ON TEST: TOYOTA COROLLA
www.companycarandvan.co.uk
Corolla’s back – and it still packs plenty of punch The return of the grandest old name in the Toyota stable is something to cheer, says Andrew Walker
W
hen the Toyota Auris replaced the Corolla in the UK 12 years ago, many thought that that signalled the end of the line for the world’s best-selling car by name. However, when Toyota recently launched its latest family hatchback, it sensibly went back to the Corolla name, binning the Auris to history. It’s a worthy flagcarrier for that name, too: a big improvement over the departing Auris and a car that should appeal to fleet customers who want a petrol car that actually does offer true 50mpg motoring. Thanks to the hybrid technology, the latest Corolla’s biggest plus is that it will save you money and in this day and age, you can’t say fairer than that. The Corolla is offered with a choice of three powertrains, including a non-hybrid, 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol version, as well as a range of trim levels. There are three body styles, with the five-door hatch we tested joined by an estate and a hybrid-only saloon. The likely best seller as far as power units are concerned is likely to be the 1.8-litre 120bhp hybrid that we tested on our Excel hatch. Above this sits the
18 | June 2021 | Company Car and Van
more powerful 2.0 litre 177bhp and at the bottom, the aforementioned 1.2 petrol non-hybrid. UK options for trim levels starts with the Icon and comes with 16” alloy wheels, LED headlights, heated front seats, Adaptive Cruise Control, Toyota Touch 2 multimedia integration infotainment screen, reversing camera and on the hybrid only, dual-zone air conditioning. Next up is the Icon Tech, which adds SatNav and front and rear parking sensors. Design comes next and offers 17” alloys, auto folding power-adjustable side mirrors, rear privacy glass and LED front fog lights. Our Excel takes things up a notch with front sports seats, a Heads Up Display, coloured TFT information display and 18” alloys.
The 1.8-litre hybrid Icon costs from £24,485 with our Excel setting buyers back £28,300. Recent changes have increased the BIK on Corolla to 28%, so if you select an Icon model, you’ll pay from £139 a month in company car tax. The new Corolla has been built on the same platform as the Prius and CH-R, which is a good thing, because it handles particularly well. It’s been designed in a similar vein too, with lots of angles both at the back and front. The front features slim wrap-around headlights which merge into the Toyota logo at the centre of the bonnet. The rear hatch is a bulbous affair, with two axe-shaped rear light clusters making the Corolla really stand out. The cabin is a big improvement in quality over the old Auris. All the knobs and buttons feel well made and of better quality than you’d find in Toyotas of old. The plastic surfaces, even on the door pockets, front of glove box and centre binnacle by your feet, have been finished to a very high standard and are a real match for the Ford Focus. The red stitched leather upholstered finish to the dash is a nice touch as well. The 8” infotainment screen is logically located in the centre of the dash and underneath this, sit the climate controls.The automatic gear lever is in the usual spot between the front seats, in front of which are the driving options buttons where you make your choice from Sport, Normal or Eco. Continued on page 20 www.companycarandvan.co.uk
