Toyota Corolla Touring Sports - perfect choice?

Road Test

byMarkSlack

FOR many people, especially of a certain age, mention estate cars and Volvo comes to mind, estates that were favoured by antique dealers everywhere. Look for a large estate now and to be honest you’ll struggle. We’ve moved to ‘lifestyle’ estates which are colloquially known as Tourers, smaller load capacity but arguably more stylish and better handling than the estate barges of old.

One of the sleekest and most affordable estates, sorry tourers, is Toyota’s Corolla Touring Sports. Carrying their very wellproven hybrid technology, still a much more allround and useable proposition than an EV, the Corolla may not be the most exciting means of transport, but as a package it pretty much does everything you could want of a car. Lots of equipment, affordable running costs and very well bolted together. It feels like a car that will still be running and looking good in 20 years­time.

Prices start from €35,363/£31,560 with four trim levels and two engine options ­ 1.8 or 2.0 ­ litre petrol hybrid.

Facts at a Glance

Standard fare on the entry level model provides everything from front and rear parking sensors and auto lights to smart phone ming rear view mirrors to its standard equipment.

One of the first things quality puts some rivals of similar price in the shade. You still get the bolt ­ on ­ iPad look of so many cars but that apart there’s a pleasing normality with a standard automatic gear shift lever, buttons (hurrah!) and decent functionality to the touch screen.

• Model: Toyota Corolla Touring Sports Design

• Engine: 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder, petrol electric selfcharging hybrid

• Gears: CVT automatic

• Price: €37,123/£33,130

• Performance: 0-100 kph (62 mph) 9.4 seconds/Maximum Speed 180 kph (112 mph).

• Economy: 4.7l/100km (60.1 mpg) Combined driving.

• Emissions: 106 g/km

Model tested was UK-specification and equipment levels and prices may vary in other markets

Use of triangles may be scrapped

THE Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) is said to be contemplating eliminating the obligation to place the orange emergency triangles in the event of a vehicle breaking down in the middle of a motorway or dual carriageway. This move is the result of a marked increase in the number of road accidents.

Pere Navarro, the director of the DGT, stated as much during a press briefing on Tuesday, April 4. He explained: “Last year there were 16 deaths on motorways and dual carriageways of people who had got out of their vehicle.” The DGT director added that one in every 10 road deaths was caused by somebody being hit by a car.

Currently, when a vehicle suffers a road accident, it is compulsory for the driver to signal it to other road users, either with the emer­ gency triangles or with the V­16 emergency light, which is placed on the roof of the car and will eventually replace the triangles. However, this new regulation will not be compulsory until January 2026, so in the meantime, both forms of signalling will coexist. There will still be drivers who opt for the triangles and have to get out of their car to place it, running the risk of being knocked down. connectivity and dual zone air conditioning. My test model was the Design trim, second up in the range, which adds keyless entry and start, power tailgate, privacy glass, power fold door mirrors and auto dim ­ ent low stance, it looks very low yet isn’t compared to other cars of a similar type. So Toyota’s stylists obviously know a thing or two about sleek design!

Therefore, in view of this danger, the DGT is ‘assessing’ how to eliminate the obligation of signalling on motorways and dual carriageways. This is something that other countries have already put into practice, and as DGT sources confirmed to a news source, Pere Navarro is studying how to do it at a regulatory level.

Inside it looks and feels well assembled and the

As with anything Toyota, the Corolla is a smooth and refined drive, push the throttle too enthusiastically though and as is usual with a CVT transmission it hangs onto high engine revs meaning it’s rather vocal. Progressive rather than sudden acceleration is the order of the day.

If you’re looking for a car that’s got more practicality than a hatchback, but still handles as capably, looks good and is superbly well built, then the Toyota Corolla Hybrid Touring might just be the perfect choice.