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Toyota Corolla 2019 review

Hatchback Hybrid

Toyota Corolla 2019 — front three-quarter view

Overview

The 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback marked a quiet revolution in Britain's family car market: the Auris name was gone, and in its place came a sharper, better-driving hatchback with hybrid power as the default choice. The car most used buyers should look for is the 1.8 Hybrid Icon, launched at £23,750 on the road in March 2019. Its 1,798cc petrol-electric hybrid system produces 122 bhp in total — 97 to 98 bhp from the petrol engine and 71 bhp from the electric motor — driving the front wheels through an e-CVT automatic.

Economy is the headline, and it is honest. The 1.8 Icon range returns 55.4 to 62.8 mpg combined on the WLTP cycle with 102 to 115 g/km of CO2, which means most owners will see genuine 50-plus mpg in mixed driving without trying. Performance is adequate rather than exciting: 0-62 mph in 10.9 seconds and a 112 mph top speed, delivered with the smoothness that only a hybrid gives around town, where the car slips along in near silence. The trade-off is the e-CVT itself, which holds high revs under hard acceleration, so a loaded motorway join sounds more strained than it feels.

The rest of the package is reassuringly Toyota. Launch trims ran Icon, Icon Tech, Design and Excel, with GR Sport joining the hatchback range from October 2019, and a Touring Sports estate sat alongside the hatch. Safety was a five-star Euro NCAP result in the 2019 test, with adult protection at 95 percent, and warranty cover when new was five years or 100,000 miles for cars ordered before June 2021, with Toyota's service-activated warranty able to extend cover to ten years or 100,000 miles if the car is serviced at an authorised dealer. The boot is the weak point on paper at 313 litres seats up on Parkers figures, and some sources quote 361 litres for later specifications, so check the car in front of you rather than trusting one number.

Used checks are refreshingly minor. Ask about the 12V auxiliary battery, the most commonly reported hybrid niggle on short-trip cars, test the early infotainment for lag or freezing that a dealer software update usually fixes, and check the coolant level for the slow loss some cars show through the coolant bypass valve. Verify recall completion by VIN, since a torque-converter recall touched 2019 to 2020 cars with the Direct-Shift CVT. Get those small things right and the 2019 Corolla is one of the safest used buys of its era: economical, quiet, well built, and backed by a warranty story no rival could match.

UK price from: £23,750

Specifications

Engine	1,798cc 4-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid (1.8 VVT-i Hybrid)
Power	122 bhp system output (petrol engine 97-98 bhp; electric motor 71 bhp)
Torque	Petrol engine 142 Nm; electric motor 163 Nm (no combined figure published)
Gearbox	e-CVT automatic
Drive	Front-wheel drive
0-62 mph	10.9 seconds
Top speed	112 mph
Fuel economy	55.4-62.8 mpg combined (WLTP, 1.8 Icon range)
CO2 emissions	102-115 g/km (WLTP, Icon range)
Boot space	313 litres seats up (Parkers; varies by specification)
Kerb weight	1,295 kg
Insurance group	15
Warranty	5 years / 100,000 miles when new; service-activated cover to 10 years / 100,000 miles
Euro NCAP	5 stars (2019 test)

Features

Self-charging 1.8 VVT-i Hybrid system with 122 bhp total output
e-CVT automatic gearbox with front-wheel drive
Toyota Safety Sense driver assistance suite
Launch trims Icon, Icon Tech, Design and Excel, plus GR Sport from October 2019
Hatchback and Touring Sports estate bodies in the 12th-generation range
Five-star Euro NCAP rating from the 2019 test
Five-year or 100,000-mile warranty when new, with service-activated cover to ten years
313-litre boot on Parkers figures for the 1.8 hatchback (varies by specification)

Common parts & prices

Part	Price (GBP)	Notes
Front brake pads (set)	£49.99	Typical retail; pattern part
Front brake discs (pair)	£89.99	Typical retail; pattern part
Oil filter	£11.99
Engine air filter	£19.99
Cabin pollen filter	£19.99
12V auxiliary battery	£119.99	The most common hybrid niggle: check health on short-trip cars

Prices are typical UK aftermarket/OEM guide prices and may vary by supplier.

Pros

Genuine 50-plus mpg in mixed driving, at 55.4 to 62.8 mpg combined on WLTP figures
Outstanding warranty story: five years when new, extendable to ten years with dealer servicing
Five-star Euro NCAP safety with a strong reliability reputation
Quiet, smooth town driving with near-silent electric running at low speeds
Strong residuals: the Corolla name and hybrid economy hold values well

Cons

The e-CVT drones under hard acceleration, so motorway joins sound strained
The 12V auxiliary battery is the most common niggle, especially on short-trip cars
Early infotainment can lag or freeze until a dealer software update is applied
A 313-litre boot is smaller than Golf and Focus rivals, and the figure varies by specification

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2019 Toyota Corolla a plug-in hybrid?

No. The 2019 Corolla is a self-charging full hybrid: the petrol engine and electric motor work together, and the battery recharges through driving and braking. There is no plug and no pure-electric range to manage.

Should I buy the 1.8 Hybrid or the 2.0 Hybrid?

The 1.8 Hybrid Icon on this page is the economy pick and the volume used buy, with 55.4 to 62.8 mpg combined. The 2.0 Hybrid is quicker and suits drivers who want more pace, but it costs more to buy and to insure.

How big is the 2019 Corolla hatchback boot, really?

Parkers lists 313 litres seats up for the 1.8 hatchback, while some road tests quote 361 litres. The higher figure appears tied to later specifications, so for a 2019 car use 313 litres and check the individual car rather than trusting one number.

Does a 2019 Corolla still have warranty left?

It can do: cars ordered before June 2021 carried five years or 100,000 miles when new, and Toyota's service-activated warranty can extend cover to ten years or 100,000 miles if the car has been serviced at an authorised Toyota dealer. Check the service record.

What should I check on a used 2019 Corolla Hybrid?

The 12V auxiliary battery first, especially on short-trip cars, then infotainment response, coolant level, and recall completion by VIN. The traction battery itself is a Toyota strong point and rarely the worry buyers expect.