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Toyota is now synonymous with hybrid, and not just because of the Prius. Japan's largest automaker has added hybrid versions of several of its biggest sellers, from Camry sedans to Avalon, RAV4 and Highlander crossovers, to the elegant Lexus LC luxury coupe. But the compact Corolla has not had the hybrid treatment – until now.
The Toyota Corolla Hybrid 2020 is the first model of its kind in 52 years of history. The Corolla Hybrid, which debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2018, is based on the new Corolla gasoline sedan 2020 (Toyota will not offer a hybrid version of the Corolla hatchback). The hybrid will go on sale in the United States in the spring of 2019.
The hybrid model looks almost identical to a non-hybrid Corolla sedan, but features the familiar Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive system, which works with a 1.8-liter Atkinson four-cylinder engine to drive the front wheels. Toyota estimates the total power of the 121 horsepower system and promises that the hybrid powertrain will not decrease the interior space despite the need to house a nickel-metal hydride battery pack.
Toyota expects the Corolla Hybrid to reach 50 mpg combined, just 2 mpg of a standard Prius (the Prius Eco is rated at 56 mpg combined). But just as the standard Corolla competes with the Honda Civic, the main rival of the Corolla Hybrid will likely be the Honda Insight hybrid sedan, based on the Civic. The EPA rated the Insight at 52 MPH combined in all trim levels, with the exception of the Touring model, which measures 48 mpg in all.
The Corolla Hybrid has many technical features identical to those of other variants of the Corolla. The Entune 3.0 infotainment system includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay (Android Auto is not available), Amazon Alexa connectivity and a built-in Wi-Fi access point. The Corolla Hybrid also receives the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 driver assistance range, which combines autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, Lane Keeping Assist, automatic high beam, auto centering feature of the Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Lane, Toyota's Trace Assist Lane, and a camera to read stop, yield, do not enter, and speed limit signs.
The Toyota Corolla Hybrid 2020 debuts in public in Latin America alongside the updated 2019 Toyota Prius, as well as the hybrid Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid 2019 plug-in, which uses Toyota's powertrain technology. We did not expect Toyota to stop at one hybrid, after all. Price information for the Hybrid Corolla will be released in the run-up to the launch of the car for spring 2019.
Updated November 28, 2018: Adding live photos.
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