2023 Toyota Corolla: The King of Compact Cars
The 2023 Toyota Corolla serves a broader audience than ever before. From fuel-sipping hybrids to track-ready GR Corolla hatchbacks. Read our full review here.
2023 Toyota Corollas – pressroom.toyota.com | Shop 2023 Toyota Corolla on Carsforsale.com
What’s new for the 2023 Toyota Corolla?
Toyota has updated the Corolla in a huge way for 2023. No, this isn’t an all-new model but there’s a lot to get excited about. Firstly, the GR Corolla gets added to the lineup with a rally-inspired drivetrain and stunning performance.
The rest of the Corolla lineup sees big changes too. The old base engine is gone in favor of a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder with more power. The Hybrid gets two new trim levels. Every Corolla gets an 8-inch infotainment system too. New grille designs, headlight designs, and wheels get added to the lineup as well.
The Breakdown
GR Corolla is a revelation
Great safety equipment
Inexpensive hybrid fuel economy
Normal Corollas are too slow
Not enough storage space
Loud interior
A Corolla for every buyer
2023 Corolla Specs
- 169 horsepower from base engine
- 151 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 11 available trims
- 13 cu-ft of cargo capacity
- 17.8 cu-ft of cargo capacity with seats down
- Available cloud-based Navigation
- IIHS Top Safety Pick+
- Two years free maintenance
2023 Toyota Corolla Powertrain
Toyota sells the Corolla with three different powertrains and either front or all-wheel drive. The base engine is a gas-burning inline-four with 169 hp and 158 lb-ft of torque. It sends power to the front wheels only through a continuously variable transmission.
To put it gently, the base engine is underpowered and uninspiring. And that makes the hybrid engine, a 1.8-liter four-cylinder with 134 hp even more disappointing. In a Hybrid Corolla, it can take some 10 seconds to go from 0-60 if the battery is depleted. That’s simply unacceptable in our eyes.
Beyond simple power, the rest of the Corolla driving experience is pleasant enough to keep up with its competition. The steering can feel a bit numb but body roll is kept to a minimum and the pedals provide good feedback. The low windshield and windows provide good visibility, too, so maneuvering in tight spaces is easy.
The GR Corolla family is decidedly better to drive in every way. Toyota added more than 300 extra welds to stiffen the body up and provide better response to the driver. It shows too because the GR Corolla feels taut and sharp. The three-cylinder engine under its hood develops 300 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque and then sends it to all four wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.
To put it simply, it’s the best hot hatch we’ve driven this year. Power delivery is smooth and predictable and the way this car changes direction makes it feel like a proper sports car. The MORIZO Edition adds super sticky Michelin tires and 20 more lb-ft of torque. It also includes a more aggressive suspension setting profile and a rear-seat delete. Limited to just 200 units for North America, it’s an instant classic and the best Corolla ever built.
2023 Toyota Corolla Fuel Economy & MPG
It should come as no surprise that fuel economy figures surrounding the Corolla range from amazing to not terrible. On the upper end of the scale, the Corolla Hybrid can achieve up to 53 mpg in the city and 46 on the highway according to the EPA. The regular gas burner can get up to 32 and 41 respectively. The GR Corolla dips quite a bit though down to 21 and 28.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
Ride comfort and quality span a large range in the Corolla. Our favorite of the three has to be the sedan as it offers the most interior space, and the best rear-seat legroom, and doesn’t give up much in the way of cargo space. The seats in all non-GR Corollas are comfortable and supportive. The ‘Sport’ seats in some models add a bit of bolstering but aren’t any harsher on long drives. Ride quality is composed and confidence-inspiring.
The hatchback adds storage and practicality to an already good package. That’s noteworthy because the main cabin area of the Corolla is devoid of clever storage spaces that we’ve grown accustomed to in cars like the Corolla Cross. The highlight of the Corolla has to be its solid build quality though. Regardless of which trim level one picks, that’s a consistent theme across the range.
It’s worth noting that those who go for the GR Corolla are going to experience a rougher ride. The seats aren’t as cushioned and the suspension is decidedly more aggressive. On top of that, the super-rare Morizo Edition only has two speakers and no back seat whatsoever. Every Corolla tends to be a bit noisy in the cabin and while that’s great for GR owners, it’s a bit annoying in every other trim level.
Entertainment & Technology
The base infotainment found in lower-spec Corollas is an 8-inch unit that incorporates both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay along with voice controls. Toyota’s Entune user interface isn’t our favorite since it’s a bit clunky but once one learns the system it’s a little less bumpy. Thankfully smartphone connectivity offers a way to skip Entune altogether. We like the inclusion of physical knobs and buttons as well.
A small 4.2-inch digital information system on low-end trims is helpful but we really like the larger 7-inch version is worth spending a little bit more on. The GR models even feature a huge 12.3-inch gauge cluster with all sorts of helpful performance data. We only wish it was more configurable. Sound quality is good throughout the Corolla range and we highly recommend the JBL sound system as it’s one of the better ones in this segment and it’s not a very expensive option.
Safety Features
Every Corolla in the lineup comes with Toyota’s Safety Sense 3.0 suite of features. That includes full-speed dynamic radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, automated emergency braking, lane-tracing assist, automatic high beams, and road sign assist. On top of that, the 2022 Corolla was awarded a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS and we expect the 2023 version to get the same rating. In addition, the NHTSA gave it a five-star overall safety rating.
2023 Toyota Corolla Trims & Pricing
The Corolla features two main body styles and three powertrain families. A sedan variant makes up the majority of the lineup with six distinct trim levels. A hatchback version is also available with another five trim levels.
Across all of those trims, you’ll find fuel-efficiency-focused gas burners, hybrids, and horsepower-obsessed engines. Most gas models come with FWD only while hybrids can be either FWD or AWD. The two lower trim hatchbacks are FWD only while the sporty GR models only come with AWD. We make sense of the details below.
LE – $21,500
The base Corolla comes with LED running lights, heated side mirrors, automatic climate control, two drive modes, a 4.2-inch driver information display, an 8-inch infotainment system, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, six speakers, integrated cloud-based navigation, voice recognition, fabric upholstery, keyless entry, and 16-inch steel wheel. Every Corolla comes with Toyota Safety Sense which is outlined in our Safety section.
Hybrid LE – $22,800
This version of the Corolla obviously gets a hybrid powertrain but it also adds LED headlights, and four USB ports, and swaps out the sport mode in the normal LE for an Eco mode.
SE Hatchback – $23,005
The base hatchback version of the Corolla gets 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, LED tail lights, LED DRLs, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, and two USB ports.
SE – $23,990
Go for the SE sedan and you’ll get 18-inch wheels, premium sport seats, a nine-speaker JBL premium sound system, a smart key system, a sport mesh black grille, grey metallic sport side rocker panels, and a color-keyed rear spoiler.
Hybrid SE – $25,240
Toyota includes all the same equipment on the Hybrid SE as it does on the normal SE version. The only change is the engine itself.
Hybrid XLE – $26,600
The top-end hybrid gets 16-inch alloy wheels, a moonroof, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a 7-inch digital gauge cluster, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
XSE Hatchback – $26,430
This top spec of the normal hatchback gets 18-inch wheels, an eight-speaker JBL sound system, dual-zone automatic climate control, faux leather upholstery, a wireless charging pad, the same 7-inch gauge cluster from the Hybrid XLE, heated front seats, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic alert.
XSE – $26,700
The highest-level sedan includes power-adjustable heated front seats, a 7-inch gauge cluster, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
GR Core – $35,900
The base GR Corolla gets a triple exhaust, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, a color-keyed roof, LED fog lights, widebody fender flares, fabric upholstery with grey-stitched interior accents, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, aluminum sport pedals, a sport-tuned suspension, 4-piston aluminum front brake calipers, and 2-piston rear brake calipers.
GR Circuit Edition – $42,900
This trim adds limited slip differentials to each axle on the GR Corolla along with a forged carbon fiber roof, a functional hood scoop, an Ultrasuede and leather upholstery package, red-stitched interior accents, red painted calipers, a leather Morizo shift knob, and a JBL sound system.
GR Morizo Edition – $49,000
This super-limited trim gets super sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, a rear-seat delete, red seat belts, an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, only two speakers total, a little more torque (295 lb-ft), and a track-tuned suspension.
Warranties
Toyota offers a three-year or 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty on every Corolla. In addition, powertrains are covered for five years or 60,000 miles. Hybrid components get coverage for eight years or 100,000 miles and all Corolla buyers enjoy two years or 25,000 miles of complimentary maintenance.
What we think
2023 Toyota GR Corolla – toyota.com | Shop 2023 Toyota Corolla on Carsforsale.com
The Corolla is far from perfect and the non-GR versions especially need more power to keep up with modern traffic but there’s no denying this small car’s practicality. It’s spacious enough for four adults, can haul a decent bit of gear in the back, and for those with the cash for a GR version, it’ll embarrass far less practical cars on a race track.
With 11 different trims to choose from and a barrage of outstanding safety features we can’t help but recommend it. Before dropping the cash on one though we suggest reviewing our article on new car incentives.
