Toyota Corolla T-Sport

So as part of a new facelift, does performance flagship the T Sport now deliver the thrills and drama to make buyers think twice about choosing the Honda Civic Type R?

Despite its global success, the Corolla hasn't been able to keep up with the class leaders in the British sales charts. That's partly down to the lacklustre styling, which is something that designers have been keen to address with this hot hatch.

Along with the new front and rear lights common to all revamped Corollas, bumpers finished with a mesh grille now feature, as well as a large rear spoiler and low side skirts. Yet despite the changes, the T Sport still lacks the visual appeal of its rivals.

Inside, it's a similar story. The car is comfortable and ergonomically sound, and Toyota's attempts to liven up the cabin with carbon fibre-effect trim and white-faced dials are welcome. But the cabin still looks a bit dull.

The surprise, though, is that this newcomer is more than capable of raising a smile when behind the wheel. With improved suspension both front and rear, and a ride height lowered by 20mm, the manufacturer has worked hard to give the T Sport top-notch handling. And the result is impressive.

More direct steering ensures a greater feeling of control, while the 189bhp 1.8-litre VVTL-i engine is a real thriller. But it takes some frantic cog-swapping with the six-speed manual gearbox to keep the engine in its almost unbearably high 6,000rpm-plus power band. However, if you can live with the intrusive noise, a 0-60mph sprint of 8.4 seconds is achievable.

And yet the T Sport never quite feels equal to the sum of all its parts. Taken in isolation, it does well in most areas - it has finely weighted steering, excellent body control and superb ride quality given its sporty handling. Added to these attributes is a powerplant that pulls harder the further you push it, which suits the character of cars competing in this class. Despite all that, as an overall package this Corolla simply can't provide the same level of excitement as its hot hatch rivals.

At ΂£15,995, it's not cheap, either. However, buyers will want for very little in terms of standard equipment, with climate control, vehicle stability with brake assist and rain-sensing windscreen wipers all included in the price. Honda's more capable Civic Type R costs virtually the same, but comes with a comparatively sparse interior.

The revised T Sport is much better than its predecessor, but it's likely to stay an also-ran in a market where you have to be mean to be seen.