Toyota has confirmed the pricing for the light commercial vehicle version of its British-built Toyota Corolla estate car, and the order books are now open ahead of initial deliveries in June 2022.
First revealed at the 2021 CV Show, the Toyota Corolla Commercial Hybrid Electric Van not only joins what is already a rather varied car-derived van (CDV) sector, it’s also the first time a conventional ‘self-charging’ hybrid LCV to go on sale in the UK.
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Why would Toyota do this?
There are three other car-derived vans on sale in the UK right now, plus a bunch of commercial 4x4s – passenger SUVs with no rear seats – that serve a similar market need.
The Toyota Corolla Commercial Hybrid Electric Van ticks a large number of boxes for this sector.
As an estate car – it’s based on the Corolla Touring Sports model – with the rear seats removed it offers much more load space than the Ford Fiesta Van and Renault Zoe Van, which are both in the tiny 1.0 cubic metre range. The Dacia Duster Commercial does have a larger load space of up to 1.5 cubic metres, but this is further from the ground than the Corolla’s.
As a so-called ‘self-charging’ hybrid that combines short-distance electric drive capability with a petrol engine, the Corolla TS van also sits in a potentially useful middle ground for companies looking to demonstrate their green credentials. Especially those where a fully electric vehicle just can’t work due to necessary driving distances.
>> Find out more about the best hybrid vans
The Fiesta Van is now available with petrol engines only, and although these include a so-called mild hybrid option, it can’t run on electric power alone. The Zoe Van is 100% electric, and although this comes with a theoretical driving range of 245 miles there’s still the inconvenience of charging it to deal with.
The Duster meanwhile, offers a diesel option alongside a couple of petrol engines, as well as the option of four-wheel drive (at which point it strays into commercial 4x4 territory).
Finally, with van theft continuing to plague tradespeople across the UK, there’s another reason a van version of an estate car might have more appeal than it does at first glance – the very fact that it doesn’t look like a van should make it less of an obvious crime target.
Food for thought.
Toyota Corolla hybrid van technical details
The Corolla van is based on the 1.8-litre Hybrid Touring Sports, rather than the more powerful 2.0-litre model; this means the Corolla Commercial is likely to have a whole 122hp. So it won’t be a rocketship but official WLTP fuel economy is estimated at 55.3-62.7mpg, with 102-115g/km CO2 emissions.
Performance from the car version is 0-62mph in 10.9 seconds and a top speed of 112mph; when unladen, the van may be slightly faster as it won’t be carrying the weight of the rear seats.
Toyota says the design of the multi-link rear suspension means there are no annoying intrusion into the load space, and that a single specification will be offered initially. This is likely to be basic until customer demand for extra on-board kit kicks in.
Provisional load area dimensions are as follows:
- > Maximum load length: 1,558mm
- > Maximum load width: 952mm
- > Maximum load height: 682mm
There’s no information about payload yet, but we’re told braked towing capacity will likely be 750kg
What’s Toyota saying about the new Corolla van?
Speaking about the new Corolla Hybrid van, Toyota (GB) operations director Mark Roden: ‘With its full hybrid powertrain, Corolla Commercial will give customers an exceptionally versatile vehicle that can be driven with zero emissions and fuel consumption during short urban runs while also giving the freedom to make longer journeys without the need for battery recharging.’
Roden added: ‘Toyota’s hybrid technology has well-proven reliability and delivers day-to-day savings on running costs with its fuel efficiency. It’s a unique addition to the Toyota Professional range and the wider LCV market and we’re confident it will attract strong interest.’
How much will the Toyota Corolla Commercial cost and when does it go on sale?
Order books are open now, and prices start at £22,134 for the Corolla Commercial Hybrid van – that’s excluding VAT but on the road.
For its size, that compares well with the Fiesta Van and Zoe Van, but is a fair whack more than the Duster Commercial, which currently starts at £12,795.
You do get a good chunk of standard equipment with the Toyota, however, including an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with DAB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, reversing camera, dual-zone climate control, automatic headlights, heated seats and lots of safety kit.
Plus, as with all Toyota vans, there’s up to 10 years of warranty cover.
The new Corolla car-derived van joins the Toyota range alongside the Proace City small van and Proace medium van – both of which are now offered as electric vans – as well as the Hilux pickup and Land Cruiser Commercial 4x4.
Also read:
>> 2021 CV Show full report and details
>> What is a car-derived van – and which are best?
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