Toyota Corolla Hybrid (2024) Living With It

Finding a value-for-money family sedan in the new vehicle market is difficult enough, but add superb efficiency as a prerequisite and you’re left with the Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid XR. Not to worry, however, it may well be all the car that you’ll ever need…

The Corolla Hybrid and its petrol-electric stablemates owe their existence to the 1st-gen Prius – the world’s first mass-produced petrol-electric hybrid car, which was launched in Japan in 1998. But even when the brand started selling an updated model in some overseas markets, the Prius was still regarded as a novelty. Eventually, it became known as the vehicle of choice for the environmentally conscious (and often ridiculed, because of it). That was before the arrival of the battery-electric vehicle (EV), of course. 

Since then the Prius has arguably become even more obscure, perhaps mostly due to its bizarre styling. The (admittedly more attractive) 5th-gen Prius is not available in Mzansi, but the lessons learnt with Prius are at the heart of a range of Toyota vehicles. Want a hybrid medium SUV? There is a RAV4 for you. A crossover? Consider the Corolla Cross! And if, for some reason, you are unwilling to jump on the crossover or SUV bandwagon, you can still have a Toyota hybrid, in the shape of the Corolla sedan.

See also: Toyota RAV4 2.5 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (2024) Price & Specs

In many ways, the Corolla Hybrid Sedan’s continued existence seems a bit odd. The decline in popularity of the sedan body shape in general is well known. Toyota also builds the smash-hit Corolla Cross (including the hybrid variants) in South Africa, and they’re more affordable. It begs the question; who is the Toyota Corolla Hybrid Sedan aimed at?

To set the scene for this review, a couple of years ago, we spent a few weeks evaluating the Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid SX variant (then equipped with the older, 4th-gen petrol-electric drivetrain) – you can read more about it and watch a video review here: Toyota Corolla Hybrid – What it’s like to live with.

In late 2022, Toyota South Africa gave the Toyota range a mild update, which included installing the 5th-gen petrol-electric drivetrain in its hybrid derivatives. We recently spent 3 months testing the range-topping Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid XR derivative and herewith are our findings… 

What we like about the Toyota Corolla Hybrid Sedan

Efficiency

Let’s kick off with what is likely to be the most obvious purchasing consideration – fuel efficiency. As with the Prius and the Corolla Cross Hybrid, the hybridised Corolla Sedan is powered by a combination of a 1.8-litre, 4-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor drawing power from a Lithium-Ion battery pack.

Maximum system output is 103 kW and 142 Nm. Note: the combined power output of the hybrid system in the Corolla Sedan is 13 kW more than that of its Corolla Cross counterpart, but the torque is the same. 

Power goes to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and, provided a sufficient charge level is available, the Corolla can be driven on electric power alone at lower speeds (such as in traffic), for notable distances. Toyota claims a, well, brilliant average consumption figure of 3.9 L/100 km!

During our test period, we consistently averaged around 4.5 L/100km, which is truly exceptional in the real world. One of the testers managed to achieve 3.1 L/100 km with an ultra-conservative driving style.

Again, it is worth noting that the Corolla Hybrid Sedan is claimed to be more efficient than the Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid. And if you’re really counting the kilometres between fuel stops, then keep in mind that the capacity of the Sedan’s fuel tank is a not-insignificant 7 litres higher than that of the Corolla Cross.

Overall, the Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid XR is a vehicle that rewards relaxed, smooth driving with exceptional efficiency and comfort. That’s not to say that it is underpowered, however…

Select “Power” mode and it certainly becomes more responsive to throttle inputs, and with a (tested) 0-100 kph time of 9.88 seconds, it can’t exactly be described as slow. It just doesn’t pretend to have any sporty pretensions. A CVT drone is your “reward” for driving it in a ham-fisted manner.

Out on the open road, and loaded with passengers and luggage (as well as items on the roof), fuel consumption predictably suffers. On one 800-km round trip, we averaged (a still excellent) 6 L/100 km.

Features and Comfort

Toyota offers 2 derivatives of the Corolla Hybrid Sedan in South Africa, the XS and the XR. The difference between the two is that the pricier XR (by around R20 000), as featured here, comes fitted with features such as; built-in navigation, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, rain-sensing wipers and an electrochromatic rear-view mirror. It has to be noted that even the XS is a comprehensively equipped vehicle, and you may very well want to consider taking the R20k saving…

As you would expect, the Corolla is a beautifully built machine. We ventured onto rough gravel roads rather often, and its cabin never emitted creaks or rattles. What helps is the fitment of 205/55 tyres on 16-inch wheels. Yes, bigger wheels would have significantly added visual appeal, but the upside is that the plump tyres certainly play a role in delivering exceptional ride comfort, across a variety of terrain.

And if you are going to traverse routes with broken surfaces often, then the fact that the fitment of 16-inch wheels is paired with the inclusion of a full-size spare wheel is even more welcome. Corollas fitted with 18-inch wheels, for example, come with space savers (including the Corolla Cross…)

Finding a comfortable driving position shouldn’t be a problem; the driver’s seat is electrically adjustable (including height) and the steering column has generous scope for rake- and reach adjustment. The seats themselves are superb on the long road and seat heating in front is standard (a nice touch). 

With a 2.7m-long wheelbase, the Corolla offers excellent front and rear occupant space. Moreover, the sedan’s quoted luggage capacity is no less than 470 litres, which makes its boot more capacious than the Corolla Cross’ load bay (a claimed 440 litres). There are 2 minor criticisms of the load area, however.

Firstly, while the rear seatback is split 60:40 and can fold down to increase load space, the opening is rather shallow, limiting the ultimate versatility on offer. What’s more, the boot lid’s arms extend deep into the luggage area, so be careful not to pack easily damaged items towards the sides of the compartment.

That’s it as far as criticisms go, however, because the rest of the Corolla’s cabin environment is very well thought out. There is a convenient charging pad at the base of the fascia, the automatic climate control works a treat and the touchscreen infotainment system’s menu is intuitive. This XR variant also features built-in navigation, so it’s not even necessary to pair your phone (which, of course, you can still do).

Another area in which the Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid XR shines is safety. Yes, the number of airbags (7) and the fitment of a multitude of active safety features is impressive, but even more so is the fact that none of the systems are intrusive or overly “nannying”.

In modern cars, we often find that active lane keeping, for example, gets implemented with such vigour (and alarm bells) that instead of preventing an accident, it almost causes one (through distraction). But in the Corolla, the steering just gently nudges you back into your lane… no bells, or flashing lights.

Similarly, the rear cross-traffic alert (one of the most underrated safety features), works when needed and not in a way that causes shock. It’s very refined, very considered and very measured… We like that.

Purchasing considerations

As highlighted elsewhere in this article, the Corolla Hybrid Sedan will appeal to sensible buyers who place a priority on safety, efficiency and comfort. In all those areas it delivers brilliantly. At face value, it may appear to be a conservatively specced vehicle – and one could easily argue that it is – but there is something deeply appealing about a car that eschews the fads of fashion in favour of common sense.

What makes the purchasing argument for the Corolla 1.8 Hybrid XR even more compelling is that it is a product of Toyota – the 2023/24 Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, sponsored by Absa Brand of the Year. It means owners (not journalists) rate this brand the highest for customer service, reliability and product satisfaction and, that’s before we mention the variant’s comprehensive warranty and service plan…

Price and After-sales support

The Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid XR sells for R570 200 (Aug 2024). The price includes a 3-year/100 000 km vehicle warranty, 8-year/195 000 km hybrid battery warranty and 6-services/90 000 km service plan.

New Toyota Corolla Specs & Prices in South Africa

Verdict

If you’re looking for a fashionable crossover – as many new-vehicle buyers do – consider the Corolla Cross variant, but keep in mind that spec-for-spec the Sedan’s higher price appears to be justified. If you specifically want a comfortable, safe and super-efficient sedan, you have to spend nearly R1 million on a small turbodiesel model from a premium brand. The Corolla Hybrid Sedan simply doesn’t have any competition in the local market. This is an excellent car that deserves to sell in far greater numbers. 

Find a new/used Toyota Corolla listed for sale on Cars.co.za