New Toyota Corolla 60th Anniversary Edition review: still a solid all-rounder

Verdict

Even as the current-generation Corolla enters its final years, it remains a convincing and well-rounded package that epitomises the best of what hybrid powertrains can offer. This 60th Anniversary Edition might only interest card-carrying Corolla fan-club members, but even the mainstream versions show how this Toyota deserves its earned reputation as a car that’s well-built, reliable, economical and somewhat practical. Is it all the car you’d ever need? For some people, quite possibly.

You might find it hard to believe, but the Toyota Corolla is almost eligible for its state pension and free bus pass. The Japanese car launched in 1967, the same year Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band hit the airwaves, James Bond’s You Only Live Twice was in the cinema and the first human heart transplant was carried out.

The launch of the E10 Corolla (named after the Latin word for ‘little crown’) was the smaller and more affordable model below the company’s popular Crown saloon. It has been a stalwart of the Toyota model line-up ever since and, in its current guise, is now nearing the end of its model cycle. But that hasn’t stopped Toyota from marking the occasion with a limited-edition 60th anniversary model.

Used - available now

2022 Toyota

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9,185 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L

Cash £21,522

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18,397 milesAutomaticPetrol1.8L

Cash £16,287

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2027 Toyota

Corolla

78,894 milesAutomaticPetrol1.8L

Cash £14,953

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89,601 milesAutomaticPetrol1.8L

Cash £14,307

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Available in both five-door hatchback and estate (or Touring Sports in Toyota parlance) bodystyles, in a fetching Boreal Blue and contrasting black A-pillar and roof with 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, the Corolla still looks modern despite its ageing design. Other exterior details include 60th Anniversary stickers on the lower edges of the rear doors, matt silver garnishes on the bumpers and branded footplates on the sills.

It's far from Toyota’s most exciting car, but it still manages to do the hybrid thing rather well. Available only with a 1.8-litre four-cylinder system in the UK, a slightly more powerful 2.0-litre (tested here) is offered in foreign markets. Regardless of powertrain, emphasis is firmly on efficiency and, to a slightly lesser degree, refinement.

There may not be much to separate the two powertrains on paper, but the larger engine does put a bit more meat on the Toyota’s bones, with 176bhp providing ample performance in everyday scenarios for the five-door hatchback – so it’s a shame the anniversary car won’t be offered as such in the UK. 

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Some may dislike the operation of the continuously-variable transmission (CVT), especially in today’s world where seven and eight-speed transmissions are common. But the reality is that it helps with the car’s efficiency and for Toyota it’s a well-known quantity in terms of reliability, too.

Ask more of the hybrid system and you’ll be met by a flurry of engine revs as the CVT allows it to deliver peak power. This is most evident if joining from a motorway slip road, but once up to speed the engine soon settles back down. It won’t come as a huge surprise to learn that the Corolla does its best work in urban settings.

Shorter journeys with more frequent stops allow the hybrid powertrain to deactivate the engine and switch to its modest but hard-working 70kW (94bhp) electric motor and 0.75kWh lithium-ion battery. It does so smoothly, and so long as you’re prudent with your right foot, it can cover a surprising amount of ground before reverting back to the petrol engine. The same is true, in our experience, of the lower-powered model.

Toyota does try to massage your green conscience by flashing up an EV symbol on the 12.3-inch digital dash every time it switches off the four-cylinder engine, and at times you’d almost rely on it to tell which portion of the powertrain is propelling the car.

But even when petrol power is being deployed, you don’t need to make a concerted effort to match the official fuel economy figure. During our, predominantly urban, drive in the Corolla 60th Anniversary Edition, it returned an indicated 62.7mpg. Impressive going from the hybrid when so often EVs come in for flak for not achieving close to their official WLTP driving-range figures. Not having to plug in or find a charger is another boon for those seeking the convenience of a hybrid over an electric car.

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Frugality aside, the Corolla still manages to be a mostly refined driving experience, supported in part by the multi-link rear suspension setup that brings a degree of sophistication to how it handles. Its steering is just on the right side of light, and while no part of the Corolla encourages you to explore its dynamic boundaries when it comes to getting from A to B, it does so without fuss or fanfare and does it all very well.

Where it falls behind some of its newer rivals is the cabin, which lacks the practicality of a crossover or even some of the more spacious electric hatchbacks on the market. Rear passenger space is adequate but not what we’d call generous, and is best suited to just two occupants, though three will fit in a squeeze. At 361 litres, the boot isn’t class-leading either; if you need more space there’s the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports estate instead.

The 10.5-inch touchscreen keeps up with the competition in terms of technology, but the small door bins and cupholders located further back in the centre console are a little disappointing. One positive, however, is that Toyota continues to use physical buttons throughout, while the build quality inside is right up there with the best in class, even if some of the materials aren’t the most premium-feeling. Is there another 60 years in the nameplate?

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