Toyota Corolla review

So, you don’t want a diesel. The petrols you’ve looked at aren’t frugal enough and a pure electric car simply won’t fit into your lifestyle. It’s a common conundrum for the modern car buyer, but before you tear your hair out, there could be an answer: a hybrid.

Now, some hybrids need to be charged up overnight to make any sense, but you don’t have to worry about any of that business with the Toyota Corolla. You simply treat it like a regular petrol car and let it sort out the nitty gritty for itself: it'll top up its battery automatically when you use the brakes and decide when deploying the electric motor will help improve economy or performance.

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 is 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 as a family car? And how does the Corolla compare with conventionally powered big hitters that 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, if you want to buy a Toyota Corolla, or indeed any other car, head over to our deals section to find out how much you could save without any awkward haggling.