A car built at Toyota’s factory near Derby has scooped a top industry award for its affordability.

At the 2019 Auto Express Awards held in London earlier this week, the Corolla was named Affordable Hybrid of the Year.

Built at the Japanese manufacturer’s Burnaston plant and launched in February, the all-new Corolla, which comes in hatchback and Touring Sports versions, is powered hybrid petrol engines supplied by the Toyota’s Deeside factory in North Wales.

It was the first in Europe to be marketed with a choice of two different full hybrid powertrains.

The Auto Express award took into account all aspects of the vehicle, including the quality of the driving experience, responsiveness, ride and handling, the practicality of the design and packaging for day-to-day use, all-round ownership costs and how the car delivers on the manufacturer’s goals.

Steve Fowler, editor-in-chief at Auto Express, said: “Toyota has long been at the forefront of hybrid car development.

“Our judges were impressed by the way the Corolla delivers relaxed performance, super around-town refinement and low running costs.

“Having decent interior space and plenty of standard kit seals the deal for this unbeatable package.”

Andrew Cullis, Toyota GB’s communications and product director, said: “This award reflects our success in pioneering self-charging hybrid technology and bringing it to the heart of the mainstream market, with more experience and a wider choice of models than any other manufacturer.

“We have broken new ground with Corolla, giving customers a choice of two hybrid powertrains with different power outputs and different driving character, but with fundamentally the same fuel efficiency and low emissions, plus our hallmark Toyota quality, durability and reliability.

“It’s a genuinely affordable model that we’re proud to build here in Britain.”