Item: Used Toyota Corolla 18-present
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/ioniq/saloon/used-review/n891">Hyundai Ioniq</a> is perhaps the main rival to the Corolla. It’s available as a petrol-electric hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or as a fully electric car. For us, it works best as a hybrid, and on top of being good to drive and cheap to run you’ll get a good-quality interior, as well as some keen used prices.&nbsp;

Among more conventional family cars, the Mk7 version of the iconic <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/used-review/n776">Volkswagen Golf</a> is of course a splendid buy. It has a comfortable ride, is well equipped, wonderfully refined and relatively cheap to buy and to run. It’s roomy, with a feeling of solidity few cars in its class can match.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter <a href="http://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/toyota/corolla?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Toyota Corolla,</a> or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.&nbsp;</a>

&nbsp;Page 5 of 5

What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Hatchback

Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

Corolla

The Corolla is a smart and potentially very reliable used buy. The hybrid versions are economical, too.

Toyota Corolla

On paper, the most economical Corolla is the 1.8 hybrid version, with an official fuel consumption figure of 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions of as low as 76g/km in Icon and Icon Tech versions. The 2.0-litre version returns a healthy 54.3mpg and the 1.2 a respectable 44.8mpg.&nbsp;

All versions of this generation of Corolla will have been registered after the tax changes of April 2017 came into force, so all will be taxed for VED or annual car tax at the flat rate, currently £155&nbsp;a year.&nbsp;

Insurance costs are low, with groups ranging from 15 to 21, and servicing costs are low, too. There are a number of service options available for used cars that allow the owner to pay in instalments and by direct debit and plan ahead for costs. The hybrid-electric service costs no more than a regular one, and every service done annually adds another year of extended cover, up to a total of 15 years.&nbsp;

Page 2 of 5

Used Toyota Corolla 18-present

The Corolla is a smart and potentially very reliable used buy. The hybrid versions are economical, too.


You’ll need around £14,000 to get behind the wheel of a Corolla, this for a late-2018 or early 2019 car bought from a franchised dealer and with a low mileage and full history. A lot of these may well be the 1.2-litre car, but it shouldn’t cost you too much more to hop into a 1.8 or 2.0 hybrid version. Spend £16,000 to £20,000 on either of the hybrids, on a 2019 or 2020 car with an average mileage from a franchised dealer. This is a reasonable saving on the price of a new one, even factoring in the Target Price discount you may have been able to achieve if you use our website to buy one.&nbsp;

Although it’s not as refined a car as the 2.0-litre model, we’d go for the ultra-economical 1.8 Hybrid. There should be plenty around and its purchase price will also be lower than the larger-engined car.&nbsp;

As far as trim goes, we’d look for the Icon Tech, which packs most of what you’d want and nearly all you’d need, and adds sat-nav and parking sensors to the otherwise well-equipped Icon version.&nbsp;

Our favourite Toyota Corolla: 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid Icon Tech

Page 4 of 5

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of practical space </li> <li>Low running costs </li> <li>A comfortable ride </li> <li>A healthy equipment list </li> <li>Quality materials and thoughtful touches inside </li> <li>Rock-solid reliability</li></ul>

Family cars arguably have the toughest brief of all: they have to be good at pretty much everything. They’re used as the daily drive, on the school run or work commute (often both), and have to be able to cope with a family’s clutter on weekends and holidays.

The Skoda Scala is a relative newcomer, but it's&nbsp;already carved out a name for itself in this segment.&nbsp;If you're looking for a moderately priced car that combines a supple ride, neat handling, a spacious interior and a capacious boot&nbsp;it's well worth a look.&nbsp;Alternatively, if you're looking for entertaining handling then the&nbsp;BMW 1 Series may well be for you. It's great to drive, rides well&nbsp;and also comes with a top-notch interior, featuring one of our very favourite infotainment systems.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Toyota Corolla&nbsp;is another great choice. This latest version of one of the world's best-selling cars of all time can be had with a choice of two different petrol-electric hybrid engines, both of which should mean&nbsp;potentially lower fuel bills. It's comfortable, well equipped and should be very reliable, too.&nbsp;

Family

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Low running costs compared with solely petrol or diesel equivalents</li> <li>Very low official CO2 emissions to benefit company car drivers</li> <li>The same usability as a regular car</li> <li>Smooth transition between electric and engine power</li> <li>Small practicality compromise over conventional models</li></ul>

Not so long ago, hybrids were the preserve of Hollywood stars, environmentally conscious 'early adopters' and the odd&nbsp;minicab driver looking to save a bit of money on fuel.

Since the collapse in demand for diesel, however, they have become&nbsp;much more popular, and it's easy to see why, with&nbsp;low tax bills and&nbsp;impressive MPG figures&nbsp;just a couple of the perks they offer.

There are two types of hybrid: 'self-charging'&nbsp;models, which mix petrol&nbsp;and electric power in an effort to maximise&nbsp;efficiency, and&nbsp;plug-in hybrids that can travel many miles purely on electricity before their engines need to cut in. This category is for the former type of cars.

Hybrid

The Corolla will have been used in an urban setting so it’s worth checking for bumps and scrapes on the bodywork and look for any damage on the wheels. Make sure all the electrical equipment on board works as it should. It’s also a good motorway tool, so check for stone chips to the bodywork and windscreen.&nbsp;

There has been one recall.&nbsp;

Reason for recall

There is a possibility that the emergency calling system has not been activated.

How to check if the vehicle is recalled

Contact the local TOYOTA dealership or manufacturer. You will not need to pay for anything involving the recall.

How the manufacturer will repair

Inspect and activate the emergency call system if necessary.

Number of affected vehicles

3484

The good news is the Corolla is, and always has been, known as an outstandingly reliable car. This generation was too new to feature in our most recent <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2020-what-car-reliability-survey/n20042">What Car? reliability survey, </a>but its similar predecessor, the Auris, did, and it came second in the family car class with an excellent overall score of 98.2%. On top of that, the C-HR, Yaris, RAV4 and Prius models, employing similar technology to the Corolla, also scored well.

Toyota as a brand finished in an also excellent second place in the same survey.&nbsp;

Page 3 of 5

Buy a Toyota Corolla and you’ll hardly become part of an exclusive set: there have been more than 44 million of them sold over the last 50-odd years and 12 different incarnations. Welcome, in fact, to the world’s best-selling car.&nbsp;

After such world-wide success, it may come as a surprise to learn the Corolla nameplate actually disappeared from UK showrooms for almost 10 years, only re-emerging with this model in 2018. Filling in the gap was a reliable but rather bland car called the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/auris/hatchback/used-review/n17421">Auris</a> - a Corolla by any other name. Unlike the Auris, its replacement here has been subjected to a healthy dose of the stylist’s pen and contains within its longer, wider, lower and stiffer bodyshell a wealth of new technology aimed at stealing sales from Europe’s finest family hatchbacks. You can also have it as a more practical estate, in a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/corolla-touring-sports/estate/review/n19141">Touring Sports</a> version.&nbsp;

Under the bonnet, Toyota offers a 112bhp 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine along with two versions of the car powered by its petrol-electric hybrid system, both of which account for around nine out of every 10 sales. The 1.8-litre VVTi is pretty much the same as the unit in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/prius/hatchback/used-review/n17569">Prius</a>, in fact, and comes with 120bhp from its electric motor and petrol engine combined. The 2.0-litre engine has 178bhp and a 0-62mph time of 7.9sec.

Trim-wise, entry-level Icon comes well equipped with dusk-sensing headlights, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats and 16in alloy wheels. Icon Tech adds a lot of extra upgrades that include sat-nav and parking sensors. In fact, its only major omission is rain-sensing wipers – you’ll need to upgrade to Design trim if you want those. Design also brings 17in alloy wheels, heated door mirrors and privacy glass. Range-topping Excel adds part-leather seats and even bigger (18in) wheels.

On the road, the 1.8-litre hybrid is noticeably slower than a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/used-review/n776">VW Golf 1.0 TSI 115</a>, for example, but acceleration is still adequate in most situations – even when joining motorways. The only time you’ll really wish for a bit more oomph is when you need to overtake dawdling motorists on country roads. Fortunately, the 177bhp 2.0-litre hybrid is much punchier and responds far more eagerly when you squeeze the accelerator pedal.&nbsp;

The Corolla’s ride is most impressive, being quite soft, and this is definitely one of the more comfortable cars in its class. It handles in a safe and secure manner, too, and it has a reasonable level of grip.&nbsp;

It can be quite refined, too. Because the electric motor can manage on its own in stop-start traffic, progress is virtually silent and the petrol engine doesn’t spoil the peace too much when it does cut in to provide assistance. On faster roads, though, particularly those with inclines, the petrol engine begins to whine away noticeably. The blame for this lies with the Corolla’s CVT, which causes the revs to rise and hold on to them while the car catches up with your intentions. The 1.8-litre cars don’t get quite so much sound deadening tech as the 2.0-litre ones, so they are noticeably noisier.

Inside, it’s easy to find the right driving position, and visibility is good - every Corolla gets a rear-view camera as standard, too. The infotainment system is a little sluggish, and not of the highest resolution, but is positioned high up on what is a pleasing dashboard. There are plenty of soft-touch materials, too, so it all feels of a good quality. There’s plenty of space up front, but things are a little cramped in the rear, especially in terms of leg room. The boot of the 1.8-litre car is of a good size and is easily accessible, but the 2.0-litre car gets a slightly smaller one, due to having to house the battery underneath its floor.

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/toyota/corolla?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Toyota Corolla,</a> or any of the other cars mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds site <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here.&nbsp;</a>

Page 1 of 5

Used Toyota Corolla 18-present review

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Toyota Corolla hatchback?