The Japanese giant has impeccable timing. The latest hot Clio has lost some of its rorty predecessor's fizz and the Type-R - despite all the hype - has a soft underbelly for the T-Sport to sink its teeth into. Both cars have got people excited about hot hatches again, yet both have failed to capture the true magic of, say, the 306 GTI-6. If the engineers have got it right, Toyota could be laughing because enthusiasts are crying out for a truly defining fast hatch.

Certainly the T-Sport's spec, and Toyota's recent form in producing engaging driver's cars, make for a mouthwatering prospect. The Corolla's 1.8-litre VVTL-i engine, shared with the Celica T-Sport, produces 189bhp at a stratospheric 7800rpm, yet it promises to deliver a flat torque curve for sustained power, and all channelled to the front wheels via a close-ratio six-speed 'box.

Toyota has paid particular attention to the electric power steering and is keen to better the Type-R's inconsistent and conspicuously artificial feel at the helm. That shouldn't be difficult. The real question is whether the T-Sport can combine the raw speed of the Civic with the fluidity and nimbleness of the Renault. If it can we'll have a new class-leader and proof that the modern breed of MPV-like hatches can cut it as red-blooded driver's car.

Approaching the Corolla, I can't help but think that visually it's a missed opportunity. Like the Civic and Peugeot 307, the Corolla has grown into an unappealing mini people-carrier, but the T-Sport could have tried a lot harder to overcome the unsexiness of its basic architecture. The 16-inch wheels look rather sorry for themselves in the big arches (despite suspension that's 15mm lower than standard) and there's nothing to suggest that this is Toyota's weapon of choice for mounting an attack on the hot hatch establishment.

Inside things are better. The quality of the dash and instrument binnacle is top notch, the seats are supportive and comfortable and the driving position is good. It feels a class above the ageing Clio but less-focussed than the sportier feeling Type-R. Turn the key and the highly-tuned engine settles to a buzzy, uninspiring idle. Within 100 yards it's clear that brutality will be the key to unlocking this car's potential.
You expect to have to rev it, but the T-Sport's VVTL-i engine makes the Civic's i-VTEC feel like a turbo-diesel, such is its flat performance below 6000rpm. You suspect that Toyota was chasing the headline bhp figure and forgot about driveability; a Clio 172 would drive out of sight on its broad band of torque if the Corolla's driver showed even an ounce of mechanical sympathy. The six-speed 'box should allow you to keep the manic engine on the boil, and its ratios are certainly tightly-stacked to keep you in the power-band, but its action is disappointingly sticky.

On the roads around the launch venue at Marbella, the Corolla rides impressively well. It has a 'grown-up' feel that's miles away from a 172. But the chassis doesn't match the uncompromising engine. The steering is nicely weighted at speed and responds fairly accurately, but it's short on feedback. The suspension allows plenty of roll, which lets you really load up the chassis, yet the rear never seems to help you out. Not unless you're teetering close to disaster and lift off - then the tail edges round. Or it tries to, until the non-switchable stability control kills the fun. It doesn't beg to be driven like an old Integra Type-R, nor does it reward being taken by the scruff.

In the UK the T-Sport's relatively soft set-up could be a blessing. Where a Civic might attack a road in a series of short bursts, the Toyota could flow. We'll have to see. But I'd be surprised if the T-Sport could overcome the apparent engine and chassis mismatch. To get the best from the engine requires total commitment and a flurry of fierce, perfectly timed gearchanges but the chassis feels too soft and reluctant to get stuck in. Drive smoothly, try to keep it neat and tidy, and the Corolla begins to make sense - but it doesn't feel much like a hot-hatch. Reconciling the two styles is frustrating and the fear is that ultimately the reward just isn't worth the effort.