Specifications of Toyota Corolla Hybrid Touring Sports XII (E210) 1.8i (122 HP) Hybrid CVT

General characteristics of Toyota Corolla Hybrid Touring Sports XII (E210) 1.8i (122 HP) Hybrid CVT

Dimensions for the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid are in line with other compact sedans in the segment and include an overall length of 182.3 inches, stretched over a 106.3-inch wheelbase. It stands 56.5 inches in height and has an overall width of 70.1 inches. Despite all the hybrid components, the Corolla Hybrid weighs in a little lighter than the gas-fed variant, with a curb weight of 2,850 pounds - around 100 lbs less than the standard LE on which it's based.

The exterior color palette for 2022 has been slightly tweaked, with seven hues available to choose from. These include five no-cost colors of Celestite, Classic Silver Metallic, Black Sand Pearl, White, and Blueprint. For an additional $425, you get Ruby Flare Pearl and Wind Chill Pearl. The deep red of Ruby Flare Pearl is elegant and classy, while the Classic Silver Metallic our test vehicle arrived with quickly becomes invisible in traffic.

The naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine in the Corolla Hybrid is paired with two electric motors and a 1.3 kWh battery. The result is an underwhelming 121 hp and 105 lb-ft which isn't conducive to enthusiastic acceleration at all. And, paired to the Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive CVT, leaves much to be desired overall. From a standstill, you'll need patience in spades to get going, and there isn't much change when you select Power drive mode. This means you won't be able to execute passing maneuvers without submitting a planned proposal first, so don't expect to hit top speed regularly.

Finally, some good news. While the Corolla Hybrid offers rather poor performance in terms of outputs, the trade-off is a welcome one. Gas mileage figures are 53/52/52 mpg city/highway/combined - some of the better EPA estimates in the class. The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid gets 49/52/50 mpg, although the Hybrid Blue variant does even better, at 53/56/54 mpg. The Honda Insight does slightly better than the Corolla Hybrid in the city only, with figures of 55/49/52 mpg.

Hybrid Corollas get a smaller gas tank than the gas-only versions, with an 11.4-gallon capacity. Theoretically, this means a range of around 593 miles on a full tank. Amazingly, we found it didn't matter how we drove the Corolla Hybrid, it indicated around 50 mpg for most of the week and when switching to a super-light right foot, we saw it go over the 52 mpg.

The hybrid sedan is designed to seat five in relative comfort, but the rear-seat occupants may complain a little if they're over six feet tall due to the roofline sloping towards the rear. Those upfront are spoiled with loads of head and legroom, however, and despite the middle rear seat being less than ideal for anyone other than a small child, the seats are not bad. We wouldn't be opposed to a little more support and bolstering, but the overall look and feel is pleasant. The driver has good visibility and there's sufficient adjustability for a good driving position. And, while the standard option is premium fabric upholstery, you can upgrade to SofTex with heating as part of the available options.

As a compact sedan, the Corolla Hybrid doesn't offer loads of cargo space, with 13.1 cubic feet in the trunk. This is down on the 15.1 cubes in the Honda Insight but is still sufficient for the weekly shop or loading school bags and sports kit. If you're hoping for a hybrid with the most practical trunk, you'd do well to look at the Prius, with more than 27 cubes to offer. On the Corolla, you can flip down the rear seat in a 60/40 split if you need to load more.

Interior storage is sufficient, though, with a glove box, center console bin under the armrest, nooks and crannies ahead of the shifter, and door pockets all around. T