APRIL 2019 | CARMAGAZINE.CO.UK 49’Rolla Derby
Don’t call it a comeback, because it’s not. The
new Corolla’s predecessor, the Auris, which
lasted 12 years and two generations, was sold
only in Europe. The rest of the world carried
on consuming Corollas by the boatload. Yet
the name change nearly didn’t happen; at the
Geneva show last year, this car wore an Auris
badge. The reasons for Toyota’s U-turn seem
muddled, but one insider cited the Corolla’s
reputation for reliability.
The problem is that Corolla and Auris alike
are names synonymous with dullness, and
for good reason. There have been some lively
versions since its 1996 debut, but generally
the Corolla has tended to be the four-wheeled
equivalent of a food mixer. The 12th generation
certainly looks more modish than a Moulinex,
its sculpted lines equal parts Lexus and Bangle
BMW. At the front, hawkish headlights flow into
swollen wheelarches and a strong shoulder-line.
The rear is dominated by slash-cut strakes.
There’s also a Touring Sports estate and – for
those with fond memories of the Ford Orion
and Vauxhall Belmont – a Corolla saloon built in
Turkey, not Derbyshire like its siblings.
For the UK, the Corolla offers three power-
trains: 114bhp 1.2-litre petrol, 120bhp 1.8 hybrid
and 178bhp 2.0 hybrid. No diesel, but CO2 of
100g/km and 106g/km for the two hybrids (on
the tougher WLTP test cycle) suggest scant need
for one. The petrol uses a six-speed manual,
while hybrids have an updated version of Toyo-
ta’s CVT, with shift paddles for the sportier 2.0.
Prices kick off at £21,300, and trim levels
span Icon, Icon Tech, Design and Excel, while
standard kit includes LED headlights with auto
high-beam, adaptive cruise control, a reversing
camera and heated seats.
Sharing its TNGA platform with the Prius and
C-HR, the Corolla boasts a 60 per cent stiffer
shell than the outgoing Auris, plus the lowest
centre of gravity in class. Unlike some rivals,
multi-link rear suspension is standard across the
range. It translates to a supple, sophisticated ride
and a confidence-inspiring steer. The Toyota
turns in keenly, with plenty of on-centre feel and
benign balance. There’s little bodyroll and ample
grip, and while it can’t match the fluidity of a
Focus, it’s engaging to drive.
We tested the 1.8 Touring Sports and 2.0 hatch.
Both are near-silent in town – where Toyota says
typically you’ll be in electric-only mode for 73
per cent of your time in a Corolla – then perk
up with a muted CVT drone on open roads. In
fairness, the monotone soundtrack only grates
when you accelerate hard, and new drive modes
from Eco to Sport+ allow gearbox response to be
tailored to your taste. The higher-revving 2.0 is
definitely the one, though: smooth, flexible and
pleasingly punchy (0-62mph in 7.9sec).
In customer clinics, Auris owners asked for a
better cabin. The Corolla’s dash remains disap-
pointingly dull after its exuberant exterior, but
piano black, satin chrome and contrast stitching
provide a lift. The diddy joystick gear selector has
been ditched for a manlier stick-shift, too.
So, it’s not particularly exciting inside,
but both to look at and to drive, the Corolla
has made amends for decades of tedium.
TIM PITTCorolla is back, built in Derbyshire, and now keen on having a little fun
First drives
TOYOTA COROLLA
THE FIRST HOUR10 seconds
Edgy styling looks a
bit Lexus. Wide arches
bode well for the
Touring Car28 minutes
Lucid steering and
well-sorted chassis
impress on Mallorca’s
mountain roads40 minutes
1.8 hybrid needs
working hard.
(Range-topping
2.0 hybrid is much
gutsier.) Bored of the
CVT’s blare now58 minutes
Lamenting the lack of
Apple CarPlay (even
as an option). Toyota’s
nav doesn’t like
roundabouts▲
PLUS
Improved styling and
dynamicsMINUS
▼
CVT not much fun,
cabin much duller than
exteriorFirst verdict
Frugality and tax rates appeal, but new Corolla is
more than just a prudent buy, with sharp looks, a
capable chassis and decent 2.0-litre hybrid power.
PRICE
From £21,300
(£29,070 as
tested)POWERTRAIN
1987cc 16v 4-cylinder
plus 107bhp e-motor,
CVT, front-wheel drivePERFORMANCE
178bhp @ 6000rpm,
140lb ft @ 4400rpm,
7.9sec 0-62mph, 112mphWEIGHT
1510kgON SALE
NowData
EFFICIENCY
60.6mpg,
106g/km CO2Crayon department exhausted after exterior