2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Review: Affordable hybrid for the masses
"The Toyota Corolla Hybrid 2020 is an excellent choice for frugal buyers."
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Affordable prices
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A lot of drive safety technology
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Dynamic cruise control works well
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Attractive styling
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Modest trunk
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Entune infotainment needs work
If you've been waiting for the hybrid version of Toyota's most popular and cheapest sedan to come to US dealers, this is your year. The 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Sedan is here and it's about $ 23,000 to launch.
Corolla is not a new kid on the block. It made its debut in the late 1960s with more than 46 million copies sold worldwide. Many other Toyotas received hybrid treatment before the Corolla, including the RAV4, Highlander and even the Camry, Corolla's bigger sibling.
The Corolla Hybrid is affordable, but not the cheapest hybrid. The 2020 Honda Insight and 2020 Hyundai Ioniq are a few hundred dollars cheaper.
I tested the Corolla Hybrid in rainy January weather in the Pacific Northwest. It is an ideal time to test the driver assistance functions of the car (without deliberately endangering myself or the car).
design
Toyota has revised its range in recent years and this year it was Corolla's turn. Toyota decided that the car might as well be designed for a hybrid powertrain as well as the usual gasoline-only engine. This speaks for the success of Toyota’s hybrid technology, which has slowly but surely crept in from the Prius into other Toyota vehicles.
While some cars can continue to drive without a visit to the design team, the Corolla is popular and the Toyota design team visits it often. The last complete redesign took place in 2014 with an update in 2017. In between, Toyota has published special editions. The equipment variants and functions are revised considerably each year to keep up with the new trends.
The 2020 Corolla Hybrid features a simplified version of the new Toyota Camry front with a large grille and a sloping bonnet. It may not be the most exciting design, but given the price, it's nothing to make fun of.
Riley Young / Digital Trends
You can find more cargo space in the trunk of the Honda Insight or in the hatchback Hyundai Ioniq. If you are just trying to choose between the hybrid and the non-hybrid Corolla sedan, you will be happy to know that the hybrid system does not penetrate the trunk. But trucks are still among the smallest in its segment.
Seating is typical of a small car. The front seats are fine for most people, and the rear seats are tight for adults. The batteries are located under the rear seat, so that the seat for the rear passengers is not affected more than usual in a car of this size.
technology
The Corolla Hybrid has an 8-inch touchscreen that is mounted high in the center console for maximum visibility. This is a common design for Toyota interiors, and although it's functional, I've always found it strange. It looks like it should fold down when you're not using it, but it doesn't work. The strange design of the screen makes the interior look old-fashioned than it is.
The driver has a large 7-inch digital display that you can customize to display the information you want. You can choose to display, for example, the odometer or the outside temperature. I have set it to show current fuel consumption and fuel consumption as I would like to see how my driving affects my average mileage in real time. After all, this is a hybrid.
Riley Young / Digital Trends
Unfortunately for Toyota, the Entune infotainment system lags behind Corolla's competitors. It is compatible with Apple CarPlay, but not with Android Auto. There is a USB port that is common for every vehicle in 2020, but is in an inconvenient place on the right side of the center console.
The basic system of the Hyundai Ioniq is easier to use and offers both Android and Apple compatibility. There is also an upgrade with a larger screen and wireless charging. The Honda Insight's basic infotainment system is sparse and resembles what you'll find in the Corolla. But like the Ioniq, Honda offers an improved system with a larger screen and a WiFi hotspot.
For those who work their Prime membership for everything that's worth it, Corolla's Entune system is compatible with Amazon Alexa. This is still an unusual feature in any car, let alone one that sells for less than $ 25,000.
fuel consumption
If you're considering the Corolla Hybrid, you're probably in for fuel economy. You will not be disappointed. The hybrid is rated by the EPA at a combined speed of 52 mpg, with city and highway averages in the late 1950s. The Corolla only with gas is designed for a combined output of approx. 33 mpg, depending on which model it is.
That's great compared to most cars, but pretty typical of a modern hybrid sedan. The Honda Insight publishes almost identical numbers with a total of 52 mpg. The Hyundai Ioniq surpasses both with a combined 58 mpg.
Riley Young / Digital Trends
There is an EV mode with which the car can only use battery power at very low speeds and very short distances. At first I found this disappointing because any acceleration would leave EV mode to get going. Then I found an application: sneaking around in traffic. I could use EV mode while waiting for a light to change or an accident to go out.
I drove the Corolla a little over a hundred miles over a week. This was mostly the case on roads and local highways, so I never set it to 65 mph. I was also not careful with my acceleration, which I found peppy enough in the city. On rainy days I made a few short trips to the grocery store about a mile away, which is terrible for everyone's gasoline consumption.
Riley Young / Digital Trends
At the end of my test drive, the middle display showed me that my real fuel consumption was in the mid-1940s. That number is low, but my miles were completely stop-and-go. If you can set the adaptive cruise control for longer distances than me, your mileage may be closer to the EPA numbers.
safety
The Corolla features Toyota's Safety Sense Suite with driver assistance functions and a full list of safety technologies. I have used all but two functions. automatic high beam as well as pedestrian and cyclist detection. I was in town so high beam was not necessary and no one stepped in front of my car or drove.
My toughest test was on a rainy night on a street with dubious markings and irregular traffic patterns. The lane keeping assistant was able to find the middle dotted lane with reflectors, but it was difficult for him to find the correct lane marking that had broken down in places. The Corolla's steering assistant gently suggested that I hug the middle lane marker more than I would like.
I had also set dynamic cruise control on this trip and it worked well. This system will bring you to the limit and if it detects that the car has moved in front of you, you will be asked to press a button or restart the accelerator. It follows traffic as it should. It was able to adapt quickly when another car entered my lane, and it correctly displayed the speed limit sign.
The dynamic speed control was able to adapt quickly when another car entered my lane.
The National Highway Safety Traffic Association rated the Corolla Hybrid five out of five stars, with perfect results in front and side crash tests and four out of five stars in the rollover test. The insurance institute for road traffic safety has awarded Corolla a top safety ax because it received the top grade “good” in every test.
The Honda Insight was recognized as a Top Safety Pick + for its excellent crash test ratings and headlight lighting. The Hyundai Ioniq has not yet been tested by the NHTSA, but received top marks in all IIHS tests.
The Corolla Hybrid has a comprehensive 3 year / 36,000 miles warranty and 5 years / 60,000 miles warranty on the powertrain. Hybrid components are guaranteed for 8 years / 100,000 miles.
Price and availability
The base MRSP of the Toyota Corolla is $ 22,950. Our tested price was $ 24,303. The extra money went only to a body protection package and carpet mats. Since I tested the car in bad weather in January, these were smart additions from Toyota.
How DT would configure this car
The Corolla Hybrid comes in just one version, the LE, and is only available as a sedan. There are no options or packages for this car. When you visit Toyota.com and build a Corolla to your specifications, you can choose the interior and exterior colors and add accessories such as floor mats and crossbars on the roof. That's it.
You can at least choose the color, and although the test car was in Celestite, a gray-blue shade, blue print is definitely the way to go.
Wrap up
The Corolla has long been an affordable car for the masses. Now it's an affordable hybrid for the masses.
The Corolla Hybrid doesn't offer much luxury. Some of the upper panels of the gasoline-powered Corolla are prettier than this, and there are no options like leather upholstery or heated seats to refine the hybrid. This Corolla is a hybrid for people on a budget, whose first priority is a safe, reliable car and whose second priority is fuel consumption.
Still, the Corolla's Drive Assist technology is solid for the price. It wasn't perfect, but it worked well even in harsh conditions. I just wish the Toyota Entune system would be better and offer Android auto support.
Should you buy the 2020 Toyota Corolla Hybrid?
Yes. If you are looking for a reliable, low-cost limousine from a manufacturer with a decades-long hybrid record, the 2020 Corolla Hybrid is the right choice for you. Just don't expect a fantastic infotainment experience.
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