Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid 2022 Review

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid we’re testing here is priced at $27,395 plus on-road costs, making it the cheapest new petrol-electric hybrid car in Australia today.

Only one option sits below it in Toyota’s local Corolla sedan and hatch line-up, and that’s the conventional petrol-powered Ascent Sport that starts at $25,395 plus ORCs.

Up until 2021, Toyota offered a manual gearbox option on the petrol-engined hatch that opened the range from just under $24K, however that was scrapped late last year, leaving every Corolla equipped with a continuously variable automatic transmission.

Not only is it the cheapest outright hybrid car on the market, but the petrol-electric Corolla is also unique in that none of its key rivals offer a direct competitor in the small car segment. That includes the Hyundai i30, Kia Cerato, Volkswagen Golf…

The only mainstream model that comes close is the Mazda3 with its mild-hybrid powertrain option, which is around $5K more expensive (from $32,840 plus ORCs) and also not as efficient, claimed to sip 6.0L/100km compared to the Corolla Hybrid’s 4.2L/100km.

Standard equipment on the Ascent Sport Hybrid includes 16-inch alloy wheels, LED globes for the headlights, daytime running lights and tail-lights, and smart entry with push-button start.

A $1000 Navigation Pack and premium Jasper Red paint job ($575) pushes our tester’s price out to $28,970 plus ORCs.

Every 2022-built Corolla is covered by Toyota’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Meanwhile, trips to the workshop for the Corolla Hybrid, which are due every 12 months or 15,000km, are capped at $205 over the first five years.

Even though it’s an entry-level grade, the 2022 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid brings decent levels of tech and amenity.

Instead of the single-zone air-conditioning found in its petrol-powered sibling, the Ascent Sport Hybrid offers dual-zone climate control.

Meanwhile, every 2022 Toyota Corolla uses the same 8.0-inch central touch-screen, bringing Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth, voice recognition and six speakers.

Shortcut buttons make the unit easy to navigate, and while it’s okay in general, the graphics could do with improvement.

The reversing camera, too, is far from class-leading and the resolution just isn’t up to scratch compared to other small cars like the Hyundai i30 or Kia Cerato.

You get fixed guidelines when reversing, but the Ascent Sport misses out on parking sensors at either end – not that many will miss them in a car this size.

The Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid is fitted standard with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and (daytime) cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, lane trace assist and departure warning, auto high beam, hill start assist and road sign assist.

However, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert are reserved for higher grades.

We found the lane assist system not as alert as other small cars we’ve tested, which might even be a positive for those that don’t enjoy the overly intrusive kind found elsewhere.

If there’s one thing the 2022 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid does best, it’s efficiency.

It certainly isn’t a hot hatch, so if you’re looking for high performance, look elsewhere – such as the incoming Toyota GR Corolla.

Combining a 72kW 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor for combined outputs of 90kW/142Nm, Toyota says every Corolla Hybrid will sip as little as 4.2L/100km on the combined (city/highway) cycle.

During our seven-day test, the closest we could get to Toyota’s claim was 4.8L/100km, which although a little higher, is still an impressive figure few – if any – of its rivals could match.

If you’re on a mission to ultimate frugality, you’ll want to keep it in ‘Eco’ drive mode (save ‘Power’ mode for when petrol prices drop) and even drive without air-con if you want to go to extremes.

But according to Toyota, it’s also best practice to leave the gear selector in regular ‘D’ for drive, instead of ‘B’, the latter applying mild engine braking when you’re going downhill.

Perhaps counterintuitively, the Japanese car-maker says best fuel efficiency is achieved when you simply leave the gearstick in ‘D’.

There’s no Sport mode, shift paddles or option to adjust the regenerative braking, with the Corolla Hybrid designed to do almost everything itself, which makes the driving experience nice and simple.

Elsewhere, steering is light and direct, and the Corolla feels nimble and even a little sporty on road, particularly around corners.

That said, the brake pedal is too spongy and inconsistent for our liking, a symptom of the hybrid system.

From the driver’s seat, the 2022 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid is comfortable and intuitive in its layout.

You’ll have to overlook the boring cloth upholstery and cheap plastics scattered throughout the cabin, because at this price point the Ascent Sport is more about affordable motoring than it is about luxury.

Visibility is good from the front seats, but those in the rear can feel a little claustrophobic, especially because the wide front seats obstruct some outward vision.

Narrow rear door apertures also make ingress and egress challenging for larger adults, and once they’re in the car, headroom and legroom isn’t great.

It doesn’t get much better from there either. There’s no rear air vents or power outlets, just one small storage tray, a centre arm rest with two cup holders and outboard ISOFIX points.

At least the ride for those in the second row will be relatively comfy, thanks in part to 16-inch wheels wrapped in chunky Bridgestone rubber that also provide high levels of grip, even in wet weather.

That supple suspension is enjoyed all around the cabin, taking a pretty large pothole or bump to disturb the otherwise smooth ride.

If you like big booties, the Corolla hatchback’s tiny 217-litre cargo area will be another cross against its name. One of the smallest in its class, at least you get a cargo cover.

A space-saver spare tyre is also fitted.

When it comes to affordable motoring, the 2022 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid makes a lot of sense.

We’d forget about the $1000 navigation option if you’re happy to use smartphone (Apple or Google) maps – both are 10 times better than Toyota’s sat-nav.

The petrol-electric Corolla is small enough to zip around town in and easily park, it’s comfortable out on the open road and brings good levels of safety and tech for an entry-level grade.

Toyota’s strong resale values are another tick in its favour, but we reckon for fuel efficiency reasons alone, Australia’s cheapest hybrid is worth a test drive.

How much does the 2022 Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid cost?
Price: $27,395 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid
Output: 72kW/142Nm (90kW combined)
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Fuel: 4.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 97g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2018)