By Alistair Kennedy, Marque Motoring
If ever there was a car that needed no introduction it’s the Toyota Corolla. First released in 1966 and arriving in Australia the following year, it is the all-time biggest-selling car worldwide, passing the 50-million mark in 2021.
The current (12th generation) Corolla has been on sale here since 2019 with an upgrade for the 2023 model year providing the latest fifth-generation hybrid powertrain, the latest version of the Toyota Connected Services system as well as upgrades to the multimedia system.
As before MY23 Corolla comes in three grades: Ascent Sport, SX and ZR, each with the choice of petrol-only or petrol/electric hybrid.
Toyota is very serious about electrification and has put a lot of work into making all its vehicles low polluters. Since 2016 Corolla has come with the option of a petrol/electric hybrid and this week’s review is on the entry-level hybrid Ascent Sport hatch.
STYLING
With the growth in SUVs, designers of traditional sedans and hatchbacks have tended to lean towards lower, sleeker profiles as a point of different to the boxier SUV shapes.
The Gen 12 Corolla is a good example. It’s longer, lower and wider than before with a more coupe-like silhouette which combine to give a much bolder stronger road presence.
The front is quite low and the slim headlights are connected across the complete car and run well up into the sides of the bonnet. The lower grille is very large and makes a nice styling statement.
Exterior changes for the upgraded model include new 16-inch wheels for Ascent Sport and SX grades, and a redesigned front grille for both hatch and sedan variants.
INTERIOR
The interior is neat and tidy with everything in the right place. Seats are wide, comfortable and supportive. Headroom is fine in the front seats but marginal for taller rear-seat passengers with narrow rear doors making entry difficult for larger occupants.
There’s no sunroof option which would otherwise reduce space.
There is reasonable width for three adults sitting in the rear seat although legroom is limited even in the longer-wheelbase sedan.
At 217 litres with the rear seats in place boot space is quite poor. 60/40 Capacity with the rear seats folded has not been listed.
ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS
The upgraded hybrid system uses a newly-developed high-output motor generator, power control unit and downsized hybrid transaxle. These provide a 13kW increase in peak power to maximum combined petrol / hybrid output of 103kW with the 1.8-litre engine.
Petrol hatch and sedan variants comes with the ongoing 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 126kW / 202Nm for the hatch and 126kW / 203Nm for the sedan.
Both petrol and hybrid models are front-wheel drive through a CVT with 10-speed sequential shift mode.
Corolla Hybrid has a 72kW/142Nm 1.8-litre Atkinson Cycle and a 53kW/163Nm synchronous permanent magnet electric motor. They drive the front wheels by way of an e-CVT automatic.
DRIVING
There’s height and reach steering wheel adjustment. The driver’s seat has eight-way power adjustment. The front seats are comfortable and provide good support in normal driving even without side bolsters.
As with all Toyota hybrids, Corolla takes off silently under battery power before transitioning smoothly to the when needed. The same thing happens with the stop/start system in slow traffic. In gentle downhill cruising on the open road the battery will again take over.
There’s excellent vision all round and sharp acceleration for safe urban manoeuvring.
The steering responds promptly and gives excellent feedback through the wheel.
Claimed fuel consumption for the Ascent Sport hybrid is listed at 4.2 litres per 100 kilometres. We averaged around 4.8 L/100 km during our week behind the wheel.
Tyre noise is low at slow speeds on very smooth surfaces increasing quite a bit on rougher surfaces.
SUMMING UP
Toyota Corolla Hybrid offers excellent value with hatch prices ranging from $30,630 to $37,620.
For these prices you get a great looking small car with a large range of both safety and convenience features. And one that’s now fun to drive.
Toyota Corolla has been one of the world’s best-selling cars for many years, often the best seller. Having driven the latest model, now offered as a hybrid, it seems inevitable it will remain at the top of the list for years to come.
MODEL RANGE
Ascent Sport petrol hatch or sedan: $28,130
Ascent Sport hybrid hatch: $30,630
Ascent Sport hybrid sedan: $31,180
SX petrol hatch or sedan: $31,280
SX hybrid hatch or sedan: $33,780
ZR petrol hatch: $35,120
ZR petrol sedan: $36,620
ZR hybrid hatch: $37,620
ZR hybrid sedan: $39,120
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Toyota dealer for drive-away prices.
