2023 Toyota Corolla

The sedan has 470L of luggage space, while the hatchback has between 217L and 333L. The larger of the two volumes is for models without a spare wheel.

The larger of the two volumes is for models without a spare wheel.

The 2023 Toyota Corolla has an ANCAP rating of five stars based on testing conducted in 2018.

It received scores of 96 per cent in adult occupant protection, 83 per cent in child occupant protection, 86 per cent in vulnerable road user protection, and 76 per cent in safety assist.

The entire range comes standard with the following safety features:

• Autonomous emergency braking
• Pedestrian and cyclist detection
• Motorcycle detection (NEW)
• Junction assist (NEW)
• Emergency steering assist (NEW)
• Lane-keep assist
• Lane-departure warning
• Lane-tracing assist (excludes manual models)
• Adaptive cruise control (high speed-only in manual models)
• Traffic sign recognition
• Reversing camera
• Front, front-side and curtain airbags
• Driver’s knee airbag

The SX and ZR add blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. The former is also standard on all hatchback models.

The Toyota Safety Sense suite of active safety features has been expanded, with the Corolla’s autonomous emergency braking system now featuring motorcycle detection and junction assist.

Emergency steering assist is standard across the range while blind-spot monitoring, previously available only on the SX and ZR, is now standard on Ascent Sport hatchbacks.

A new acceleration suppression feature reacts to sudden use of the accelerator when travelling at low speeds.

Toyota’s Lane Trace Assist lane centring system also features an emergency stop feature, bringing the vehicle to a gradual stop if it detects the driver is no longer providing inputs.

The company has also tweaked its adaptive cruise control system. It now features four distance settings and deceleration assist when changing lanes, and can now also detect vehicles earlier.

Likewise, Toyota says it has improved the performance of its cameras and radar sensors.

The petrol 2023 Toyota Corolla uses 6.0L/100km on the combined cycle.

The hybrid Corolla sedan uses 3.9L/100km.

All models run on 91RON regular unleaded fuel and have a 50L fuel tank except for the hybrid models, which use a 43L tank.

All Toyota Corolla’s need servicing every 12 Months months or 15,000km km, whichever comes first.

The 2023 Toyota Corolla range has two engine choices, starting with a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with 126kW of power and 202Nm of torque (203Nm in the sedan).

The hybrid pairs a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated petrol four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, for a combined power output of 103kW.

The 2.0-litre engine comes with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with 10 virtual gears. The hybrid is only available with an e-CVT.

All Corollas are front-wheel drive. Hybrid models get Toyota’s new fifth-generation hybrid powertrain with an extra 13kW of power, for a total output of 103kW.

There’s a new front drive motor and power control unit, while a newly developed lithium-ion battery is said to reduce weight by 14 per cent. You can now also get a ZR sedan with the hybrid powertrain. Previously, the ZR hybrid was hatch-only.

The TNGA platform and all-round independent suspension (trailing wishbone rear) look good on paper, and indeed this Corolla is way sharper on turn-in and flatter through corners than older models.

It's actually quite a sporty car in handling terms.

However, the suppression of noise, vibration and harshness could be better, the ride quality on 18-inch wheels degrades over the 16s, and the hybrid – while extremely efficient – is a sluggish under hard acceleration.

You can find more details on all the options and inclusions across the Toyota Corolla variants on the official website, and within the official Toyota Corolla specifications page.

Corolla Hatchback models are available in the following finishes:

• Sunstone Orange
• Lunar Blue
• Glacier White
• Frosted White
• Silver Pearl
• Graphite
• Eclipse Black
• Jasper Red

Of these, only Sunstone Orange and Glacier White can’t be had with a black roof in ZR guise.

Sedan models are available in the following colours:

• Dark Grey
• Eclipse Black
• Glacier White
• Frosted White
• Silver Pearl
• Celestite Grey
• Atomic Rush
• Saturn Blue

The 2023 Toyota Corolla is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

These sell so well, and for good reason. There are flaws around packaging, but overall it's bulletproof and cheap-to-run motoring, with newfound dynamic nous and pretty sharp design.