• Value-driven. • Interesting styling. • Rock-solid reliability.
• Uninspiring drive. • CVT automatic is divisive. • Common as salt.
With a car as popular as the Toyota Corolla, we’re quite confident in saying that you have spent some portion of your life around one. Maybe your parents had one, since the Corolla first came about in 1970 in both saloon and wagon body styles. Or maybe you’ve had one; They’ve sold over 40,000,000 of the ‘small crown’ worldwide, after all. It’s dependable, it’s reliable, and it’s serviceable, which are all the things you’d ever really need out of a compact family car.
In its current form (the eleventh generation, should you be wondering), the Corolla continues to sell in healthy numbers, offered in both hatchback and saloon body styles. There’s only a 1.8-litre petrol on offer, though there’s a hybrid powertrain that adds an electric engine to the mix. All Corollas have been well accepted in our market, but which is the one to have?
Exterior
While we don’t judge cars on how they look here at CarAdvice, the general consensus of those in the office was that although the Corolla hatch still lacks the refined appearance of major rivals such as the Mazda 3 and Volkswagen Golf, the revisions have sharpened up the appeal of the Japanese model. - CarAdvice
The Corolla has always been designed to be as inoffensive as possible. But as time has progressed, it’s erred to the side of bland rather than staying properly in the middle of the road. The facelift in 2015 sought to correct this, and has since put the Corolla exactly where it should be: current, pleasant, and serviceable.
The facelift car bears a refreshed fascia, with the ZR hatch gaining the face of its discontinued North American cousin. The rear sports new tail lights, while the profile sees little change. On the whole, the Corolla now looks more attractive than ever, even if it isn’t necessarily the most daring or imaginative compact car on the market.
Engine & Drivetrain
The only thing that hasn’t grown is the powerplant: At 1.8 litres and clearly showing its age, the four-cylinder engine has not seen a capacity increase since the early 1990s. Even the efficiency has hardly improved, with the recently re-worked version of the twin-cam 16-valve Toyota engine making just 103kW and 173Nm – only three kilowatts and two Newton metres more than some versions were producing 13 years ago. - Motoring
With the Corolla being such a dependable, reliable volume seller for Toyota, it’s safe to assume that someone in Japan took an “if it ain’t broke” approach to the powertrain. Soldiering on, with over a decade’s service under its belt, is the familiar 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, producing 103kW and 173Nm, going through a continuously-variable automatic gearbox. Fuel consumption is rated at 6.3l/100km with the automatic, with a 10% increase with the six-speed manual.
Some innovation was thrown in with the introduction of the hybrid Corolla, which was brought to market this year. Using a drivetrain similar to the outgoing Prius C, the Corolla Hybrid lost 3kW of power, gained 90kg of weight, but offers a frankly staggering 4.1l/100km fuel consumption figure. Real-world testing has revealed a slightly higher figure, at 5.7l/100km, but that still outdoes the conventionally-powered Corollas by a large margin.
Interior
If you’re looking for space, look to the Corolla sedan – but it’s not available as a hybrid. It is however positively enormous, particularly for rear legroom and boot space. - The Motor Report
The interior of the facelift Corolla, in both saloon and hatch forms, divides opinion. Some have lauded it, saying that it provides the look of a properly upmarket offering, whereas others have opined that it seems incoherent, and unnecessarily busy. What can be agreed on, is the quality of the assembly and the choice of materials employed, which toe the line between plushness and durability, ensuring that the new Corolla will stand the test of time as well as the 10 iterations that came before it. If practicality is a clincher for you, the hatchbacks offer 360-litres of space (a little off the pace, admittedly), while the sedans offer a massive 470-litres of cargo space. All cars get a 60:40 split folding rear bench.
All Corollas across both body styles come standard with things like cruise control, a touchscreen entertainment interface, and Bluetooth connectivity. A reversing camera and parking sensors finish that off. Seat trims vary, with leather on the highest-spec models, though lesser variants don’t suffer much, with a very smart fabric finish.
Behind the Wheel
The Corolla's CVT auto [in the saloon] does tend to buzz under acceleration, but extra noise insulation makes it quieter than in the hatch. - CarsGuide
In its history, the Corolla has never really sold itself as a driver’s car, and so the current iteration shouldn’t be seen as such. Sure, the looks are sharper, making it look more dynamic. But don’t let its style write cheques it cannot cash.
The Corolla is the kind of car that is designed to ease a furrowed brow at the end of a long day, rather than get your heart racing on back roads. All models have light, responsive controls, though the hatchbacks do offer relatively more athleticism over the saloon. Higher-end variants with the bigger wheels gain great grip through the corners, while body movement is controlled and predictable over bumps.
The automatic transmission ensures fuss-free motoring, with the CVT making the best of the 1.8-litre engine. Progress in the hybrid feels slightly sprightlier, thanks to the instant torque of the electric engine, though it still won’t excite. On the whole, the saloon and the hatch will be as dependable as brick and mortar, and will transport you with as much ease and comfort it can possibly afford. End of.
Safety
No Corollas are available with the latest active safety systems, such as auto braking and blind spot warning. - Drive
This is where the Corolla might fall a little short. Where we can accept that the drivetrain hasn’t seen significant revision in the past decade, the safety specs really should have. It’s not an unsafe car, in any way shape or form: All cars get seven airbags, a reversing camera, and all-round proximity sensors as standard, and ANCAP has rated both the saloon and hatch at 5-stars.
But what the Corolla lacks is any form of active safety. No variants offer things like autonomous emergency braking, or even blind spot monitoring, which comes as standard on some of the Corolla’s competitors, or are available as options. The Corolla really feels dated in this respect, where it’s managed to mask its relatively advanced age elsewhere.
Verdict
You know the Corolla your parents had? You can ask them about how it looked, how it felt, and how it performed when it was new, and you can apply those same conclusions to the new car. It’s fresh, it’s trendy, but that’s really it. Rather than reinvent the wheel, the Corolla sticks to its guns. It’s merely trained its aim a little more.
CarShowroom expects that the 11th-generation Corolla will continue to sell healthily through its lifetime, and it’ll be as reliable as you can ever really expect a car to be for as long as it lives. It’s a Corolla, after all. Our pick of the bunch is the Corolla Hybrid hatch, which offers dress-up bits (like the bi-LED headlights and 16-inch alloys), while returning respectable fuel consumption figures day-in day-out. And unless you really like the range-topping variants, the Corolla Hybrid is all you’ll ever really need.
CarAdvice - 80/100 - “Inoffensive – that’s one way to describe the 2016 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Other words we would use include decent, efficient, and yes – to come back to the question we raised at the beginning of this review – it is a bit of a bargain. In fact, it could be the best Corolla money can buy…”
Motoring - 70/100 - “Despite the feeble electric propulsion system, the Corolla Hybrid represents good value for money. This neat and tidy hatchback is feature-packed, can be very fuel efficient and, unlike its Prius cousin, doesn’t look like a bag of smashed crabs.”
The Motor Report - 70/100 - “It [the Corolla Hybrid] will deliver extraordinary urban fuel consumption, has a decent boot, super comfortable front seats, and a classy, well-equipped cabin. In addition to its fuel economy, you can add the promise of Toyota reliability, and among the cheapest scheduled servicing in the land, although bi-annual/10,000km service intervals are a pain. Put all that together, and you have a very appealing package here for young family buyers.”
Car & Driver - 60/100 - “But the Corolla has always sold best among people who regard cars as mere transportation appliances and not as objects of pride and personal expression. This new one fits that bill as well as a Corolla has ever done. That would be any of the more than 43 million Corollas sold. Humbling, we tell you.”
Edmunds - 90/100 - “If you're looking for a small sedan that competently covers all the basics, the 2016 Toyota Corolla may be just right for you. We've found it doesn't inspire much excitement, but its sensible blend of fuel economy and value are definitely appealing.”
WhichCar? - 80/100 - “The Toyota Corolla is an easy to live with, solid small car with an excellent auto transmission, whether you go for the sportier – and sportier looking – hatchback or the more spacious sedan. Toyota concentrated on the basics and got them right. The Corolla rivals the Mazda3 for Australia’s most popular car.”
Cars Guide - 70/100 - “It’s vice-free, the technology is proven and the fuel savings over the standard Corolla are attractive, while the premium over a similarly equipped petrol Corolla is reasonable.”
Drive - 70/100 - “The Corolla Hybrid makes a compelling case for anyone interested in a Prius - or any small hybrid. It does everything a Prius does - similar to drive, almost as efficient and roughly the same size - but does so for significantly less. The only thing it doesn't do is tell the world you are trying your best to save the planet.”
