Road test | Toyota Corolla Hybrid: for those who do not want Prius

The Toyota Corolla is nothing glamorous. The compact is proud to be a careful option, a reliable and unlocked tool. Its latest generation has endeavored to spice up the recipe with the sparkling variant GR and a more assumed design, but the circumstance technical orientation remains well present. The hybrid livery with full cog is no exception to this rule, but has the advantage of offering a lot, despite its appetite for chopper.

Sound design

Proposed since the model year 2023, this hybrid version incorporates the optional full cog among its arsenal, an unprecedented conjugation in the segment. The only real visual indication of its presence is at the bottom of the rear doors, where the letters “AWD” are affixed. Toyota here favors the chameleon approach with visual features almost identical to those of thermal motor versions. With the declensions SE and XSE, the integral hybrid cultivates a slightly more sporty image with its 18-inch thin rims, the grille and the more sharp rear bumper and the lustrous black accents to add contrasts. Note that only the Corolla sedan can be offered with such a engine, which prevents the practical aspect of the tailgate body.

On board

A bit like your favorite “Comfort Food”, Corolla welcomes us in a known and comforting environment. Orders cultivate a good balance between digital and physique and naturally put themselves on hand. From the traditional gear lever to the positioning of the keys of the heating/ventilation system, including the various buttons dotted on the steering wheel, everything is intuitive. However, we would have liked window controls and backlit locking. In a period that promotes the switch to vehicle physique, the interior remains rather cramped, even for a compact. Thus, larger templates will have to negotiate with a clearance for the head compromised by the thickness of the sunroof and a steering column with limited adjustments. The rear trunk of 371 L can however contain as much as non -hybrid variants.

Under the hood

The propellant group of integral propulsion produces the same power as its traction hybrid, i.e. 138 hp in total. The fuel consumption is also identical, at the nearest 100 ml/100 km. Based on a 1.8 l four-cylinder, it is supported by an electric motor at the front of 93 hp as well as a second rear without mechanical link of 40 hp. The energy efficiency of this motorization is remarkable, which ensured a consumption of 6.3 l/100 km in rather frisquet weather. Although the manufacturer has trimed hard to limit decibels, the four-cylinder is rough in certain contexts and the continuous variation transmission hardly tempers in diet. That said, we appreciate the transparent dialogue between the electric and thermal motors, making the service homogeneous.

Behind the steering wheel

Testing in changing winter conditions, this full cog of which Toyota has made a specialty is not entirely convincing. Admittedly, it ensures a higher motor degree when you take off from a static position, but its supply in dynamic driving is too limited to ensure the temperament of this corolla in a tangibly. It sometimes happens that it intervenes too late to straighten the vehicle when the front by-toe. There is also a significant disparity of power between the front and the rear in the frank acceleration phase. In short, we are far from the homogeneity of a Subaru cog. For the rest, the compact retains its consistency which has shaped its notoriety. Its shock absorbers excels in excellent ways, the management accompanies driving with good precision and braking is modular.

Embedded technologies

In direct line with the overall positioning of this corolla, the technological axis favors a certain caution to avoid shaking up habits. Admittedly, the XSE livery lives benefit from a larger tactile screen of 10.5 in, a novelty, but the definition of the rather bland image does not allow us to really profit from it. The interface is still safe from criticism with regard to its intuitivity thanks to skillfully placed vertical tabs. We are also entitled to Apple Carplay And Android Auto as standard as well as a GPS system supported by Google. The JBL audio channel provides a very dull sound rendering, moreover, making the livery, marketed at almost $ 8,000 less, much more interesting.

Verdict

Without having the more extroverty dress or the power of a prius, the hybrid corolla is one of these shadow workers that we too often forget. Detailed at almost $ 10,000 less than the Prius in the entry -level full -range version, it manages to do almost as well in addition to having an almost identical energy efficiency. It is also the most affordable hybrid compact sedan of the moment, if we stick to the least expensive variants. No, she will not be the most engaging to drive on a daily basis, but for those who want to get a car with a reasonable, reliable and fuel economical template, this contender advances more than relevant arguments. In this sense, it continues the path drawn up by its ancestors which made Toyota grow during the oil shocks of the 1970s.