Toyota Corolla review

So, you don’t want a diesel. The petrol cars you’ve looked at aren’t frugal enough and a pure electric car simply won’t cover the mileage you need. It’s a common conundrum for the modern car buyer. But before you tear your hair out, there could be an answer: a hybrid, like the Toyota Corolla.

Now, some hybrids need to be charged up overnight to get the best from them, but you don’t have to worry about any of that business with the Corolla; you simply treat it like a regular petrol car and let it sort out the electrical nitty gritty for itself. It has a small electric motor, to improve fuel economy or performance as necessary, and a little battery, which is charged by recovering energy from the brakes as you slow down.

When it comes to CO2 emissions and, officially at least, fuel economy, this halfway house between a petrol and pure electric car certainly delivers some impressive numbers. And, thanks to tax advantages, the Corolla looks to be much cheaper to run as a company car than any of its diesel rivals.

Put simply, the Corolla offers many of the same advantages as Toyota’s own Prius, but with far more conventional looks. But how does it square up against rival hybrid family cars, such as the Hyundai Ioniq? And should you consider a Corolla over conventionally powered big-hitters, which include the Ford Focus, Volkswagen Golf and Skoda Octavia?

Stay with us over the next few pages and we’ll tell you all you need to know. And don’t forget, with our New Car Buying service, you could save a fortune on a Corolla or any of countless other cars without any awkward haggling.