Toyota Corolla hatchback - Practicality & boot space

While the Toyota Corolla generally scores well in the majority of our categories, practicality is where the Japanese hybrid hatch falls short of newer rivals. There’s plenty of seat adjustment in the front to get comfortable, and headroom shouldn't be an issue. It's not quite as accommodating as a Skoda Octavia, but there are cup holders for each occupant and a reasonable number of cubby holes and pockets.

Toyota Corolla interior space & storage

However, it’s in the rear where problems start arising. Legroom here is much tighter than rivals and while it should be sufficient if you’re just planning to carry small children, models such as the Honda Civic provide far more space in the rear.

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Boot space

Boot space is reasonable, but still is nowhere near as spacious as competitors. The 1.8-litre Corolla offers 361 litres of luggage room which is a little down on the Golf and Focus, and around 60 litres short of what’s offered in the latest Vauxhall Astra. Upgrade to the 2.0-litre version and the boot is sadly downgraded to 313 litres to make room for a larger battery, making the family hatch’s load area smaller than a Volkswagen Polo supermini.

Thankfully, the Toyota Corolla is also available as a roomy estate, and its mix of economy and practicality has seen it become popular with private and company car drivers. If you need the extra boot space, perhaps for sports gear or for the family dog, the Corolla Touring Sports is an appealing solution. Until recently, Toyota also offered a Corolla saloon with more boot space than the hatchback but a less versatile boot opening.

Towing

We’d recommend looking elsewhere if you’re after a vehicle for towing as all versions of the Toyota Corolla can only tow trailers weighing up to 750kg – far short of petrol and diesel-powered rivals. The discontinued 1.2-litre petrol Corolla with its 1,300kg braked trailer load limit may be a viable option if you’re open to looking for something on the used market.