Toyota Corolla Review 2025: Prices, specs and verdict

What is the Toyota Corolla?

The Toyota Corolla has been a common sight on UK roads for decades. Produced since 1966, across 12 generations, over 50 million models have been sold globally.

As a result, the Corolla is the world’s best-selling car (according to Toyota). And for good reason, it has a reputation for being reliable, practical and extremely efficient.

Yet, while previous versions of the Corolla ticked all the essential boxes for family car buyers, they also had a reputation for being a bit dull.

Today, the family hatchback market is hotly contested with the latest Volkswagen Golf, Vauxhall Astra and Honda Civic all being excellent options. The best family SUVs are also eating into the Corolla’s market, too.

However, while rising SUV demand has seen the Ford Focus consigned to automotive history, Toyota is defending its corner with the twelfth-gen Corolla. And on paper, at least, it looks like it has the substance it needs to come out fighting.

Indeed, the British-built Corolla is arguably the best-looking car to ever carry the nameplate, with swept back LED headlights, a low-slung body and curvy lines giving it an altogether more purposeful appearance.

The interior is more upmarket than before, too, with an abundance of soft-touch materials and high-quality fabrics as part of a 2025 update.

Under the metal the Corolla is still very much focused on fuel efficiency, with the buyers getting the choice of two petrol hybrid powertrains. But this time you get more power, lower running costs and – Toyota claims – a far more rewarding drive.

Will the Toyota Corolla live up to expectations? Read our in-depth review to find out.

Verdict: is the Toyota Corolla a good car?

The Toyota Corolla is easy to recommend. Comfortable, efficient and backed by Toyota’s formidable reputation for build quality, it is a fine family car. Admittedly, rear passenger space could be better, but as an all-rounder the Corolla offers excellent value.

Pricing, specs & rivals

Prices for the Toyota Corolla hatchback (as of October 2025) start at £29,295 for the 1.8 petrol hybrid in Icon trim, which is £4500 less than the entry point for the Honda Civic hybrid and around £3100 more than you’ll pay for the cheapest version of the Vauxhall Astra.

The Corolla is well-equipped as standard, even the cheapest Icon model includes 16in alloy wheels, LED headlights, heated front seats and adaptive cruise control. You also get a 10.5in infotainment screen with built-in navigation, along with a reversing camera that includes front and rear parking sensors.

Design trim starts at £31,895 and includes 17in alloy wheels, upgraded LED dual-beam projector headlights, a powered tailgate and ambient interior lighting.

GR Sport enhances the exterior styling with 18in dark grey alloy wheels and a dark chrome lower grille, along with part-leather GR sport seats and red contrast stitching on the steering wheel and gear shifter.

Excel is the highest spec in the Corolla line-up, from £34,295, adding LED multi-beam headlights, full leather seats, a head-up display and an uprated JBL audio system.

You also get improved safety kit with the Excel model, with blind spot monitoring and a rear cross traffic system that warns you of approaching traffic when reversing out of a parking space or driveway.

Rivals

The Honda Civic, Vauxhall Astra, SEAT Leon, Peugeot 308 and Kia Ceed are all key rivals to the Toyota Corolla.

The Ford Focus is also worth considering, although you will need to search the used car classifieds to find one these days as it was dropped from Ford’s new car line-up in 2025.

Premium rivals to the Corolla include the Volkswagen Golf, BMW 1 Series, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Audi A3.

Toyota Corolla: Interior comfort, quality & technology

The interior of the Corolla has a workmanlike simplicity that makes it refreshingly easy to use.

Build quality, as you might expect, is up to Toyota’s high standard. This means everything has a solid feel that gives you confidence the Corolla is built to last.

Forward visibility is fine, thanks to the large windscreen and narrow pillars. However, the rear pillars are quite thick, which can make it difficult to see out of the back. But all versions of the Corolla come with front and rear parking sensors, plus a reversing camera.

The 10.5in touchscreen is placed at the top of the dashboard. However, more importantly, physical dials and buttons are placed below the touchscreen.

This means you don’t need to use the infotainment system to perform simple tasks, such as demist the windscreen or adjust the audio volume.

Infotainment, sat-nav, stereo and connectivity

All versions of the Toyota Corolla get a 10.5in touchscreen infotainment system. It is positioned at the top of the dashboard, which makes it easy to use and read when on the move.

All Corolla models get navigation as standard, with real-time traffic updates that warn you of any delays. You also get wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, but Android Auto will only work when your phone is plugged in.

The infotainment is straightforward to use thanks to the large screen and a simple list of options. But the graphics look dated compared to the tech you get in the Golf, 1 Series and A-Class.

A 12.3in digital screen sits behind the steering wheel, replacing the traditional instrument binnacle. You can customise the layout, including the number of dials and the information shown in each section of the display.

 All versions of the Corolla get a USB-C port in the front, but only high spec Excel models get a port in the rear. A wireless phone charging pad is standard across the range.

How practical is the Toyota Corolla?

The cabin of the Toyota Corolla is a story of two halves, with the spacious front seats offset by rear seats that feel somewhat cramped for anyone over six foot in height.

Head and legroom in the back of the Corolla hatchback is not as generous as the Ford Focus, Honda Civic or Volkswagen Golf.

Things are much better in the front, with lots of head and shoulder space for two large adults to fit comfortably.

The driver’s seat has height and lumbar adjustment. This makes it easy to find a good driving position, while the firm seats provide excellent support for your lower back and upper leg – making them well-suited for long trips.

Storage and boot space

The 1.8 petrol hybrid provides 361-litres of boot space while the 2.0 petrol hybrid cuts this to 313-litres to accommodate the battery pack under the boot floor.

The Honda Civic (415 litres), Volkswagen Golf (381) and Vauxhall Astra (422) all offer more boot space. And the with just 313-litres, the 2.0 Corolla even lags behind much smaller hatchbacks such as the Volkswagen Polo (351) and SEAT Ibiza (335).

The cabin has plenty of storage points in the front though, with decent sized door pockets and a spacious glovebox. There is also a pair of cupholders in the centre console.

The rear doors do not have door pockets, but you do get small bottle holders and a pair of cup holders when you fold down the centre armrest.

Performance & drive: What is the Toyota Corolla like on the road?

The Toyota Corolla is a lot more rewarding to drive than its predecessor, while its refined road manners and low running costs make it a sensible family car choice.

As with the best hybrids, the Corolla is driven by an electric motor, while the engine acts as a generator to charge the battery unless you demand more power, when it drives the wheels directly. Power is delivered to the front-wheels via an automatic gearbox.

The Corolla excels at low speeds, pulling away in silence before the engine kicks in as you exceed 25mph, or when the battery is depleted.

The 1.8 petrol hybrid produces 136hp, which will take you from 0-62mph in 9.1 seconds - sufficient for most family car needs and unlikely to feel underpowered out of town.

If you do need more power, the 174hp version lowers the 0-62mph time by almost two seconds and feels considerably more lively.

In both versions, the four-cylinder petrol engine can get quite vocal under heavy acceleration, but it quietens to a low hum on the motorway as it works in harmony with the electric motor and battery.

Power, 0-62mph times

• Toyota Corolla 1.8 petrol hybrid: 136hp/ 9.1 secs
• Toyota Corolla 1.8 petrol hybrid: 174hp/ 7.4 secs

Ride and handling

The twelfth-generation Toyota Corolla is a huge improvement over its predecessors when it comes to handling.

Body control is composed, which means you can confidently tackle a series of challenging bends. The brakes are nicely weighted, too.

The steering is light at low speeds, which makes navigating around town and parking a breeze. The steering weights up nicely as you increase the speed, proving lots of meaningful feedback.

The quality of the ride is excellent, with potholes and speed humps doing little to unsettle the Corolla. It’s at its best on the motorway, with the refined suspension setup wafting you along in comfort.

The ride quality is affected by the optional 18in wheels, but even then, it remains on the firm side of comfortable. If you want the most comfortable Corolla available, get it on 16in wheels.

Noise and refinement

Being a hybrid, the Toyota Corolla is a smooth and quiet car to drive. The refined hybrid system allows you to pull away in silence and the four-cylinder petrol engine doesn’t really make a lot of noise when it kicks in.

Things become less refined when you thump the throttle to accelerate hard to join a motorway, with the 1.8-litre engine in particular becoming vocal as it builds the revs. If you are looking for an engaging and powerful family hatchback, you might be better suited with the Honda Civic or Ford Focus.

Euro NCAP: is the Toyota Corolla a safe car?

Scoring a maximum five stars when it was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2019, the Toyota Corolla is a very safe family car.

The Corolla was awarded a notable 95% score for adult protection and 84% for child occupant protection.

All models get Toyota’s Safety Sense package; this includes a lane departure warning system and adaptive cruise control, with the latter using cameras and sensors to automatically control the vehicle’s speed to maintain a safe gap between you and the vehicle in front.

High spec Excel trim adds blind spot monitoring and a rear cross traffic alert system (with auto braking) that warns you of approaching vehicles when reversing out of a parking space or driveway.

Excel also features a safe exit system that uses the blind spot monitor in the door mirrors to check for approaching vehicles or cyclists from the rear, flashing a warning light and sounding a buzzer if anything is detected.

Fuel economy and running costs

The Toyota Corolla should be cheap to run, with both the 1.8 hybrid and 2.0 hybrid returning up to 64.2mpg.

That’s impressive, especially when you consider that the latest Volkswagen Golf 2.0 diesel is advertised as being capable of up to 62.8mpg.

The Corolla beats its petrol hybrid rivals, too. The Honda Civic hybrid is claimed to be able to manage between 56 -60mpg, while the Vauxhall Astra 1.2 hybrid returns up to a claimed 58.9mpg.

The Corolla is backed by Toyota’s three-year warranty, which can be extended to for up to 10 years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first) if you have it serviced within Toyota’s dealer network.

How much does the Toyota Corolla cost to insure?

The Toyota Corolla starts in insurance group 15 (Icon 1.8 hybrid). The more powerful 2.0 petrol hybrid is more expensive to insure, with group ratings ranging from 18 to 21.