The all-new 2020 Corolla was introduced last Spring with reimagined styling, an enhanced driving experience and the addition of the first ever Corolla Hybrid in the U.S. This new Corolla model, which boasts up to an estimated 52 MPG combined, was especially appealing to the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press Association (RMAP), awarding the Corolla Hybrid 2020 Rocky Mountain Car of the Year.

“We are honored to receive this award for the all-new Corolla Hybrid. This vehicle is another efficient and value-based offering in our lineup that provides more options for our customers based on their needs, ” said John Mineweaser, assistant general manager of the Toyota Denver Region. “Two years ago the redesigned Camry received this accolade, and it is rewarding to see that Toyota’s latest passenger car products are being recognized by our local automotive press as leaders in an especially competitive and important segment in this market.” The Toyota Denver Region sold over 23,000 Corollas and Camrys last year throughout its 71 dealers.

Corolla is the world’s best-selling nameplate with over 46 million vehicles sold globaly since it was introduced 24 years ago. And the 12th-generation Corolla is greater than ever with a new 169 horsepower, 2.0-liter Dynamic-Force engine, improved technology and the latest in Toyota’s suite of standard active safety features, Toyota Safety Sense 2.0. The Corolla Hybrid has a new-generation Hybrid Synergy Drive which combines a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with two motor/generators through an electronically controlled planetary-type continuously variable transmission (CVT) transaxle. This pairing provides responsive acceleration without sacrificing fuel economy, which is not typical for most hybrids. Additionally, the hybrid battery warranty has been extended from 8 years or 100,000 miles from the date of first use to 10 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first providing extra peace of mind for owners.

The Rocky Mountain Press Association evaluates multiple vehicles every year before selecting four finalists to vote on. In order to be considered, the vehicle must have gone through a major redesign or added a new powertrain element, which was the case for Corolla. Each RMAP member is also required to test drive the vehicle and evaluate a certain set of criteria to select their top choice. In the sedan category, the 2020 Corolla Hybrid LE was assessed along with the 2019 BMW M850i xDrive convertible, 2020 Nissan Versa and 2020 Subaru Legacy.

“As the voting finished up for the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) vehicle of the year we were thrilled to have the 2020 Toyota Corolla LE Hybrid come out on top,” said RMAP president, Craig Conover. “Taking an iconic name like Corolla and offering a hybrid that can get over 50 miles per gallon put this vehicle on top for this year in the sedan category in the Rocky Mountain Region.” RMAP is a professional association comprised of 95 automotive media members in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, Nebraska and Kansas.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR