The Corolla Hybrid is not only Toyota's most affordable hybrid, it's the cheapest hybrid you can buy for 2023. The compact sedan gets up to 50 mpg in combined driving and comes standard with plenty of tech including a package of advanced driver aids. The Corolla Hybrid is a good alternative if the Prius is out of your price range. Last year's Corolla Hybrid wasn't very appealing because it was only available in the rather basic LE trim. But that's changed for the 2023 model year thanks to a significant refresh and the addition of the sporty SE trim and well-equipped XLE trim. All-wheel drive was also added for 2023, a rare feature for compact cars. It's optional on the LE and SE trims but reduces fuel economy by 2-3 mpg. The Corolla Hybrid's tech was also upgraded with the addition of Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, the brand's latest package of advanced driver aids, and an updated infotainment system that features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Lastly, the Corolla Hybrid received restyled front and rear ends, and its hybrid powertrain now delivers more power. The 2023 updates significantly improved the Corolla Hybrid, making it a compelling choice, especially considering its price tag. But it's up against newer, more efficient and competitive hybrids. The Pruis' 2023 redesign made it more efficient, powerful and much better-looking inside and out. It tops its hybrid sibling in most ways and should be considered if it's in your price range. The Kia Niro was also redesigned for 2023. It now sports a modern look, lots of room and excellent fuel economy. Another great alternative is the value-packed Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. Read our Expert Rating below to get our test team's full report on the Corolla Hybrid.

It’s a car with a clunky name: the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports is a long-winded way of saying 'Corolla estate'. It replaced the Auris and brought the Corolla badge back to Europe after a 13-year break. In factBETWEENITEMthe Touring Sports has been made specifically for Europe and is built in Britain.It shares its oily bits with the hatchback version of the carBETWEENITEMwith the longer wheelbase of the Touring Sports yielding a bit more room in the back. While not quite as striking as the regular five-doorBETWEENITEMit’s a more interesting looking car than its predecessor. This current version has been on sale since 2019BETWEENITEMthoughBETWEENITEMso its impact has been somewhat impacted by the car’s ubiquity as a minicab.It's hybrid onlyBETWEENITEMright?Yes – the UK Corolla range is hybrid only (the self-containedBETWEENITEMso-called self-charging set-up). It sloughs off energy from the petrol engineBETWEENITEMbut also uses regen braking to allow the 2.5kWh battery to enable electric-only running for short distances. As of 2023BETWEENITEMit's now got the latestBETWEENITEMfifth-generation version of Toyota's signature techBETWEENITEMtoo. There are two petrol engines available that go with the hybrid stuff: a 1.8-litre petrol unit that’s good for a combined 138bhp and a 2.0-litre engine that makes for 193bhp. Both engines manage over 60mpg on the official WLTP figuresBETWEENITEMand you should be able to get close to that in more urban-biased driving. Only the entry 2.0-litre car manages 100g/km CO2 to get cheaper VED ratesBETWEENITEMthough.It all sounds very sensible.Almost too sensible. For what it’s worthBETWEENITEMToyota claims the Corolla is sharper to drive than ever (the words 'than ever' doing a lot of heavy lifting there)BETWEENITEMwith a lower seating position and wider track helping spread out the weight distribution and make you more inclined to drive it with a bit of vigour. Probably not when the boot’s full of groceriesBETWEENITEMflat pack furniture or animalsBETWEENITEMwe’d suggest.The steering is lightBETWEENITEMrobbing the driver of any meaningful enjoymentBETWEENITEMand while Toyota has done a good job of minimising CVT-induced engine roar from this latest version of its hybrid techBETWEENITEMthere’s still enough noisiness to stop you wanting to make full use of any of the Corolla estate’s acceleration potential.How much more expensive is the estate?The estate carries a premium of around £1.3k over the Corolla hatchbackBETWEENITEMwhich means prices start from £31BETWEENITEM560 for the Icon model with the 1.8-litre petrol engineBETWEENITEMtopping out at £36BETWEENITEM875 for the 2.0-litre engined Excel car.For the price premium to get into the estate model you jump from 361/313 litres of space in the boot (the 2.0-litre car has a slightly smaller boot because the battery is larger) with the seats upBETWEENITEMversus 596/581 litres of space in the Touring Sports. The estate version is only around 50kg heavierBETWEENITEMwhich has a small impact on economyBETWEENITEMand all versions of the car are rated to tow just 750kg of braked trailer. What's the competition?Good question. The Corolla Touring Sports rubs shoulders with the Ford Focus EstateBETWEENITEMSkoda Octavia Estate and Volkswagen Golf Estate. The BMW 3 Series Touring and Volvo V90 are a bit plusher and therefore outside the Corolla's direct circle of enemies. There are plug-in hybrid versions of the BMW and Skoda availableBETWEENITEMwhile the MG 5 EV is an all-electric estate option with up to 250 miles of WLTP range available.

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid has a revised hybrid powertrain, available all-wheel drive, and updated tech features for 2023. Pricing starts at $22,800. If you like the idea of a practical and affordable compact car with hybrid efficiency, you’ll love the Toyota Corolla Hybrid. It gets a pretty big update for the 2023 model year with refreshed styling, a revised hybrid powertrain with higher output, updated tech features, and available all-wheel drive (AWD). Another big update is the fact that it now has three trims rather than just one in previous years. That means more variety to appeal to a broader range of buyers. The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is another ultra-efficient compact sedan. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid is powered by a 138-hp hybrid 4-cylinder engine matched with an electronically controlled CVT automatic transmission and front- or all-wheel drive. In our experience, the Corolla Hybrid is an agreeable car to drive with easy driving dynamics. We’re not surprised about where this car’s priorities lie. The trade-off for its excellent fuel economy ratings is less power and torque than the non-hybrid version of the Corolla. In our testing, the Corolla Hybrid gets around just fine in city driving, but getting up to highway speed and passing on the highway requires some patience. We also noticed that the brakes are a bit grabby, which is typical for hybrids. If you’re already experienced with hybrids, you may not even notice. However, if you drive a Corolla Hybrid as your first hybrid, the brake feel may take some getting used to. We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating the current collection of hybrid cars, including this Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Fuel Economy The Toyota Corolla Hybrid gets a combined fuel economy rating of up to 50 mpg with FWD and 48 mpg with AWD. For reference, the most efficient version of the non-hybrid Corolla gets up to 35 combined mpg. According to EPA estimates, the hybrid saves you about $37 per month, which can quickly make up for the modest price premium over the non-hybrid. The Hyundai Elantra hybrid gets a better highway fuel economy rating giving it a maximum combined rating of up to 54 mpg. However, that only translates to fuel savings of about $4/month compared to the Corolla Hybrid. 1. Efficient hybrid powertrain The Toyota Corolla Hybrid uses an efficient hybrid powertrain that’s good on gas. It’s been revised for 2023 with two more magnets for increased output and a lithium-ion battery under the rear seats to make more trunk space. It gets a combined fuel economy rating of up to 50 mpg. 2. Available AWD All-wheel drive is an uncommon option in this class. The Corolla Hybrid will be the only variant of the Corolla with available AWD, a desirable feature you can’t get on the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. 3. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 This updated suite of safety tech bundles many driver assistance features. It has full-speed adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and more. 4. 8-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia This user-friendly touchscreen is loaded with connectivity features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It’s easy to bring the maps, music, and more from your phone to the screen in your Corolla Hybrid. 5. Excellent hybrid battery warranty Toyota hybrids have a good track record for reliability. Toyota adds peace of mind to the Corolla Hybrid with a 10-year/150,000-mile warranty on the hybrid battery. 6. Intelligent Assistant This optional feature makes the infotainment system in the Corolla Hybrid a little smarter. Say “Hey, Toyota” to access directions, audio, climate controls, and more, all through voice commands. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid has a pleasant interior. The front seats are all-day comfortable, and the rear seats are roomy enough for most adults. Now that the Corolla Hybrid is available in three trims rather than just one, it has more premium options available. The top XLE model has SofTex seats, a 7-inch driver information screen, and an optional JBL audio system. The repackaged lithium-ion battery under the rear seats should yield more trunk space, but the trunk is still pretty small, even in the non-hybrid Corolla sedan. Consider the Toyota Prius hatchback if you want a compact hybrid with more cargo flexibility. The Corolla Hybrid gets slightly refreshed styling for 2023. It has revised front and rear designs and is now available in three trims, so there’s a little more visual variety in its model range. The SE trim has a sporty appearance package, and the XLE trim has a more upscale look. The Toyota Corolla Hybrid uses a conventional hybrid powertrain that’s received some revisions for 2023. It’s a 1.8-liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine mated to dual permanent magnet synchronous electric motors. Additionally, it has a compact, high-output/low-loss drive motor with two additional magnets over the old system. Finally, a new lithium-ion battery is located under the rear seat to make more room in the trunk and lower the center of gravity. The Corolla Hybrid produces 138 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque. It’s rated at 50 combined mpg with FWD and 48 mpg with AWD. One of the most exciting updates for 2023 is the addition of all-wheel drive as an option. Alongside the Toyota Prius, the Corolla Hybrid is one of the only compact hybrid models you can get with AWD. The 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid starts at $22,800 for the base LE model, $25,200 for the SE trim, and $26,600 for the top XLE model. AWD is a $1,400 option for the LE and SE trims. A $1,095 destination fee applies to all Corolla models. The 2023 Corolla Hybrid is a little more affordable than the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid.

Diesel estates were once the go-to vehicles for families wanting a relatively frugal car with lots of space. Now, though – with diesel losing favour – this Toyota Corolla Touring Sports and other self-charging petrol hybrids are growing in popularity.,So, what is a self-charging hybrid exactly? Well, while plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) have big enough batteries to drive on electric power over a good distance, they also require plugging in to recharge if you want the best fuel economy.,In contrast, the Corolla Touring Sports – like the Toyota Corolla it's based on – constantly tops up a smaller hybrid battery as it drives along. That means you can’t drive on electric power alone for any significant distance, but you can still get some impressive fuel economy figures without the need to plug it in.Is that enough to give the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports the edge over the best estate cars out there, including the sharp-handling Ford Focus Estate and the very capacious Skoda Octavia Estate? Read on to find out…,,,The entry-level engine for the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports is a 1.8-litre hybrid petrol that delivers 138bhp, for a 0-62mph time of 9.4 seconds. That's noticeably quicker than the 123bhp 1.0-litre Ford Focus Estate (Ecoboost 125), which takes 10.5 seconds to do the same sprint.The 1.8 has more than enough performance for everyday driving and getting up to motorway speeds when it’s just you in the car. The only time you might need a bit more oomph is when you want to overtake on a country road or if the car full of people and luggage.For that, you’ll probably want the other engine option, the 2.0-litre hybrid petrol. With 193bhp, it feels far punchier than the 1.8 when you hit the throttle and reduces the 0-62mph sprint to 7.7 seconds (faster than the 155 mHEV Focus). It's a versatile engine that’ll ensure the Touring Sports never struggles in any situation.,The Corolla Touring Sports is effectively the Goldilocks of estate cars when it comes to ride quality, striking an almost perfect balance between suppleness and control. Let us explain... ,By being firmer than the Skoda Octavia Estate but softer than the Focus Estate, the Touring Sports has enough compliance to take the worst out of big bumps and potholes yet never feels floaty over sudden crests.The ride even remains brilliantly composed over the sort of scarred and patched-up surfaces you find in most towns and cities.,,When driven in a leisurely fashion, the Touring Sports handles well enough. The steering is fairly accurate and builds weight in a predictable and reassuring fashion. There’s a decent feeling of composure, as long as you don't expect really quick changes of direction.When you start to push harder, you notice that the car is less keen to tuck its nose in to corners than the Focus Estate or even the Octavia Estate, and runs out of front-end grip sooner than either. Put simply, if you want a car that’ll have you grinning on a challenging road, there are better options.,One of Touring Sports' trims is called GR Sport, but while it references the Toyota performance brand, it's not performance version – just a trim level that adds styling tweaks and some extra equipment.,One great thing about hybrid cars is how hushed they can be when you’re just pootling around town. 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 and inclined roads, the Corolla Touring Sports’ petrol engine begins to growl away. The blame lies with its CVT automatic gearbox which causes the engine revs to soar until you ease off – the revised engines have reduced the noise, but it’s still there for short periods.,Tyre and wind noise are not as well suppressed as they might be, with more sound coming from the larger boot than you'll hear with the Toyota Corolla hatchback. The 2.0-litre hybrid is better than the 1.8 at isolating you from the outside world, thanks to its "acoustic" side glass.,Driving overviewStrengths Comfortable ride; good performance; refined around townWeaknesses More wind and road noise than rivals,The driver's seat in the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports offers a decent amount of support and a reasonably generous range of movement, including height and powered lumbar adjustment (for the driver) on all trims. You shouldn't have any problems getting comfy.There are annoyances, though. Most cars have a wheel (or electric controls) for fine-tuning the backrest angle, but the Touring Sports has a lever with limited settings. The steering wheel adjusts for reach and height, but its extension in and out isn't as extensive as in some rivals, including the Ford Focus Estate. There are big, easy-to-use buttons and dials for the air-conditioning system, and the 12.3in digital driver's display is easy to read. It’s just as configurable as the Skoda Octavia Estate’s digital dashboard, but requires a lot more button pressing to switch between the various media, trip and hybrid system displays, so it's fiddlier to use when you're driving.,,The Corolla Touring Sports gives you a good view of the road ahead and out of the side windows at junctions.,Relatively chunky rear pillars mean over-the-shoulder visibility isn’t as good as in the Octavia Estate, but that doesn’t present too much of a problem because every version comes with front and rear parking sensors, as well as a rear-view camera.Powerful LED headlights are fitted as standard across the range and are a boon at night. In most rivals, you’ll usually need to pay extra or upgrade to a posh trim level for comparable technology.,The Touring Sports has a 10.5in infotainment touchscreen positioned high up on the dashboard, where it’s really easy to see. Better still, the screen responds quickly to your inputs when you start prodding around.On the minus side, the screen resolution isn't hugely impressive and the graphics for the built-in sat-nav (standard with on all trim levels) are rather basic. What’s more, while the operating system is slightly more intuitive than the Octavia Estate’s, it can’t match the best systems, including the ones in the Audi A4 Avant and the BMW 3 Series Touring.,Thankfully, all Corolla Touring Sports come with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring so you can bypass the Toyota software and use apps from your phone on the infotainment screen. You also get DAB radio and Bluetooth, while the standard six-speaker stereo is clear and punchy.,,At first glance, you’d be forgiven for feeling slightly underwhelmed by the Touring Sports’ interior. The design is restrained, conventional and – dare we say it? – even slightly old-fashioned.However, when you start touching things, you soon realise that Toyota has used high-quality materials that are screwed together in a way that puts most estate cars – including the Ford Focus Estate and the Peugeot 308 SW – to shame. It's no A4 Avant or 3 Series Touring, but those are much more expensive premium models.,Interior overviewStrengths Great interior quality; comfortable driving position; good visibilityWeaknesses Infotainment system could be better,There's plenty of space in the front of the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports, and tall drivers will fit in fine.The front seats slide back a long way, and while some estate cars have a bit more head room, you shouldn't feel hemmed in. The interior is wide enough to keep some space between you and a front-seat passenger.You get plenty of storage too, including a generous glovebox, various trays and cubbies dotted about, and the obligatory twin cupholders in the centre console. Our only slight demerit is that the door pockets are a bit stingy, but that’s splitting hairs.,The Touring Sports is usefully more spacious in the rear than the Toyota Corolla hatchback. In fact, there’s fractionally more leg room than you’ll find in a Skoda Octavia Estate. Head room is slightly tighter, but six-footers should still be able to fit with relative ease.,,There’s plenty of space for three children to sit side by side and the central tunnel is much smaller than the one in the Octavia Estate. That makes things a whole lot more comfortable for the middle passenger because they don’t have to place their feet either side of the hump.A central armrest with two cupholders is standard on all models, and the rear door pockets are a decent size. There are two adjustable air vents for people in the back seats (you don’t get those in the hatchback).,The rear seats don’t recline or do anything else particularly clever, but in fairness, nor do those in the Touring Sports’ rivals.Still, the seat backs do split 60/40 split and fold down, and the process is straightforward: you simply tug the levers next to the rear head restraints or use the lever pulls on either side of the boot wall. Some estate cars, including the Peugeot 308 SW, enable you to drop the seats in a more versatile 40/20/40 split. ,Like the hatchback, the Corolla Touring Sports doesn't have a ski hatch for poking long items through into the rear seating area.,As with the Corolla hatchback, the Touring Sports' boot size depends on which of the two engines you choose, but either version is big enough for a couple of pushchairs or a decent haul of shopping.,The 1.8-litre model can muster 596 litres of carrying capacity with the seats up, while the 2.0-litre model cuts it to 581 litres. That's because the bigger engine doesn’t leave enough space for the hybrid battery under the bonnet, so it lurks under a cover on the right side of the boot floor. For reference, the Octavia Estate can take a whopping 640 litres.The boot in the Corolla Touring Sports is a practical square shape, and has an adjustable floor to help you make the most of the space on offer. There's also a long light strip that illuminates the load area at night.Practicality overview,Strengths Plenty of front and rear space; decent-sized bootWeaknesses Some rivals have more versatile rear seats,If there’s one thing that makes the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports really compelling, it’s as a company car.You see, every version has low CO2 emissions, and the 1.8-litre hybrid model emits as little as 101g/km, which puts it in one of the lowest benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax bands in the estate car class. Likewise, the more powerful 2.0-litre hybrid emits 100 to 108g/km (depending on the exact spec). Official fuel economy figures for the hybrid models are among the best in the class too, with both engines managing more than 60mpg. Generally speaking, hybrid cars tend to be at their most economical around town, while diesels provide better economy on motorways.,We reckon the Touring Sports also makes plenty of sense to private buyers. True, it’s more expensive to buy outright than the Ford Focus Estate and the Skoda Octavia Estate, but you can get some great Toyota Corolla Touring Sports deals to help make up the difference. ,Plus, it’s predicted to have better resale values than most of its rivals (the Focus Estate and Octavia included), and that helps make PCP finance payments surprisingly affordable.,There are four trim levels for the Corolla Touring Sports – Icon, Design, Excel and GR Sport. All come well-equipped, but our pick is entry-level Icon.Icon comes with dusk-sensing headlights, dual-zone air conditioning, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, 16in alloy wheels, parking sensors, a reversing camera and touchscreen infotainment.Design trim won’t cost you much more, and gets you larger 17in wheels, keyless entry, automatic windscreen wipers, privacy glass and heated wing mirrors.Sporty looking GR Sport trim adds some styling tweaks and 18in wheels, while top-spec Excel models get lots of toys, including adaptive high-beam headlights, a head-up display and extra safety kit. They’re both quite expensive though.,Toyota has long had a great track record when it comes to reliability, and its performance in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey shows nothing has changed. It took second place after its luxury brand Lexus in first out of 32 car makers listed.,,The Corolla Sports Tourer didn't feature in the survey but the Corolla hatchback finished near the top of the family car category, so the estate should serve you well.On the off chance that things do go wrong, you get a 10-year/100,000-mile if you service the vehicle at a Toyota dealer every year. That’s longer cover than other estate cars. The Kia Ceed Sportswagon comes closest, with its seven-year warranty.,The Corolla Touring Sports received the maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating when it was tested in 2019.The Octavia was tested more recently, under more stringent testing, so we can’t compare its score directly, but the Focus was tested in the same year. That rival matches the Corolla’s rating, but ultimately scored slightly higher when it came to protecting adult and child occupants.,Regardless of trim level, every Corolla Touring Sports is fitted with plenty of active safety aids to help you avoid a collision in the first place, including automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning, traffic-sign recognition and automatic high-beam assistance. Top-spec Excel adds blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.All versions of the Corolla come with an alarm and an immobiliser.Costs overviewStrengths Plenty of standard equipment; strong reliability; low CO2 emissionsWeaknesses More expensive than rivals to buy outright,For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

The Toyota Corolla is the best-selling vehicle of all time and for good reason. In its 50-plus-year history, the Corolla has become synonymous with economy and reliability. The current 12th-generation model was last redesigned in 2019 and is offered in sedan and hatchback body styles. The subject of this review is the incredibly efficient Corolla Hybrid, which is only offered as a sedan. This year, the Corolla Hybrid revives the Nightshade model with a dark aesthetic. Otherwise, it returns unchanged from last year.