Toyota Corolla Hybrid sedan: carsales Car of the Year 2020 contender

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid sedan was released in Australia in December 2019 – about a year after its global reveal and the new-generation Corolla hatchback’s local release – and therefore missed the cut for 2019 carsales COTY testing.

It combines one of the world’s top-selling automotive nameplates with the Japanese giant’s trademark hybrid powertrain technology for the first time, bringing a super-efficient powertrain to a body style that traditionally accounts for less than a quarter of the sales of Australia’s most popular car.

Based on a new TNGA platform, the redesigned small sedan brings a 60 per cent stiffer body, lower centre of gravity, new suspension and an aggressive new exterior design, making it the sportiest Corolla sedan ever.

But with cabin space and boot volume almost as generous as the Camry’s, the booted Corolla is also practical – as well as frugal, thanks to a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powertrain that 30 per cent of buyers already opt for in the five-door Corolla hatch.

Incorporating two electric motors and matched to a 10-speed CVT automatic transmission, it produces a combined output of 90kW/142Nm, which is down on its 2.0-litre petrol equivalent’s 125kW/200Nm. Combined fuel consumption is just 3.5L/100km versus 6.5L/100km for petrol-only manual models.

Equating to CO2 emissions of just 81g/km, that makes the hybrid Corolla sedan one of Australia’s most efficient combustion-engined vehicles (right behind the Prius and new Yaris hybrid).

While the zero-emissions Nissan LEAF EV is much pricier at $49,990, so too is the Corolla hybrid’s only real rival, the Hyundai IONIQ Hybrid (from $35,140), which is also available in plug-in hybrid and pure-EV form.

So far none of the Corolla’s direct rivals, like the Mazda3 and Hyundai i30, are available with series-hybrid power.

As Toyota Australia likes to point out, all of its hybrid models charge as they drive, meaning there’s no need to find a power outlet or mess around with cables.

Add in the fact the petrol-electric version looks almost identical to the conventional Corolla sedan, this is one hybrid that will attract pragmatic people who want value, efficiency and plenty of cabin and cargo space in their daily driver – but who doesn’t necessarily want to be seen to be green.

Rounding out the package is Toyota’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty and capped-price service plan at $175 per annum (or every 15,000km), making for an ownership prospect that could also attract more than a few Uber drivers.

When it arrived in late 2019, the new Toyota Corolla sedan was launched with price parity alongside the hatch, and with a hybrid option for all variants except the top-shelf ZR.

That’s still the case, but since then pricing has gone up and so has Toyota’s price premium for hybrid power. Originally, the cheapest Corolla hybrid was the entry-level Ascent Sport CVT at $26,335 plus on-road costs – $1500 more than the equivalent petrol CVT model. The same price premium applied to the mid-range SX hybrid ($29,735).

Now, following exchange rate fluctuations, tighter supplies and more demand for hybrids, Toyota Corolla Hybrid Sedan pricing starts at $27,395 and ends at $30,795 for the SX Hybrid – $2000 more than its pure-petrol equivalent.

All versions come well equipped for the price though, with a standard Safety Sense suite comprising autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with day and night pedestrian detection, daytime cyclist detection, road sign recognition, auto high beam headlights, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping and lane centring, plus seven airbags and a reversing camera.

Standard across the Corolla range are automatic LED headlights, LED tail-lights and LED daytime running lights, and an 8.0-inch touch-screen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and USB/AUX sockets.

Additions for SX variants include wireless phone charging, sat-nav with SUNA live traffic, digital radio tuner and a premium steering wheel.

Before we drove it for the first time late last year, we lamented the fact Toyota had taken so long to put hybrid power into its small sedan.

Now we have, we’re grateful it waited to combine the most efficient, spacious, dynamic and handsome Corolla ever into one compelling package.

“For generations the Toyota Corolla sedan has been the unloved child in the family and has traditionally been a completely forgettable car. Safe, reliable and affordable, and that’s about it,” said Feann Torr.

“The new Corolla sedan is still all of those things but now it’s easier on the eye inside and out, boasts significantly better fuel-efficiency and tops off the package it presents with much better dynamics.”

Toyota Corolla SX Hybrid sedan at a glance:
Price: From $30,795
Engine: 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 72kW/142Nm (90kW combined)
Fuel: 3.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 81g/km (ADR Combined)