves easy to drive. I'm glad the officer shares the sentiment. 

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