2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Review: Cheap Electrification Pays Off At The Pump

Believe the headlines, and you might assume that the only way to drive economically is to trade in your current car for something all-electric, but that's still impractical for plenty of drivers. Whether it's budget, charging, or some other reason, going all-in on EVs just isn't an option for everybody yet. That's why cars like the 2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid are so important.

Priced from just $23,300 (plus $1,095 destination), it's not only among the cheapest models in Toyota's line-up but also one of the cheapest new hybrids on the market. While sub-$30k cars aren't quite the rarity they were during the height of the pandemic, finding one that wields the gas and electric combination for a potential 50 mpg combined is definitely more unusual.

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No, you're not getting the flexibility of a plug-in hybrid like the Prius Prime, but that PHEV commands almost a $10k premium. If your primary goal is a new set of wheels without breaking the bank or settling for poor fuel economy, the Corolla Hybrid has a lot going for it.

If the latest Prius is Toyota's vision of what a hybrid could look like if you also wanted it to have sex appeal, the Corolla is its earnest, sensible sibling. It's not like the compact sedan is ugly; it's just not especially memorable in any particular way. The "Underground" dark gray paint on this XLE trim review car isn't doing any favors, either; were it my money, I'd look to something more eye-catching, like Toyota's handful of blues and red.

XLE trim has LED headlamps, taillamps, daytime running lights, and body-color side mirrors. 16-inch alloy wheels are standard — small, but not out of place given the Corolla's scale — and there's minimal chrome trim. The Corolla Hybrid Nightshade trim looks a lot more dramatic with its bronze-finish detailing, 18-inch wheels, and blackout trim.

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What would be particularly interesting would be a Corolla Hatchback Hybrid, but that's not an option. If you want the more practical hatch and its 17.8 cu-ft of cargo space — versus the Corolla sedan's 13.1 cu-ft — then you have to go gas-only. In the process, you dip about 20 mpg points.

Toyota has plenty of experience with hybrids, of course, and the Corolla Hybrid doesn't stray from a familiar formula. In the strata of electrification, this particular Corolla is considered a mild hybrid, effectively improving fuel economy with the judicious use of a small electric motor and reclaiming power that would otherwise be wasted during braking. There's a gas engine, an electric motor, and a compact battery, with the car automatically switching between one or both power sources depending on driving style and road conditions.

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The 1.8-liter inline-four gas engine can directly drive the front wheels of the Corolla Hybrid XLE or recharge the battery. It brings a mere 138 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque to the party and is combined with an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT). There's a choice of Normal and Eco drive modes, but if you want a Sport option, you'll need another Corolla Hybrid trim.

Really, though, nothing about this car or this drivetrain specifically screams "enthusiast driving." That's not to say it's bad — Toyota hardly pitches it as being meant for twisting backroads — just definitely intended for urban runabout duties. Under electric power, it's admirably quiet, and the suspension compliant and unremarkable. The gas engine isn't the sweetest-sounding example of its kind, but the CVT does at least avoid swooping and groaning unpredictably.

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Straight-line acceleration is fine for zipping from stop signs and traffic signals, though it's best to be sure of a sizable gap if you're pulling onto the highway. Things definitely get breathless (and loud) at full throttle, and whereas a full EV can startle with instant torque at pretty much any point, the 55-70 mph bracket is not when the Corolla Hybrid shows its spark. Shifting the transmission into "B" mode amps up the power regen, but it also sees the engine soar up to a noisy, fairly coarse 3,000 rpm as you coast to a stop.

As with other Toyota hybrids, there's an EV Mode, which encourages the Corolla to use electric power only and leave the gas engine shut off as much as possible. Don't expect plug-in hybrid levels of EV range, mind. As soon as your power demands exceed gentle-trundling levels, the ICE half of the drivetrain kicks back in.

Still, even with that limitation, the Corolla Hybrid is capable of some highly frugal driving. Officially, it's rated at 53 mpg in the city, 46 mpg on the highway, and 50 mpg combined; my own mixed driving saw just north of 47 mpg with no real efforts toward gas-sipping whatsoever.

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Toyota offers all-wheel drive versions of the Corolla Hybrid, though not in XLE trim. They're also slightly less economical to drive: the Hybrid LE AWD, for example, is rated for 51 mpg in the city, 44 mpg on the highway, and 48 mpg combined. Worse, certainly, though it has to be said they are still punching above their weight for compact sedans.

This Corolla Hybrid XLE is the most expensive trim of the bunch — albeit still only $27,050 (plus $1,095 destination) before extras — and its cabin is solid, if not especially exciting. It gets automatic single-zone climate control, heated front seats with SofTex faux-leather trim and power adjustment on the driver's side, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, and a 7-inch digital gauge cluster. Lesser variants make do with a 4.2-inch screen there.

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An 8-inch touchscreen running Toyota's latest infotainment software is standard across the board: it's not the biggest display out there, but the new UI is clean and easy to use, and it supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All trims get four USB-C ports — two up front and two in the rear — and the XLE adds a wireless charging pad. A nine-speaker JBL audio system upgrade is a $600 option on the XLE.

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Those up front shouldn't have space complaints, though legroom gets snug for those in the rear. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 is standard, with pre-collision emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure alerts with steering assist, road sign assist, adaptive cruise control, and Proactive Driving Assist. Sadly, only the XLE trim gets blind spot warnings with rear cross-traffic alerts as standard; figure on paying around $530 to add that to lesser trims.

The Corolla Hybrid's warranty is a solid 36 months / 36,000 miles, while the powertrain specifically gets 60 months / 60,000 miles of coverage. The hybrid system gets 96 months / 100,000 miles of coverage, and its battery is a hefty 120 months / 150,000 miles. In short, if reliability has been your big hybrid hang-up so far, Toyota is doing as much as it can to assuage that fear.

Does it leave the 2024 Corolla Hybrid a great car? For the money, and if you're not willing to compromise on electrification, it's tough to find a competitor that does the economy job. While the non-hybrid Corolla has plenty of more stylish rivals that are more rewarding to drive, they don't typically come in an electrified flavor.

If the budget stretches, there's no denying that the latest Prius (which starts at $27,650 plus destination) is nicer both to drive and to look at. When sticker price and economy are your guiding stars, though, it's tough to argue with what the 2024 Corolla Hybrid brings to the table. That's a good reminder that full EVs aren't the only route to cutting your carbon footprint or your refueling bills.