Toyota Corolla Hatchback Design Hybrid 2.0 VVT-i auto 5d Owner Review

Fast, quiet, handles well, rides well, cruises well, agile, economical, low CO2. Simply put, effective. Interior is understated but quality. Rear legroom is poor, but I think rear headroom is a strength (by comparison, the rear headroom of a Vauxhall Insignia wasn't enough for me!) Standard safety kit includes air bags all round, SOS, pre-collision braking, auto-dip main beam, auto-wipers, adaptive cruise control, rear camera, parking sensors all round etc. The pop up-style satnav display helps to keep your eyes more on the road. Being a 2.0, the boot floor is raised, reducing the boot space. Lift the floor and there is a small storage space underneath. Also side slots go all the way down for longer items. The raised floor means when the rear seats fold, the storage is completely flat - and there is no sill to get over - I like that part actually. We find the 17 inch wheels (Design) a bit more comfortable and a bit quieter than the 18 inch wheels (Excel). We went for 17 inch black alloys option. (17 inch is also more efficient, very slightly.) On a general note, if I can convince car buyers to join me in avoiding one thing, where optional, let it be panoramic sunroofs. They not only add significant weight, they add it at the very top, raising the car's centre of gravity - plus sometimes they reduce headroom. A regular roof can assist the qualities mentioned in the first sentence of this review.