Toyota Corolla 2021 review: ZR Hatch

There's a cool set of headlights and fairly snazzy front grille section which spice up the otherwise ordinary looking Corolla. This helps bring it into the new decade but when you compare it to the Mazda3 for example, it's not as forward thinking in design. It plays it safe with style, which is what it's known for.

The headlights and front grille section spice up the otherwise ordinary looking Corolla.

Inside the Corolla ZR is quite fun though, with leather accented seats in this range-topping model that come in black or red, a premium steering wheel, which still feels good to touch, and sports front bucket seats that are quite comfortable.

The centre console is nicely designed and it all works well while driving. It feels good to drive this car.

It plays it safe with style, which is what it's known for.

The Corolla ZR zips around town happily, with a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine that provides  plenty to power this size car up hills and it cruises nicely along highways.

It's the kind of car you can jump into without giving a second thought. The steering turns easily, it handles nicely, and while it's not the fastest car on the block that's not really why you're looking at a Corolla, is it?

The Corolla ZR zips around town happily, with a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine.

Being a small car it fits neatly into car parks and there's a reverse parking camera to help out, though it's not the highest resolution.

Still, it's very convenient to drive, especially if you're used to large cars, the feeling of being able to sneak in and out of traffic and score parks you'd normally never fit into is actually super helpful for day-to-day living.

Being a small car it fits neatly into car parks and there's a reverse parking camera to help out.

The amount of automation surprised me, but then, you are paying for it, so it should all be included!

There's keyless entry, the park brake turns on and off by itself and the front seats are power operated. If they are priorities on your checklist then the Corolla ZR ticks them off. The tailgate is manual though, and not heavy, so it makes sense to use your hands to open and shut it.

Both front and rear passengers score two cupholders.

There's a Qi (chi) charger in the front for your phone, two cupholders, a small centre storage bin and bottle holders in the doors.

Rear passengers also score two cupholders in the centre armrest and bottle holders in the doors, but miss out on directional air vents, which is a fairly standard omission in this category.

Every Corolla comes with the 'Toyota Safety Sense' package which includes active cruise control, auto emergency braking with pedestrian (night and day) and Cyclist detection (day only). Plus 'Lane Trace Assist' and 'Lane Departure Alert.' The ZR also has blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

You'll get seven airbags throughout the car plus two ISOFIX points and three top tether points in the back row to fit kids car seats in. The Toyota Corolla scored a full five ANCAP stars when it was tested in 2018.

The Toyota Corolla ZR costs $36,487 drive-away. Fuel consumption is a claimed 6.0L/100km, and when I drove it over the week it averaged 9.8L/100km with a lot of suburban driving, not many highways.

It's covered by Toyota's five year/unlimited km warranty which is not the best on the market compared to Kia's seven years, but still a good option. Servicing is required every 12 months/15,000km.

The Toyota Corolla ZR costs $36,487 drive-away.