Toyota Corolla Wagon, the Ugg boot of cars

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When you say the word "appliance" you immediately think of certain things: a fridge, for example, or a washing machine. Or a Toyota Corolla wagon.

There is little in the automotive world that screams "appliance" louder and more generically than a Corolla wagon. Simple, functional and practical, a wagon version of the world's most popular car is a utilitarian tool, pure and simple.

Mainly bought by companies and businesses that want something cheap, reliable and spacious, frivolous things like comfort and style are very much unimportant.

And I have always had a soft spot for the Corolla wagon for that very reason. It was like a pair of Ugg boots; deeply unfashionable, yet reassuringly cosy. It drove fine, handled fine and was comfortable and utterly unpretentious.

But it was also not really a Corolla - the "Corolla wagon" we got here was actually a long wheelbase Yaris under the skin, while the Europeans got the sleeker, significantly more modern version based on the then-new Corolla.

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I have always had a soft spot for the Corolla wagon because it was like a pair of Ugg boots; deeply unfashionable, yet reassuringly cosy.

But since 2020 we have had the 'real' Corolla wagon, and it is available in a way you would totally expect it to be: a single, low spec model available in black, silver or two shades of white. And that's it.

Oh, and it is also the cheapest Corolla you can buy - at $35,990 the wagon slips under the base Corolla hatch by just $1000, but because the hatch emits 101g/km of CO2 and moves into the newly adjusted Clean Car Discount zero band (neither a rebate nor a fee), while the wagon is rated at just 88.3g/km and stays in the rebate zone, it scores a further $2415 off the price.

The wagon also uses less fuel than the hatch (3.8L/100km compared to the hatch's 4.4) and while it is actually lighter than the hatch, it is only by around 35kg.

But where the last hybrid hatch I had struggled to get close to its fuel consumption claim, the wagon nails it effortlessly. And it totally doesn't matter how you drive it. In fact, I made a concerted effort to not care in the slightest about driving carefully and economically while I had the wagon, and it simply didn't care.

Recording a grand total of 4.0L/100km during my week thrashing it around like the photocopier repair technician who is likely to get one for his company car, the Corolla wagon was totally unbothered by the aggressive driving style. It just goes to show: big wheels are far more detrimental to your fuel consumption than driving like a stressed company rep.

Oh, and it is also the cheapest Corolla you can buy - at $35,990 the wagon slips under the base Corolla hatch by just $1000

Speaking of wheels, the Corolla wagon runs on 16-inch alloys (no billy-basic steel wheels here anymore) and also scores LED headlights and power adjustable mirrors on the outside.

Because the new Corolla wagon is based on the current hatch, it has also had a massive upgrade in terms of technology. The wagon features the full Toyota Safety Sense system that includes emergency autonomous braking with pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection, intersection turn assist, dynamic radar cruise control, lane keep assist, road sign assist and automatic high beams, as well as a backing camera with dynamic guide lines.

On the inside things are kept simple and basic: you get standard fabric seats with manual adjustment, a urethane steering wheel, analogue gauges and single zone climate control. But you do get niceties such as push button start, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (including wireless CarPlay) and two USB-C ports.

Impressively Toyota have kept the price of the wagon admirably wallet friendly, yet still included the basic modern comforts we expect (there's no wind up windows or blanking plates where the stereo should be here), along with something else that is very nice to have - comfort.

The Corolla wagon is a very easy car to spend time in, thanks to its comfortable seats, supple ride and smooth powertrain. Yes, it does have a continuously variable transmission, but the refinement of the engine and the sheer amount of running you can do on the battery alone make it less intrusive than CVTs traditionally are. Plus, if you crank the stereo up, all you notice is the slick, seamless power delivery anyway...

Oh, and then there's space: lots of it. The wagon can swallow 598 litres of cargo with the rear seats in place, which goes up to 800 litres when you fold them down.

While it is easy to write off the Corolla wagon as a mere appliance (and, indeed, that is appealing to a lot of buyers who want just that), that is doing it a disservice, as it is a wonderfully comfortable, seriously frugal an impressively practical small wagon that could slot effortlessly into many lifestyles.

As long as you like silver, black or white, that is.

Toyota Corolla Wagon GX HybridENGINE: 1.8-litre petrol hybridPOWER: 103kW/142NmGEARBOX: Continuously variable transmission, FWDCONSUMPTION: 3.8l/100km (3P-WLTP)PRICE: $35,990

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Action station: BMW M3 Touring first drive

Kilometres travelled10,000 - 25,000 kmDid you buy this car new or used?UsedIf used, what year did you buy it used?2020How much did you pay? (including all on-road costs)25000What were your needs when you bought this car? Has it fulfilled those needs?Both of us had retired, so the need for 2 cars for work, was eliminated. We decided to trade in our 2 Toyotas, (2008 Aurion, & 2014 Prius C), for one late model Corolla, taking advantage of the Rental Car fleets downsizing because of Covid 19.What were your initial thoughts about the car? Tell us why it appealed to you.Latest model architecture, 2.0 litre, with good fuel economy, & a 3 year Signature Cars warrenty, so a resonably powered cruiser, with reasonable fuel economy, & a "free" WarrentyWhat have you discovered since owning the car?Once I had replaced the Bridgestone Ecopia tyres, with Pirelli P1's, we instantly noticed quite a bit quieter, & far better handling. Vey good Bluetooth phone connection, & good radio reception. Steering wheel controls for most things, make life easy, once you memorize their uses. Having a Suna Traffic component, to the Navigation system,with the latest map database is great for avoiding traffic jams, & routing for quickest transit times.What do you like/dislike about the car?As we are getting older, the Corolla is a low car, but we can still enter/exit no problems at the moment. Because it is a smaller car, tyres etc are cheaper, as they are a very common size.Reliability5Features/technology5Performance/economy4Value for money4Overall rating5Lastly, would you buy this vehicle again?YesWhy would/wouldn't you buy it again?I would probably buy a Corolla Cross in the future, if we needed better access because of our age. If access is no problem, & funds were no problem, I would buy the latest model Corolla

Kilometres travelledMore than 100,000 kmDid you buy this car new or used?UsedIf used, what year did you buy it used?2013How much did you pay? (including all on-road costs)16000What were your needs when you bought this car? Has it fulfilled those needs?To replace existing aging Corolla for daily commute into Wellington from Wairarapa Yes. I wanted another Corolla because my first one was so reliable and comfortable to drive but at 200000km I thought it was time to upgradeWhat were your initial thoughts about the car? Tell us why it appealed to you.Comfortable driving, reliable and more economical than a petrol car. Only 50000Km on the clock and was an ex fleet car so service history from newWhat have you discovered since owning the car?It just keeps going. I drive fairly evenly and the fuel economy (while not meeting the manufacturers specs) is still better than a petrol car of the same engine sizeWhat do you like/dislike about the car?Probably most reliable car have ever owned and so far apart from usual replacing of brake pads and discs, glow plugs and battery, have had to do very little in terms of extra repairs (couple of parking dings, and wiped out a wing mirror in a car park)Any other comments on the car?I change the oil every 5000Km and the filter every 10000km and it hasn't missed a beat. The six speed and turbo are great. I don't use the cruise control very often, but can see it would be of use if this was an autoReliability5Features/technology5Performance/economy5Value for money5Overall rating5Lastly, would you buy this vehicle again?YesWhy would/wouldn't you buy it again?If Toyota still made a diesel corolla, I'd buy another. Its now done 245000 Km and I expect to get the same again. Its reliable with enough grunt and low down torque to have good pickup while travelling over the Rimutaka hill

Kilometres travelled75,000 - 100,000 kmDid you buy this car new or used?UsedIf used, what year did you buy it used?2019How much did you pay? (including all on-road costs)8200What were your needs when you bought this car? Has it fulfilled those needs?We had sold my wife's Toyota bB so we could would be able to get something more suitable for both city and intercity.What were your initial thoughts about the car? Tell us why it appealed to you.I liked it, except for the CVT - which, to be fair, I dislike in any vehicle. I also added an NZ radio, which was an extra couple of hundred dollars.What have you discovered since owning the car?The car is extremely reliable. I can't recall the last thing that went wrong - new wiper blades and two new tyres, probably. However, it is pretty heavy for a smallish car with a small engine.What do you like/dislike about the car?The CVT and the fact it is pretty thirsty (more than 10l/100km), probably a function of a small engine (1500cc) and fairly heavy vehicle - more than than 1400kg with driver and fuel. I like its reliability, being easy to park, and the fact it will zip along comfortably and quietly at open road speeds. But it needs another 15kw under the hood to be anything special.Any other comments on the car?Despite some reservations, we intend to keep it as it still serves well as, mostly, the city car. We have a Toyota Crown for longer journeys.Reliability5Features/technology3Performance/economy2Value for money4Overall rating4Lastly, would you buy this vehicle again?NoWhy would/wouldn't you buy it again?I would look for something suitable for my wife, but with a better power to weight ratio. I'd also prefer a standard auto instead of a CVT.

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