Ask more of the hybrid system and you’ll be met by a flurry of engine revs as the CVT allows it to deliver peak power. This is most evident if joining from a motorway slip road, but once up to speed the engine soon settles back down. It won’t come as a huge surprise to learn that the Corolla does its best work in urban settings.

Shorter journeys with more frequent stops allow the hybrid powertrain to deactivate the engine and switch to its modest but hard-working 70kW (94bhp) electric motor and 0.75kWh lithium-ion battery. It does so smoothly, and so long as you’re prudent with your right foot, it can cover a surprising amount of ground before reverting back to the petrol engine. The same is true, in our experience, of the lower-powered model.

Toyota does try to massage your green conscience by flashing up an EV symbol on the 12.3-inch digital dash every time it switches off the four-cylinder engine, and at times you’d almost rely on it to tell which portion of the powertrain is propelling the car.

But even when petrol power is being deployed, you don’t need to make a concerted effort to match the official fuel economy figure. During our, predominantly urban, drive in the Corolla 60th Anniversary Edition, it returned an indicated 62.7mpg. Impressive going from the hybrid when so often EVs come in for flak for not achieving close to their official WLTP driving-range figures. Not having to plug in or find a charger is another boon for those seeking the convenience of a hybrid over an electric car.

Frugality aside, the Corolla still manages to be a mostly refined driving experience, supported in part by the multi-link rear suspension setup that brings a degree of sophistication to how it handles. Its steering is just on the right side of light, and while no part of the Corolla encourages you to explore its dynamic boundaries when it comes to getting from A to B, it does so without fuss or fanfare and does it all very well.