At 57 years on the market and counting, Toyota’s compact Corolla easily passes the test of time with more than 50 million sold worldwide and best-selling nameplates of all time. A reliable, fuel efficient means of transport, this popular entry point into the Toyota lineup finds itself branching off in new directions.
In addition to a four-door sedan, Corolla offers a five-door hatchback. Need more style? In 2022 Toyota said Hello to the eye-pleasing Corolla Cross crossover. Need more speed? The ‘GR Corolla,’ (GR a polite nodding to the company’s ‘Gazoo Racing team’ influence) provides a turbocharged engine and 300 horses ready to rumble. Also, in 2022 the one-time Corolla hybrid promise became reality.
Is it any surprise Corolla began offering a gas-electric hybrid? After all, the company has sold more gas-electric hybrid vehicles than any manufacturer. Toyota’s 25-year hybrid track record provides a valuable road map for this self-charging, fuel-extending never in need of a wall socket plug design.
The number of Corolla hybrids expands to five in 2023 from just one (a front-drive LE) last year. All trims now include a standard, mid-size 8-inch center flat screen monitoring the audio multimedia system (part of Toyota’s next-generation audio multimedia). Of bigger interest, the combined hybrid-electric powertrain system packs more motive reaching 134 net horsepower in 2023, up 13.
And one last note; the stylish Corolla Cross Crossover adds an all-wheel drive gas-electric hybrid opportunity in 2023 with a 43 mpg hit.
With all the goings on in Corolla’s orbit, Toyota waved good-bye to the underpowered C-HR subcompact five-door hatchback which debuted in the 2018 model year and never reached Corolla’s buzz.
Our tester of the week, a self-charging 2023 Corolla XLE front-wheel-drive hybrid reaches the coveted 50 miles per gallon threshold per the Environmental Protection Agency. It’s an enticingly affordable choice for those desiring to use less petrol fuel, but not ready to go all-plug and all electric all the time.
It’s based on a twelfth-generation Corolla platform introduced in June of 2018 built upon the Toyota New Global Architecture-C platform (TNGA-C). Think of “C” as the compact version of this ultra-flexible platform.
While overall exterior looks remain Corolla-like what’s powering this four-door sedan under hood (and floor) checks in anew. A 600-volt lithium-ion battery pack resides under the rear seats contributing to a lower center of gravity. Look closely at the driver’s side second-row seat bottom containing horizontal vents helping supply air flow around the battery. Earlier hybrid models from Toyota and other rivals sometimes stored the battery closer to trucks/back hatch regions reducing cargo dimensions and handling excitement.
Toyota’s choice of the lighter weight, space-saving lithium-ion battery pack for the Corolla hybrid rather than the heavier Nickel Metal Hydride battery makes sense for a compact as overall weight gets reduced. When introduced over two decades ago, the original, game-changing Prius utilized a heavier Nickel Metal Hydride battery (and still does) and finds a home within gas-electric hybrid editions of the i-Force Max full-size Tundra pickup.
As it stands Corolla hybrids enjoy 60/40-split fold down second row seating expanding capacity into the 13.0 cubic-foot trunk (decent for this class), a claim earlier hybrids could not claim. Be wary of curved, exposed interior hinges which could scrunch boxes positioned incorrectly.
With the backrests prone, two adults fit with ultimate comfort, three’s a stretch for all but the shortest treks, also not unusual for a compact entry. Headroom remains acceptable front and back.
Corolla Hybrid remains so conspicuous, it’s almost impossible for a passerby to recognize this as an eco-friendly choice except for the tinge of logo blue.
The circular T logo affixed to the front grille includes a blue hue, Toyota’s not-so-subtle indicator this version qualifies as an alternate fuel extender as do all of the company’s gas-electric hybrid, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and all-electric EV candidates with this tinge. Instead of a conventional Eco green, Toyota skews a pale sky-blue.
A conventional, gas-fed, 1.8-liter internal combustion engine (ICE) teams with either one or two electric traction motors. No need for higher premium fuel as regular 87-octane unleaded happily fills the 11.3-gallon tank contributing to an outstanding range of 565 miles (based on the 50 mile per gallon mile marker).
An all-wheel drive format is also new for the 2023 Corolla hybrid, offered with returning front-wheel drive. In the world of hybrids and EV’s, choosing all-wheel drive simply involves adding an electric traction motor to both axles rather than one. Both return the identical 134 combined horses and team with a hybrid-friendly continually variable transmission (CVT). An electronic CVT utilizes an infinite number of forward gear ratios rather than seven or eight forward planetary gear choices.
It operates from the driver’s perspective very similar to a conventional automatic with a vertical sliding shifter between front buckets when selecting Park, Reverse, Neutral or Drive. It’s the fuel-efficient choice, not a sporty, high-impact reality.
Corolla’s combo powertrain coupled with the CVT provides a bit more audio engine feedback compared with historically calm four-cylinder ICEs, especially when heavy acceleration gets called upon.
Just ahead of the transmission shifter, a push-button selecting between two drive modes: Eco and Normal. At the other end, a small arm rest/storage bin hinged at the back with a 12-volt outlet inside and a single USB ports. Don’t expect an overwhelming number of storage nooks with this Corolla as a limited number are available.
Our XLE tester checked in with a $26,600 starting price with one factory option (upgraded premium JBL speaker sound system -$675) and a smattering of aftermarket goodies for a $29,136 bottom line including the $1,095 destination fee. A front-wheel drive Corolla hybrid LE starts at a relatively attainable $22,800 in 2023, about a thousand dollars less than the 2022’s lowest bid with a decent array of safety features standard.
The circular electronic start-stop button resides on the dashboard, right of the steering column. The eye-pleasing, all-digital instrument panel includes a few hints of the dual technology without overwhelming graphics or non-essential data.
Always displayed without endless searching from paneled screens: a digital distance to empty reading, digital odometer readout, digital time, digital outside temperature, a right-side half-moon bar graph illustrating remaining gallons of gas and a left-side half-moon display with temperature illustration.
The center boasts a large three-quarter circle with charge, eco and power sections framing the outer reaches of the inside circle illustrating the battery’s current state. A digital speedometer resides in the twelve midnight area.
Below the digital speedometer readout resides a multi-panel window controllable via nine-o’clock steering wheel face buttons (as well as nearby secondary volume controls). A half-dozen information panels are available including a small visual animating the flow of energy from the battery to the electric motors(s). At three o’clock, cruise control settings (as well as secondary station select buttons).
As is the case with Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, gas-electric hybrids employee regenerative braking, a technology recapturing kinetic energy created during the friction-enhancing braking process into the lithium-ion battery pack for later reuse. It’s just one of the marvels contributing to the combined 50-mile-per-gallon sweepstakes.
The flat muti-function 8-inch screen includes a black on/off/volume push-twist dial/button tucked into the lower left corner, but no station select dial opportunity. All trims now sport two USB-C ports in back bringing the car total to four. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility come standard.
A narrow, rectangular HVAC region resides below the screen with larger dials (fan speed and temperature settings) flanking a digital screen with recognizable icons. Below, a row of push buttons employ front/rear defroster and fan-direction setting. At times though, muscle memory had my right hand reaching for the fan speed dial when expecting louder audio sound.
While the release button for the driver’s side fuel tank door locates on the dashboard left of the steering wheel, the trunk release lever continues on the floor left of the driver’s bucket.
More than 50 million Corollas have sold worldwide since its 1966 debut (arriving in the U.S. beginning in 1968 as an extra-diminutive rear-wheel-drive two-door), a brag precious few makes and/or models can or will ever top; and the number of Corolla variants has never been greater.
Price as tested: $29,231
Internal Combustion Engine: 1.8-liter four cylinder
Combined Horsepower: 134
Wheelbase: 106.3 inches
Overall Length: 182.3 inches
Overall Width: 70.1inches
Overall Height: 56.5 inches
Curb Weight: 2,850 pounds
Hybrid-related parts warranty: 8 years/100,000 miles
Hybrid Battery warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles
Fuel Economy: 53 mpg city/ 46 mpg highway
Assembly: Japan