2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Review: A Pragmatic Runabout

It may not be the most exciting car to drive or the most luxurious, but the Toyota Corolla Hatchback doesn't try to be anything more than the pragmatic runabout it was designed to be. Its looks may be a tad misleading, with a patterned grille, rear spoiler, and dual exhaust outlets hinting at sporting potential, but as far as hatchbacks go, it's one of the better-looking ones - if you're looking for a more suave, mature hatchback, the Mazda 3 is a better option. The Honda Civic is the Toyota hatch's other main competitor, and both rivals are more entertaining to drive and more practical. Powering the Corolla hatch is a 2.0-liter inline-four engine that produces up to 168 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque, which makes for respectable, but bland, performance. Still, the tried and true Toyota recipe for safety and reliability is unbeatable, and the compact hatchback's snazzy cabin, long list of features, and top-notch safety and reliability ratings make it a compelling option.

Corolla Hatchback Exterior

All three of the Corolla Hatchback models are outfitted with LED headlights, daytime running lights, and taillights, and feature automatic high beams, but only the XSE features integrated LED fog lights. A dark gray upper grille surround, color-keyed rear spoiler, and 16-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels characterize the SE. The SE Nightshade Edition is outfitted with blacked-out exterior accents including a black lower grille, side mirrors, handles, badging, and spoiler, and is equipped with 18-inch black alloy wheels. The top-spec XSE gets chrome exterior accents and 18-inch machine-finished alloy wheels.

Dimensions

With an overall length of 172 inches, a height of 57.1 inches, a width of 70.5 inches, and a 103.9-inch wheelbase, the Corolla Hatchback's dimensions are conducive to city roads and tight parking spaces. The curb weight for the little hatch is 3,060 pounds across the range.

Corolla Hatchback Performance

Engine and Transmission

Despite its sharp, sporty demeanor and compact, lightweight design, the Toyota Corolla hatch is to no extent a hot hatch. Behind its patterned grille is a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that's good for 168 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. Paired to a CVT as standard, the SE and XSE have access to a six-speed manual transmission as well - all models are front-wheel drive only.

Power and responses from the powertrain are fine for city driving, but getting up to highway speeds and overtaking can be a gradual and noisy affair. This is no hot hatch, and while top speed figures and a 0 to 60 time of around eight seconds are not important in this case, it's worth noting that the Honda Civic offers much more enthusiastic acceleration, thanks to an optional turbocharged four-pot.

Handling and Driving Impressions

Despite rather placid performance from the power plant, the Corolla Hatchback is still a fun car to drive. Its compact dimensions and front-wheel drivetrain help it to feel sharp and nimble in city conditions; it's delightfully easy to maneuver and park. If you're looking for something a little more fiery and sprightly, both the Honda Civic and Mazda 3 are likely to impress. Still, Toyota has really done a fantastic job with honing the hatchback's drive dynamics for comfort, and the chassis actually feels as though it could deal with more than what Toyota has given it.

Where the Corolla hatch really impresses is in the ride quality it delivers; it remains confidently unyielding and planted, even when pushed through corners, but its suspension is also supple enough to keep it composed and resolute over typical roads.

Corolla Hatchback Gas Mileage

As a relatively diminutive car that's equipped with a small-capacity engine and efficiency-minded CVT, the Corolla Hatchback is inherently very economical. Both the SE and the SE Nightshade Edition CVT return gas mileage figures of 32/41/35 mpg on the city/highway/combined driving cycles. The top-spec XSE CVT, because of its extensive list of additional specs, returns 30/38/33 mpg. Opting for the six-speed manual in either SE or XSE drops fuel economy down to 28/36/31 mpg.

By comparison, the most frugal Honda Civic hatch returns 31/39/35 mpg on those same cycles and the most thrifty Mazda 3 hatch manages 26/34/29 mpg. Fill the most efficient Corolla's 13.2-gallon fuel tank to the brim and it'll grant you around 460 miles of driving range before running empty.

Corolla Hatchback Interior

Seating and Interior Space

The 2022 Corolla Hatchback's cabin is contemporary, well-built, well-appointed, and surprisingly upscale. All three trims have a leather-clad steering wheel. The front sports seats, while not designed for athletic driving, provide enough support and comfort for long-distance road trips and regular everyday driving.

The base SE has manually-adjustable front seats with six-way adjustability for the driver. Only Black or Moonstone upholstery colors are on offer. The sportier SE Nightshade Edition only offers Black fabric seats. On the top XSE trim, you can have Black or Moonstone combination leather seats. This model also enjoys an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat.

The Corolla hatch can accommodate up to five occupants, but the rear bench isn't very spacious at all and is better suited to only two passengers.

Corolla Hatchback Trunk and Cargo Space

As a hatchback, the Corolla does compromise on some passenger room in the rear seats but it also offers more cargo room in the trunk than the sedan version. Pop the hatch and you're presented with 17.8 cubic feet of storage room. The trunk's load floor is rather high because of the spare tire, but if you do away with the spare wheel and opt for the puncture repair kit instead, you get a total of 23 cu.-ft. of room. While that is decent, it's still beaten by the new Honda Civic Hatchback's 24.5 cu.-ft. trunk. If you do need more cargo room, the rear bench does fold in a 60/40-split configuration.

Inside, the Corolla hatch comes with a center console storage area, the usual door pockets, and cupholders front and rear. Both front seats also have seatback pockets for the use of those at the back.

Features

The selection of creature comforts and conveniences is reasonably good on entry-spec models but it gets a lot better with the top-end XSE. In the SE, there's a leather-clad steering wheel with paddle shifters (CVT only), keyless entry with push-button start, a six-way manually-adjustable driver's seat, and single-zone climate control. It also comes standard with Toyota's Safety Sense 2.0 suite of driver assists which include automatic high beams, a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and road sign assistance. All the same features are found in the SE Nightshade Edition, too, but it sports a selection of blacked-out exterior accents. It also gets lane tracing assist. Upgrades to the XSE include a larger seven-inch driver multi-information display, an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

Infotainment

Toyota's infotainment system is modern, user-friendly, and comprehensive. It comprises an eight-inch infotainment touchscreen that is mounted high on the dashboard for easy visibility and accessibility and is linked up with a six-speaker audio system across the range that's mediocre in terms of quality. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity are inclusive across the board, a USB media port, and two USB charging ports. All models also come with SiriusXM satellite radio, Amazon Alexa, and Bluetooth capability. The XSE can be upgraded with an enhanced sound system featuring eight JBL speakers plus navigation.

Corolla Hatchback Problems and Reliability

There have been no recalls commissioned for the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback or its 2021 predecessor. The 2020 Corolla hatch was subject to two recalls, once for back-up lights that could fail and the other for a non-permanent text on the load capacity label; there are no other reliability issues noted.

Toyota covers the Corolla Hatchback with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty in the US, and provides two years or 25,000 miles of complimentary maintenance.

Warranty

Corolla Hatchback Safety

The Toyota Corolla Hatchback has undergone review by both the NHTSA and the IIHS for its crashworthiness and safety, and scored superb ratings from both authorities. The NHTSA provides a full five-star rating for three out of the four specific evaluations for the 2022 model, and the IIHS awarded a 2022 Top Safety Pick+ title to the little hatchback.

Every Corolla hatch comes equipped with ten airbags including a driver's knee airbag and rear side airbags. Toyota's Safety Sense 2.0 suite of driver aids is also standard across the board and comprises automatic high beams, pre-collision warning with pedestrian assist, lane departure alert with steering assist, dynamic radar cruise control, and road sign assist. The XSE also gets blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. CVT models have full-speed range dynamic radar cruise control and lane tracing assist

Verdict: Is the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback A Good car?

For a car that falls within a price range of between $20k to $24k, the new Toyota Corolla Hatchback is a good value-for-money buy. It's certainly not the best compact vehicle in the US, but it still sells well for its attractive pricing and solid Toyota-derived safety and reliability standards. The latest generation Corolla is also more entertaining to drive than ever before, it looks good, too, and has a contemporary interior that's brimming with features. Both the Honda Civic and the Mazda 3 hatchbacks are more fun to drive, but the Corolla is certainly still a car worth considering. It's an exceptional choice for those looking for a runabout that will get them from point A to point B with ease, in suitable comfort.

What's the Price of the 2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback?

Pricing for the 2022 Corolla Hatchback line is really attractive with the entry-spec manual SE coming in at an MSRP of $20,815. Opting for the CVT will increase its price by $1,100 to $21,915. The SE Nightshade edition goes on sale for $22,815 and is only offered with the CVT. The price of the Toyota Corolla Hatchback in XSE trim with the manual gearbox is $23,765 which increases to $24,865 with the CVT optioned in.

Only the SE and XSE equipped with the CVT have access to the optional packages; the SE Preferred Package will cost $1,350 and adds more connectivity features, along with blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert. The XSE Preferred Package costs $1,600 for the XSE but adds an eight-speaker JBL sound system and dynamic navigation, voice recognition, and Qi-compatible wireless smartphone charging.

What Toyota Corolla Hatchback Model Should I Buy?

The Toyota Corolla isn't a performance hot hatch, and it doesn't really try to be. It's a modern, stylish, and comfortable compact runabout that Americans have come to really admire. The SE Nightshade Edition is essentially just a darker appearance package of the entry-spec SE and it doesn't really bear any additional value over it. As such, we feel the XSE, with its chrome exterior trim and fanciful 18-inch machine-finished alloy wheels, looks the part and comes with all the desirable creature comforts and conveniences the Corolla line has to offer. Some of its more notable features include its seven-inch digital driver display, eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, combination leather seating upholstery, and dual-zone automatic climate control.

The XSE is a sweet deal as standard, but the eight-speaker JBL sound system is tempting. You'll have to option in the CVT for access to the optional packages, however, which means you'll be upping the Corolla's price Mazda 3 levels. Keep the manual for the engagement, albeit minimal, and don't bother with the extras as you'll be keeping the price far below that of the higher-spec Mazda 3 models but will still be getting plenty of value.

2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Comparisons

2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback vs Honda Civic Hatchback

With its fun, poised, and dynamic driving characteristics, and sharp, athletic looks, the Honda Civic Hatchback is the most popular 5-door hatch offered in the USA. It's the better driver's car overall and a far more proficient hatchback when it comes to performance thanks in part to its optional turbocharged 1.5-liter engine. The unit provides a sprightlier 180 hp and more efficacious 177 lb-ft of torque low down in the engine's rev band. In terms of niceties, the Civic also starts to best the Corolla at the higher end of the lineup; the lower-tier models otherwise match up pretty evenly. Both cars share exceptional cabin design and build quality, but the Civic offers more space in the back seats and more room in the trunk. All in all, the Honda Civic is the more entertaining and more pragmatic hatchback and is as attractively priced as the Corolla, so it's the clear winner here.

2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback vs Mazda 3 Hatchback

Like the Corolla Hatchback, the Mazda 3 Hatchback is also presented to the market with a more sophisticated character rather than a sporty one. Its exterior impression is certainly more formal and refined than that of the Corolla's, which some may really like. It is, however, equipped with a far more powerful 186-hp, 186-lb-ft 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated engine and can be equipped with an even more potent 250-hp 2.5-liter turbo unit. Unlike the Corolla, the Mazda 3 can be had in either FWD or all-wheel-drive guises. The Mazda 3 is the more entertaining vehicle to drive and is at the same time just as comfortable as the Corolla. The Mazda's cabin also feels a lot more polished and upscale, and while it is a little pricier than the Corolla, it also comes outfitted with a good amount more in features, particularly on the driver-assist and safety side of things. The Corolla is a good car, but Mazda goes above and beyond with the 3.