The all-new hybrid system works well but you’d expect nothing less from one of the first brands to embrace the tech. It pulls away smoothly, quietly and with decent grunt under electric power and the transition to petrol mode is pretty smooth. The engine is a bit gravelly and noisy, especially at lower speeds but overall refinement is pretty good if you keep your inputs measured.
It feels competent and settled at higher speeds but is most at home in urban environments, where Toyota says it can operate in EV mode up to 80% of the time. That being said, the car’s new platform makes it surprisingly responsive and fun to drive. It’s not a match for the Fiesta but feels pretty light and nimble and rides better than a Fiesta ST-Line, although not as well as a Clio or Citroen C3.