Page 8 - Motoring Summer 2021

TEST REVIEW TOYOTA

TOYOTA COROLLA HYBRID

must concede to having found previous The Corolla Hybrid is best suited to a very relaxed driving style, whether cruising on the
generations of the Corolla somewhat dull open road or in daily commute. It was interesting to see the ‘EV mode’ light flash on when
I and boring. This is certainly not true of cruising at 120km/h and lifting the right foot to exert only gentle pressure on the accelerator.
the latest generation. Anyway, who am I to Yet, with the superb 12th generation platform, the car still handles extremely well when
disagree with the millions of Corolla buyers adding a bit of verve to your driving through a mountain pass.
worldwide? The hybrid certainly delivers on fuel economy with it returning 4.1l/100km for the test
With every motor manufacturer in the period. This involved an open-road cruise and a large amount of urban commuting.
world looking for new mobility and power Priced at R419 900, the Hybrid model carries a modest R23 000 premium over the
solutions, Toyota, in South Africa at least, has standard versions. n
firmly embarked on a programme of adopting
hybrid powertrains. Click here to watch our full video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8FL_768Z_o
The initiative has been led by the Prius
over a number of years, with the Lexus division
taking over the mantle by having hybrid
versions of every model in its range - and then
going further by offering the IS model in hybrid
version only.
Externally, the only clues to the different
powertrain are the blue accents on the Toyota
badge on the grille and ‘Hybrid’ badges on the
front fenders and boot lid. I did notice a few
people doing double takes when seeing these
badges close up in traffic and at our local mall.
The real differences start when you prod
the Start button. You are greeted with total
silence and a light that says ‘Ready’. You then
coast away in eerie silence in pure electric
mode with noise from the tyres being the only
sound you hear. The total combined power
output is 90kW.

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