Toyota Corolla Branford, CT

When you need efficiency, you really can’t beat the Toyota Corolla. Even if you have the gas powertrain, it will get almost 40 mpg. But bring in the hybrid, and getting up to 50 mpg is within easy reach. And you still have plenty of power. The two-liter four-cylinder gas engine delivers 169 horsepower, while the hybrid gets 138 horsepower.

We never want to leave our favorite tech at home. Connecting your phone to your Corolla is as easy as taking a seat with the available wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It brings your phone screen to the touchscreen, so you can easily access your contacts, choose a playlist, or send a text.

If you’ve ever searched for your key in the dark and come up empty, you’ll love the Smart Key system. It allows you to lock or unlock the doors without having to take your key out of your pocket or purse. You can even start the engine with it still tucked away.

There’s no shortage of safety systems in the latest Corolla. It comes with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which is the latest version of the safety bundle. Systems such as adaptive cruise control help to reduce the stress of highway driving, and forward collision mitigation will help you avoid frontal collisions.

Drifting out of your lane when you become distracted is a thing of the past with lane-departure mitigation and lane keep assist. Your Corolla can sense when you’re not in your lane and steer you back where you belong.

Just because the Corolla is compact doesn’t mean it’s not spacious and comfortable. There’s plenty of head and legroom in both rows, so everyone can stretch out. The SE has a leather-trimmed steering wheel and extra bolstering for the front seats, just in case you want to test out its cornering capabilities.

The higher-end XSE is the way to go if you want heated front seats and a sunroof to let in some extra sunlight or fresh air while you drive.