REVIEW | Why the Toyota Corolla's appeal still endures in 2024

Everyone has a story about or an experience with a Toyota Corolla.

Most tales involve legendary reliability and dependability. At some point you have either owned, driven or been ferried around in a Corolla.

By some chance, the past few weeks seem to have been a Corolla frenzy for me. It started when my best friend surprised me with a visit in a stunning 1989 Corolla Twincam he had recently acquired. It was mint, with the peppy 4A-GE motor zinging with the same zest that it probably did when it left the Prospecton factory.

This week a planned visit to take my old Mercedes-Benz in to the workshop, meant having to use an Uber to get home. A white 2016 Corolla Quest arrived. The driver and I struck up a conversation. He was especially proud of how his car has clocked nearly 600,000km without any major hassle.

He will need to upgrade it soon and is eyeing the newer iteration of the Quest.

While on a work trip to Cape Town two weeks back, my steed was an example of the current Corolla sedan, in 1.8 Hybrid XR trim. Outright, the electrified Corolla is billed as an economy champion.

You might recall that in the past generation of the Corolla, there was a 1.4-litre diesel iteration that promised fuel consumption as low as 4.5l/100km.

You may also remember that retired colleague Bruce Fraser and I put this to the test, managing to drive from Johannesburg to Cape Town on a single tank — achieving a ridiculously low 3.5l/100km! This is a story I never tire of sharing.

Granted, we were driving at 80km/h, sweating it out with no air-conditioning.

That is no way to enjoy a car. Driving this hybridised Corolla on my trip to the Mother City though, my use of the climate control was indulgent. Driving without much consideration for economy, the Toyota still managed to yield a 4.9l/100km average.

And I am pretty sure that if you gave it a proper try, you could match, or even better the claimed consumption figure of 3.9l/100km.

The self-charging hybrid uses a 1.8-litre petrol engine, aided by an electric motor, delivering a combined output of 103kW/163Nm. It is linked to a continuously-variable transmission.

You can also drive it in full-electric mode for short distances, at lower speeds, useful for saving juice in one of the Mother City's terrible peak hour jams.

Of course, the majority of consumers buying a Corolla will go for the Cross body style. But there is still something quite wonderful about the classic three-box execution.

Aside from its roomy boot, the Corolla sedan has a traditional aesthetic that will age well.

Being the XR range-topper version (R570,200); our tester was equipped with just about every convenience one expects. And some surprises too.

I was impressed to see the fitment of lane-keep assist with semi-autonomous steering functionality. You also get partial leather upholstery and heated seats.

The Corolla Hybrid benefits from an eight-year/195,000km warranty for the electric components specifically, over and above the standard three-year/100,000km warranty.

South African motoring consumers have more choice than ever before, with an overwhelming selection that includes new Chinese brands offering tons of equipment, sharp styling and competitive pricing.

But one is of the view that tried-and-tested nameplates like Toyota's Corolla will never lose their lustre in the eyes of shoppers.

The Corolla sedan is a veritable icon of motoring and in its latest iteration, it is an accomplished steed that critics like myself have no qualms recommending.

And the Hybrid derivative in XR trim makes a fair case for itself, since it is only about R10,000 more than the 2.0-litre equivalent.