Okay so an update. The simple version: I'm still loving the car and consider it a big improvement over the Jazz. But there are of course some niggles:
* Having to switch audio on then select my iPod every time I start the engine is irritating. But at least it doesn't crash and deprive me of music for a couple of minutes like the Jazz did when I first got it
* Fuel consumption. It's probably marginally better than my Jazz (currently getting ~55mpg which is my typical summer MPG with the Jazz) but I'm somewhat concerned/intrigued by the dashboard display. I know they are never completely accurate but the Corolla seems to be suspiciously inaccurate. On my long trip to North Wales it showed 70mpg when I arrived. After three days of driving to golf courses and one trip through Snowdonia it was saying 68mpg and it was time to fill up. I calculated it at 58mpg. But hey, that was a different filling station from last time so I gave it the benefit of the doubt. Since then I've filled it up twice more and the figures were (displayed/calculated): 59/54 60/55. So it seems like it's just that inaccurate and makes me wonder how many Toyota Hybrid owners have been duped into thinking it's better than it is.
* Electronic handbrake. I like it a lot. And I like the concept of brake hold (when you come to a halt it holds the car in place). But you have to switch brake hold on every time you start the car (not a bug - the manual specifically mentions that). Oh and to raise an old debate it keeps the brake lights on. So whilst I don't need to keep the foot brake pressed I still have to have the brake lights on unless I take the trouble to switch into Park to activate the parking brake. Which of course I won't.
* The auto wipers are no better than the Jazz.
* Not that it's an issue for me but there is less room in the rear seats. It can take three adults back there but I wouldn't want to drive any great distance with an adult in the back. The legroom is borderline.
But it's a joy to be back driving a 'CVT'(*) that has smooth power delivery. LED headlights are great. It looks gorgeous and has more power on tap. Boot storage is as good as the Jazz and actually better for a set of golf clubs as it can take a driver width-wise.
It's not actually a CVT. It's a complicated system of planetary gears. There's some seriously clever programming under the bonnet
http://www.thefullwiki.org/Hybrid_Synergy_Drive#Phases_of_operation