Review - 2024 Toyota Corolla

For 2024, not much has changed for the Toyota Corolla lineup, with the company sticking with its choice of a petrol and hybrid engine option for the sedan and hatchback range, split into three main variants.

How well does the Toyota Corolla stack up as a small car package in 2024? Let’s take a closer look to see if it's still atop the affordable small car leaderboard.

Toyota Corolla Competition

How Much Does It Cost?

The 2024 Toyota Corolla range is priced from $29,270 for the entry-level Corolla Ascent Sedan, with the Ascent Hatchback priced at $26,610. Stepping up to the Corolla SX range brings the price to $32,320 for the SX Sedan and $32,760 for the SX Hatchback.

Toyota’s range-topping ZR Hatchback is priced at $36,610 while the ZR Sedan is priced at $37,760.

Prices for the 2024 Corolla Hybrid range kick off from $32,110 for the Ascent Sport Hybrid Hatch, stretching to $32,320 for the Ascent Sport Hybrid Sedan.

The SX Hybrid Sedan is priced at $34,920 while the SX Hybrid Hatchback is priced at $35,260.

Finally, Toyota’s range-topping ZR Hybrid Hatch is priced at $39,100 while the ZR Hybrid Sedan receives a price tag of $40,260.

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

How Much Can OnlineAuto Save You?

You could save money by using one of OnlineAuto’s car agents to assist you in finding the best car for you. As one of the leading car buying services in Australia, our team have access to a range of dealerships across the country to help find you the best deal.

Toyota Corolla (SX HYBRID) Specifications

What Features & Specs Does the Toyota Corolla Have?

Toyota’s entry-level Corolla Ascent Sport comes riding on 16-inch alloys and receives bi-LED headlights with LED daytime running lamps and LED tail lights, adaptive cruise control, a rear-view camera, air conditioning, as well as heated power-folding mirrors.

The Ascent Sport Hybrid range picks up a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster as well as keyless entry and start.

Stepping up to the Corolla SX range adds climate control, front & rear parking sensors, LED fog lights, a wireless phone charger, a leatherette steering wheel, privacy glass and a 7.0-inch instrument cluster for the sedan.

Toyota’s range-topping Corolla ZR range receives 18-inch alloys, heated front sports seats, a head-up display, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, eight-way power-adjustable front seats, ambient lighting and a panoramic sunroof for the sedan variant.

Connectivity & Infotainment Features

All members of the 2024 Toyota Corolla range are packaged with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment display that is paired with a six-speaker sound system in the Ascent Sport and SX.

Upgrading to the Corolla ZR adds an upgraded sound system courtesy of JBL, featuring an eight-speaker setup in the hatchback and nine speakers in the Corolla sedan.

Buyers also pick up a 12-month subscription to Toyota’s connected services network that offers remote vehicle location, fuel levels and even vehicle diagnostics.

Does the Toyota Corolla Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

Buyers will be pleased to know that all members of the Corolla range, including the base model, come packaged with an infotainment system that supports both wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity.

Is the Toyota Corolla Comfortable to Drive?

The driving experience on offer in the Toyota Corolla is incredibly user-friendly, making for a great commuter with more versatility than you might have anticipated.

Power for the base model comes supplied by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol unit pushing out 126kW of power and 202Nm of torque to the front wheels via a CVT automatic.

Opting for the Corolla Hybrid means there’s a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol working alongside an electric motor at the front axle that produces a combined 103kW of power.

The acceleration isn’t going to set your hair on fire, though the power delivery is steady and continuous from the CVT transmission, helping to slingshot you up to speed off a set of lights.

The hybrid unit gives the Corolla more urgency off the line, thanks to the instant power injection from the electric motor and is by far the pick of the engine bunch.

While you might not expect it, Toyota’s updated platform for the Corolla makes it comfortable around town and surprisingly agile when pushed.

A recent update has seen the Corolla receive a suspension package that is a strong performer on a mix of town and country driving.

Around the urban jungle, the Corolla eats up bumps, potholes and inclines on driveways without a problem while still offering some impressively nimble handling that makes it a great commuter.

Combine that with the Corolla’s extremely manageable steering rack which makes it super easy to make a quick three-point turn or squeeze into a tight car space and it’s one of the most user-friendly small cars on the market.

Leave the smooth city streets and you’ll be pleased to know the Corolla can handle moderate bumps without much of an issue while offering a stable, confidence-inspiring ride as you pick up the pace.

Keep in mind that the ride quality does suffer as you upgrade to the range-topping ZR with its 18-inch alloys, which much prefer to stay in and around the urban jungle.

All up, the latest Corolla range is an incredibly strong performer on pretty much any road surface or driving situation you can throw at it, remaining one of the most versatile and user-friendly small cars in the segment.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

Fuel efficiency in the latest MY24 Corolla lineup ranges from impressive in the base petrol models to outright incredible in the case of hybrid variants.

The Corolla hatch with its 2.0-litre petrol engine is rated at 6.0L/100km, dropping to 5.9L/100km in the Corolla sedan.

Opting for the Corolla Hybrid Hatch drops fuel economy figures to just 4.0L/100km, with the Corolla Hybrid Sedan rated at an extremely fuel-efficient 3.9L/100km.

• Corolla Hatch Petrol: 6.0L/100km

• Corolla Sedan Petrol: 5.9L/100km

• Corolla Hatch Hybrid: 4.0L/100km

• Corolla Sedan Hybrid: 3.9L/100km

How Much Fuel Does the Toyota Corolla Use Around Town?

• Corolla Hatch Petrol: 7.5L/100km

• Corolla Sedan Petrol: 7.6L/100km

• Corolla Hatch Hybrid: 3.8L/100km

• Corolla Sedan Hybrid: 3.9L/100km

How Much Fuel Does the Toyota Corolla Use on the Highway?

• Corolla Hatch Petrol: 5.1L/100km

• Corolla Sedan Petrol: 4.9L/100km

• Corolla Hatch Hybrid: 4.3L/100km

• Corolla Sedan Hybrid: 4.2L/100km

Is it Practical and Spacious?

While it might not be the most exciting cabin on the market, there’s no denying just how much practicality Toyota’s designers have been able to extract from such a small package.

Up front, the driver and front passenger are positioned nice and low in the cabin which helps to provide a decent amount of headroom for taller drivers, while the forward and side visibility is excellent.

The Corolla’s cabin design is simple and effective, with its user-friendly and ergonomic design meaning you can hop right in and intuitively adjust the climate settings or infotainment system without any confusion.

There’s a decent range of storage options in the front of the Corolla’s cabin, with the centre console offering a tray behind the gear lever, a pair of cupholders, added storage inside the folding armrest and large bottle holders hiding inside the doors.

Move to the rear of the cabin and things are pretty impressive for a small car package, though legroom can prove tight for any adults seated behind a tall driver or front passenger.

For those wondering, the Corolla sedan is slightly more spacious in the second row thanks to its longer wheelbase while offering marginally more headroom than the hatchback.

Both pick up a pair of ISOFIX anchors and top tether mounts to accommodate a range of forward and rear-facing child seats, making for a great little package in the small car space.

How Big is the Toyota Corolla’s Boot?

When it comes to outright boot space, the Corolla Sedan is the clear winner thanks to its 470L of cargo space behind the second row, making it by far the better option for buyers tossing up the hatch and sedan simply for boot space figures.

The Corolla Hatchback makes do with its 217 - 333L of boot space, the smallest of which accommodates a spare wheel underneath the boot floor.

Is it Safe?

As standard, the Corolla hatch & sedan come packaged with a healthy amount of active safety technologies, though some omissions in the base model make it somewhat less competitive than some key rivals.

The list includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian, motorcyclist and cyclist detection as well as junction assist, as well as lane-keep assistance with lane-departure alerts, emergency steering assist, adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.

To get your hands on blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, unfortunately, they’re reserved for the SX and above.

Does the Toyota Corolla Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

The Toyota Corolla has received full marks from ANCAP, securing a five-star safety rating from testing conducted in 2018 where it scored the following marks.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 96%

• Child Occupant Protection: 83%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 86%

• Safety Assist: 76% 

What Warranty Does the Toyota Corolla Come With?

Toyota offers the Corolla hatchback and sedan with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty that extends out to eight years for hybrid variants when serviced within the Toyota network.

Toyota offers five years of capped-price servicing for the Corolla, with each visit capped at $205, equating to $1,025 for five years of servicing.

Service intervals stand at 12 months or 15,000km, whichever elapses first.

Our Verdict: Is the Toyota Corolla Worth it?

There’s no escaping just how impressive the Toyota Corolla is as a versatile, comfortable and reasonably practical offering in the small car space - and that’s before you dive into the outstanding fuel efficiency of hybrid variants.

Toyota’s range features hybrid options across all major price points which is a nice touch for buyers, and while we’d like to see some more safety tech included on the base model, the Corolla remains a near-faultless small car option here in Australia.

If you’re looking to upgrade to a new car, be sure to reach out to one of our car-buying experts who can help find you the best possible price. 

Five Toyota Corolla Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty

2. Warranty extends to eight-years when serviced within Toyota network

3. 3.9 - 6.0L/100km fuel economy figures

4. 217 - 470L boot space (hatch v sedan)

5. Five-star ANCAP safety rating