Cargazing
By Derek Price
I’ve made enough trips to the Ozark Mountains to know this area can be refreshing to the soul.
This time, though, it wasn’t in a sports car to take advantage of the winding, scenic Northwest Arkansas roads. Nor was it in an off-road truck that can claw its way into remote hiking spots.
I took the trip in a hybrid version of the 2022 Toyota Corolla.
I’ve never thought of the plucky, affordable Corolla as a great traveling car, but this rural mountain trip did a lot to change my mind.
For one thing, the Corolla’s soft, squishy ride that the sports-car-loving snob in me loves to criticize actually works remarkably well for long highway stints. It isn’t luxury-car smooth, but it comes close — especially for the money.
Following that same theme, it’s also packed with features that don’t break the bank.
Every single Corolla, including the cheapest base trim, is equipped with radar cruise control and lane tracing assist that make the car feel almost like it’s driving itself. It also comes standard with automatic high beams, the ability to read road signs and sensors that can detect pedestrians and avoid potential wrecks.
The 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid is rated for 53 mpg in city driving. It uses a four-cylinder engine and two electric motors to create 121 total horsepower.
My tester, the hybrid version, added another road-trip selling point: insanely good gas mileage.
The Corolla Hybrid is rated for 53 mpg in city driving and 52 on the highway, numbers I appreciated the very few times I had to stop for fuel. You can drive this car for four hours non-stop on the highway — if your bladder can hold out that long — then pull over to fill it up with a whopping 6 gallons of gas. It’s nearly as miserly as the Prius in real-world driving.
Acceleration is its weak point. You have to frequently push the gas pedal all the way to the floor and hold it there when merging, wringing every last drop out of its 121-horsepower drivetrain. And like all cars with a continuously variable transmission, it makes an awful, high-pitched racket when you do that.
On the flip side, its off-the-line feeling in city driving is actually pretty good. Two powerful electric motors deliver instant torque to the front wheels, making it seem more responsive than the gasoline-only Corolla.
An “EV Mode” button lets you shut off the gas engine and cruise around in silent electric power for a short period of time. Unlike full electric cars, though, you never have to plug it in. It recharges the batteries automatically when you’re braking or coasting, just like the classic Prius.
An 8-inch touchscreen is conveniently placed high on the Corolla’s dash, providing easy access to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto functions when paired to a smartphone.
It also shares the same traits that have made the Corolla one of the most popular cars on the planet for decades: low operating costs, a reputation for reliability and a solid, well-built, intelligently designed cabin. All those things add up to excellent resale value on the used-car market, as well.
Other than the anemic acceleration — admittedly a necessary tradeoff in fuel-efficient cars — I couldn’t find much to criticize in the current Corolla.
Typically, I think of giant luxury barges as the ultimate vehicles for road trips, especially if you’re traveling with a family. Compact cars are usually too cramped and harsh-riding to be enjoyable over hours of highway cruising.
The Corolla Hybrid proves that mindset wrong by showing just how comfy and thrifty small cars can be for traveling.
Pricing starts at $20,075 for the base L trim Corolla. The Corolla Hybrid, which comes with a higher level of standard equipment in only one trim level, LE, is priced at $23,650.
At A Glance
What was tested? 2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE ($23,650). Options: Blind spot monitor ($500), premium interior package ($1,525), carpet mat package ($249), frameless Homelink mirror ($175), rear bumper protector ($79). Price as tested (including $995 destination charge): $27,173
Wheelbase: 106.3 in.
Length: 182.3 in.
Width: 70.1 in.
Height: 56.5 in.
Powertrain: 1.8-liter four cylinder plus two electric motors (121 combined system horsepower)
Transmission: Continuously variable
Fuel economy: 53 city, 52 highway
RATINGS
Style: 6
Performance: 4
Price: 10
Handling: 6
Ride: 9
Comfort: 8
Quality: 10
Overall: 8
Why buy it?
The Corolla Hybrid is incredibly efficient and surprisingly comfortable. It also comes with the traditional Corolla selling points: durability, low cost of operation, a quality cabin and strong resale value.