CAR OF THE WEEK: Toyota’s Corolla is familiarity improved

VERDICT

What I liked: Knowing where I was from the first time I sat in.

Price: From €33,435

BY BRIAN BYRNE

IN a market where the top five registrations year-to-date are dominated by crossover-SUV-type vehicles, that the third place is a hatchback-saloon-estate model is a testament to the Corolla nameplate here.

It’s also a tilt to the otherwise declining saloon format that well over half of Corollas are bought as three-box styles, with over a third being hatchbacks.

There’s definitely an affection here for Toyota and Corolla that must be crushingly disappointing for competing brands. A reputation for dependability in both cases is a strong part of that.

When I took out the current Corolla saloon for review there was an immediate familiar feeling. Not just because this version has been around for 12 car generations, but it has also been on sale here since 2019. But it’s always worth revisiting, and there have been both minor and significant upgrades for the 2023 version.

The overall style remains the same, but with tweaks to the grille and new wheel designs that slightly sharpen an already sleek presentation. After the preponderance of crossover cars in my reviewing list this year, it looks and feels low to the ground. The rear view retains the bigger-car look that came with this saloon generation.

The main visual changes inside are in new trim finishes, and a completely new centre screen that brings welcome upgrades from the previous version. For many of us, the bluetooth untethered connectivity to the iPhone is the key winner. The touchscreen itself is larger too, and though we miss the rotary controls for infotainment volume, at least the sound level is adjustable by real buttons. A new operating system comes with the unit, bringing brighter and fresher graphics, and subscription-based connectivity that includes a cloud-based navigation which offers traffic information and other services. There’s also a new styling to the driver instrumentation, with optional views available. All together, these changes bring Corolla right up to the front row in this respect. Full marks too for the excellent climate management controls.

Toyota say they have adjusted interior and seat colours somewhat, but more important is the move to fully LED interior lighting, which saves power consumption and is brighter.

Mostly these days I simply note a full suite of driver assist systems, but for this year’s Corolla it’s worth mentioning a number of changes to what Toyota dubs its Safety Sense setup. A greater forward detection distance improves the pre-collision system, and there’s a better response for the emergency steering assist. A more natural operation is also very evident in the adaptive cruise control. A new function offers several extra safeguards when driving in low speed areas, and on the upper grades there’s an automatic braking if rear cross traffic is sensed while reversing.

The powertrain is a revised version of Toyota’s hybrid system, with a smaller size but higher output battery. The CVT automatic and engine characteristics have been tweaked to provide a noticeable improvement in driving response, and the powertrain also runs at lower RPM in highway driving.

All in all familiar, but familiarity improved. Which, after my time with the latest version, encourages me to suggest that Corolla is going to stay a favourite in this market for some time to come.