The steady hum of the engine recedes as I crank the volume. 鈥淪imple Man鈥 by Lynyrd Skynyrd flows from the speakers as I pass yet another gas station. I’m cruising along, safe in the knowledge that this sedan鈥檚 hybrid powertrain will reduce my monthly gas bill.
Muscle memory has taught me just which buttons control the climate system. I can operate the audio controls on the steering wheel without looking. This is easy.
Transitioning from city streets to a 400-series highway sees the engine hum intensify but without fail, the Corolla hybrid lifts me to 100 km/h and I carry on to skip yet another gas station.
A sedan is sensible. If your vehicle needs are utilitarian and you鈥檙e looking to maximize your dollar, Toyota鈥檚 compact sedan could easily appear on your list. It can tote you and yours around town and perform well on longer drives and road trips.
Plus, the available all-wheel drive system is handy across all four seasons.
The Corolla is adequately powered for its size and there are no mechanical issues reaching highway speeds, only an audible spike through the whine of the engine.
Its small footprint makes it very manoeuvreable in urban areas and tighter parking spaces.
I spent a few February days in the Mont Tremblant region in Quebec on a 1,500-km road trip. I encountered a snowstorm en route and a lot of snow at my destination. The steady all-wheel drive system was most helpful, as was a set of high quality winter tires. I plodded along the 401 and into Quebec and the Corolla felt as if it were on rails the entire journey. No slips or slides. Slow and steady beats fast and furious.
The 40-litre tank of regular fuel allows you to travel close to 750 km between refuelling the hybrid, good for a round trip between 海角社区官网to Kingston or, in my case, nearly all the way to Quebec City.
The interior remains mostly unchanged for 2025, although the top-trim XSE does receive a 10.25-inch infotainment screen and an upgraded JBL audio system.
Climate-control buttons and a well-designed infotainment system make the journey easier, as do the surprisingly comfortable heated seats.
There are controls aplenty throughout the cabin, from the gas-door release to the volume buttons, drive mode selector and heated steering wheel, to name a few.
This Corolla can be seen as primitive compared to other 2025 offerings, but there鈥檚 an inherent benefit to not taking your eyes off the road to poke at a screen for basic functions at 100 km/h.
It may be one of Toyota鈥檚 smallest offerings, but the cabin certainly doesn鈥檛 feel cramped, nor do the rear seats. For a compact sedan, carting around three others, perhaps four in a pinch via the middle rear seat, is done relatively well as there’s ample seat space.
Almost 400-litres of cargo space isn鈥檛 as cavernous as its SUV counterparts but it’s still enough for most needs.
A small miss is the lack of storage space surrounding the gear selector. Whereas some others have a place to put smaller items, the Corolla does not and it could benefit from one.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is a seven-inch digital instrument cluster.
The extensive list of standard safety features are highlighted by blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure alert(s), lane-tracing assist(ance), automatic high beams and adaptive cruise control.
That鈥檚 impressive given its starting price is below $30,000.
Although the sedan has fallen in popularity compared to crossovers and SUVs, most automakers still offer at least one in 2025. In the case of the Toyota Corolla hybrid, it provides excellent value, low fuel consumption, boasts impressive reliability and blends functionality with modern amenities.
Add in the excellent hybrid system with all-wheel drive and the Corolla wears a crown of practicality.
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