2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Nightshade

Do you rarely give your car much thought? Do you mainly want it to take you reliably and safely wherever you want to go? Well then, my friend, you might be in the market for a Toyota Corolla. It’s the world’s most popular car—more than 50 million sold since its introduction in 1966. Last redesigned in 2019, the Corolla is a pleasant-looking car—streamlined, with flowing lines. Our SE Nightshade edition test car added extra flair with 18-inch bronze-color wheels, blacked-out badges and nameplates, a gloss-black grille, and a rear spoiler. The Corolla’s hybrid drivetrain puts out 138 hp, good for an EPA-rated 47 mpg with AWD. It’s an easy car to drive—the standard sport suspension delivered a comfortable ride and handled corners with minimal body roll. Visibility to the front and sides is good. And Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0 advanced safety features are standard (regrettably, blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic warning are optional, however). Considering its low price and high number of features, the Corolla represents good value for money spent. But there are a few things we’d like to change. The hybrid drivetrain is underpowered (31 fewer hp than the standard Corolla), noisy, and unrefined. The interior layout seems outdated, and some materials feel drab and low-rent. Finally, the rear-view camera image could be sharper.