Inside and out, the best-selling Toyota Corolla has changed for 2023. The improved technology, a more potent petrol-electric hybrid drivetrain, and specific aesthetic tweaks are highlights.
The new 16-inch wheels that the mid-spec 2023 Corolla SX Hybrid Hatch shares with the base Ascent Sport and the LED front fog lights and privacy glass can be used to identify the vehicle in this test.
The Corolla competes against models like the Hyundai i30, Kia Cerato, Mazda 3, and VW Golf and has been Australia’s best-selling passenger car for ten years.
The competition in the burgeoning small SUV market pits the Corolla against models like the related Toyota Corolla Cross, the GWM Haval Jolion, the Mazda CX-30, the Hyundai Kona, and the MG ZS for drivers seeking fuel-efficient transportation. The Corolla is undoubtedly a best-seller, but does it still hold up in 2023 after this mid-life update?
What is the price of the Toyota Corolla Hatch SX Hybrid?
The mid-spec model in the lineup is the Toyota Corolla SX. It costs $34,280 in hatchback hybrid form before on-road expenses, which is $2500 more expensive than the non-hybrid model.
Our tester’s Sunstone Orange Metallic colour cost an extra $575 and is new for 2023, putting the total up to $34,855 before on-road expenses. For Victorian buyers, it is presently listed at $39,251 drive-away (each state has slightly different taxes). The Corolla SX Hybrid doesn’t have many hybrid rivals in its class.
The GWM Haval Jolion Ultra Hybrid and Honda HR-V e: HEV L, both SUVs with current MSRPs of $39,990 drive-away and $47,000 drive-away, would be two of its closest rivals.
The Corolla Cross GX 2WD Hybrid ($35,500), Yaris Cross Urban 2WD Hybrid ($35,840), and Camry Ascent Hybrid ($34,990) are a few Toyota alternatives. The Corolla competes against a decreasing number of small passenger cars priced similarly if you don’t need a hybrid.
Examples are the Hyundai i30 N Line DCT ($32,220), Kia Cerato Sport+ ($31,440), Mazda 3 G20e Evolve M Hybrid ($33,340), and Volkswagen Golf 110TSI ($35,190).
Price of a 2023 Toyota Corolla:
- Sport hatchback Corolla Ascent: $28,630
- $28,630 for a Corolla Ascent Sport sedan
- $31,130 for a Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid hatchback
- $31,680 for a Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid car.
- $31,780 Corolla SX hatchback
- $31,780 for a Corolla SX car.
- hatchback Corolla SX hybrid: $34,280
- $34,280 for a Corolla SX Hybrid car.
- $35,620 Corolla ZR hatchback
- $37,120 Corolla ZR sedan
- hatchback Corolla ZR hybrid: $38,120
- Hybrid Corolla ZR sedan: $36,620
All prices exclude on-road costs
How does the interior of the Toyota Corolla Hatch SX Hybrid look?
The Toyota Corolla’s interior has traditionally been seen as generally practical but possibly appliance-like.
Despite its dark colour scheme, the new Corolla SX Hybrid we’re testing today brightens up some crucial parts.
The cloth seats include some quirky-looking inlays, such as hexagonal bits on the centre back and base, but their design is inoffensive.
The front seats are manually adjustable and offer a sporty appearance. Although the driver’s seat may use a little more lumbar support to be perfect, they are still very comfortable to sit in. The faux leather finish on the wheel makes it comfortable to hold, and the buttons are rationally positioned and have a satisfying tactile click.
A new 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster that is primarily dark and has one primary layout with a circular charge/eco/power dial resembling a rev counter is in front of the driver. At first view, it appears to be a physical dial that may be substituted.
I mainly used the cluster to display the hybrid system’s operation on the ‘Energy Monitor page. Observing how quickly the high-voltage battery can charge when driving around town regularly is fascinating.
Other screens on the digital instrument cluster include a compass, fuel efficiency, radar cruise, Eco Score, and EV Ratio. The set comes in three designs: Casual, Smart, and Sporty.
The new 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, located in the dash’s centre, is a significant advance, partly because of its high-resolution display. Although it’s essentially the same size as the pre-update model, the quality has improved significantly.
The physical hotkey buttons were eliminated, although the display does include big black bezels and a volume knob on the wrong side (for the right-hand drive).
The system has a respectable amount of computing power, so sites load rapidly, and the system starts immediately when the car is turned on.
Although scrolling through them with the beeping feedback of every screen tap can be bothersome, several modern-looking layouts are inspired by the most recent Lexus system. Fortunately, you can turn this off.
Satellite navigation, which comes with the SX as standard, feels and looks modern. Finding places and tourist attractions is simple.
Every 2023 Corolla model includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as a new feature. Everything appears quite sharp on the new screen, and during my time with the car, I didn’t encounter any significant problems or dropouts.
Moreover, a wireless phone charger functioned with my iPhone 12 Pro Max. With a raised border to hold your phone in place, it’s conveniently situated at the front of the centre tunnel.
You may also connect your phone to one of the new USB-C connections if you don’t want to use wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. One is buried on the dashboard next to the wireless phone charger, while the other is in the centre console.
Physical climate control buttons and knobs identical to those on the pre-update model are located beneath the touchscreen. An artificial leather-wrapped gear selector, traction control, and drive mode buttons are located to the left of the driver’s knee.
The black piano that covers this specific area of the centre tunnel became extremely dirty and smudged over the week we owned the car. Even though the car was practically brand new, it had scratches.
Luckily, aside from the annoying black piano, the centre console is mainly covered in soft plastics. But, you don’t have to look far to locate more rigid plastics, even though the front armrests are mild and pleasant for any journey.
All of the cabin’s furnishings are 50 shades of black, sometimes giving the impression that it is incredibly dark and cramped. The black headlining doesn’t help here.
The 2023 model year update includes a new auto-dimming rear-view mirror that functions as promised and shakes when you crank the six-speaker audio system. As you move to the second row, the lack of air vents and USB outlets makes you feel like you shouldn’t be there.
I had to spread my legs out on each side of the seat in front because I am a lean 182 cm. Just enough headroom and toe room were available to me.
Even though the back bench seat is excellent, and the door and fold-down centre armrests are beautifully padded, I couldn’t see riding in the back for extended distances.
Although I’d love to see someone try to install a rear-facing baby seat and try to sit comfortably in the front seat, it’s safe to conclude that the back seat should be set aside for children.
The bench has three headrests and three seatbelts, but I wouldn’t advise fitting more than two people in the back because trouble will start.to get very squishy. Due in part to the high-voltage battery and space-saving spare tire, the boot only has a capacity of 217L.
My work backpack won’t fit into the boot without me elevating the package shelf because of how strangely shaped it is. Yet, there are deep spaces on both sides for loose objects.
The parcel shelf in the boot has a loop that can hold the fake floor up so you can access the spare tire. This is a handy feature. This is incredibly helpful for those who have changed a tire before.
What’s inside the hood?
A more advanced petrol-electric hybrid system includes a 1.8-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine, an “enhanced” front axle-mounted electric drive motor, a new high-output motor generator, a revised power control unit, and a smaller hybrid transaxle powers the updated hybrid lineup.
The overall system output is 103kW, an increase of 13kW over the version before the modification. Toyota gives no combined torque number.
The outdated nickel metal hydride battery has been replaced with a lithium-ion battery in Corolla Hybrid versions. This new battery is advertised as having a 14% weight reduction and increased input and output power.
With a continuously variable transmission, the front wheels are the only ones receiving power (CVT).
The Corolla Hybrid hatch’s claimed combined fuel economy is 4.0L/100km. We observed that precise average fuel consumption statistic during our 500km of highway and city driving with the Corolla SX Hybrid hatch testing.
All Corolla Hybrid models have a 43-litre fuel tank holding at least 91 RON regular unleaded gasoline.
The Toyota Corolla Hatch SX Hybrid’s driving characteristics.
Every time you push the Toyota Corolla Hybrid’s bright blue start button, something interesting happens since you expect the petrol engine to rev up, but most of the time, it doesn’t. Instead, you hear a quiet beep, and that’s it. The car is started and prepared to move.
There are a few exceptions to this rule, as I witnessed the petrol engine starting when it was pretty cold outside, and our high-voltage battery was nearly dead. Even when the car did this, the petrol engine wasn’t thunderous, but it interfered with the serene atmosphere of an electric vehicle (EV).
While the Corolla Hybrid moves, you notice it is a silent vehicle, especially at low speeds. Nearly all the traffic at the lights can be kept up with (or pulled ahead of) from 0 to 40 km/h. Most of this is accomplished using only electric power. This is partly due to the new lithium-ion battery pack and the “improved” front axle-mounted electric motor for the 2023 update.
If you apply more pressure to the gas pedal or put the car in “Power Mode,” the gasoline engine roars to life and helps the electric motor. Because the gasoline engine likes to rev up relatively high when the electric power is running low, this can sometimes be annoying.
The Corolla Hybrid prefers to maintain its petrol-electric Hybrid powertrain in EV mode in urban driving settings as often as possible, despite having a relatively modest high-voltage battery pack compared to plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and complete EVs.
The Corolla Hybrid can be locked into using its electric motor exclusively in “EV Mode.” This is readily overridden by slightly pressing the accelerator too hard or moving too quickly.
I used the electric motor for 82% of a 45-minute ride into the workplace one day when there was heavy traffic. The goal was to exclusively maintain the car on electric power and achieve the most remarkable “Eco Score” possible. I used regenerative braking as much as possible to reach this ratio.
Instead of having a one-pedal braking system, the Corolla Hybrid incorporates some regenerative braking when you let up on the gas and much more when you begin to apply the brakes.
Most of the time, regenerative braking feels natural, but occasionally it seemed like the physical brakes applied too much force while coming to a complete stop. Regenerative braking also eliminates the irritating CVT speed creeping you sometimes experience when going down a hill.
The gear selector on the Corolla Hybrid can be shifted down one position from “D” to engage the braking or “B” function. This feature is supposed to help the automobile slow down more quickly, but I discovered that it only turned on the petrol engine and increased its revs so that it could be engine brake.
The Corolla Hybrid’s hybrid technology is less useful once you’re off the city streets and on the interstate. Although designed more for urban driving, it can easily handle the occasional rural stint.
The gasoline engine runs continuously to keep the automobile moving at higher speeds, while the electric motor assists as the gasoline engine’s rpm fall. It doesn’t feel as quick as it does while moving at a stationary speed; going from 80 to 100 km/h takes some time.
You’ll also enjoy excellent fuel economy wherever you are.
You can get Corolla Hybrid’s fuel consumption as low as 3.1 L/100km and no more than 5.1 L/100km over 500 km of testing on various urban and rural trips.
As said earlier, you can drive 500 km, an average of 4.0 litres per 100 km. You can travel about 1000km on a tank using this average fuel efficiency as a reference.
Tuned to perfection by Toyota, the Corolla Hybrid’s suspension strikes a good balance between feeling in control and compliance over all the lumps and bumps of urban and rural driving. Relatively modest 16-inch alloy wheels with fat tires that can help absorb bumps are helpful.
The Corolla Hybrid feels dynamic on the road despite being heavier than petrol-only vehicles due to its high-voltage battery. You almost think you must drive more quickly because of its elegance.
This results in a planted, predictable, and controllable feeling at faster speeds. The Corolla Hybrid could remain at highway speeds indefinitely once you get there.
The Corolla Hybrid’s adaptive cruise control technology functions effectively for the most part. As of 2023, the cruise control can activate the brakes if you’re moving too quickly to maintain your chosen speed. Formerly, when you exceeded the cruise control setting, the car would play a grating chime to alert you to slow down.
The radar cruise system loves to brake early when handling rush-hour traffic, which can be advantageous and annoying.
Finally, the emergency steering assistance and lane-keeping assistance perform admirably. The car tried to steer me in the opposite direction only a few times because it wasn’t entirely sure where the lane markers were.
What do you get?
Corolla SX hatchback features:
- alloy 16-inch wheels
- portable spare tire
- auto-LED headlights
- LED daytime running lights with automatic high beams
- LED backlighting
- front LED fog lamps
- rear fog lamp LED
- Window wipers with a rain sensor
- extending door mirrors automatically
- Thermostatic door mirrors
- Privacy glass
- Digital instrument cluster, 7.0 inches
- 8.0-inch touchscreen information display device
- Wireless Wired Android Auto DAB+ digital radio Apple CarPlay
- Sound system with six speakers and satellite navigation
- Two USB-C connectors and a wireless phone charging
- a two-zone climatic system
- No-key entry
- with a push-button
- rear-view mirror with automatic dimming
- steering wheel coated in leatherette
- The gear lever is covered in leatherette
- Shift paddles (excludes Hybrid)
- Park brake electric
- fabric for furniture
- Remote Link for Toyota Connected Services (12 months)
Instead of dual-zone climate control, the Corolla SX Sedan has single-zone climate control.
A Corolla ZR hatchback adds:
- alloy 18-inch wheels
- Premium LED headlights
- Digital instrument cluster measuring 12.3 inches
- display in the head
- JBL sound system with eight speakers
- interior general illumination
- fake suede and leather accents on the upholstery
- heated sports seats up front
- Driver’s seat with 8-way power adjustment
- lumbar support in the driver’s seat
- Instead, the Corolla ZR sedan has leatherette upholstery and a nine-speaker JBL audio system.
Is the Hybrid Toyota Corolla Hatchback safe?
Based on testing done in 2018, the Toyota Corolla received a five-star ANCAP safety rating.
It achieved ratings of 96% for protecting adult occupants, 83% for protecting children, 86% for protecting vulnerable road users, and 76% for providing safety assistance.
The hatch range comes with the following standard safety features:
- eight airbags
- Emergency autonomous braking (AEB)
- detection of pedestrians
- biker detection
- detection of motorcycles
- Junction support
- Blind-spot observation
- Safe exit support
- Alert for rear cross-traffic (optional on Ascent Sport)
- Lane Detection Assist
- Warning for lane deviation
- emergency steering support
- Emergency Stop System for Vehicles
- recognizing speed limit signs
- Autonomous cruise control
- camera for reverse
- back and front parking sensors (optional on Ascent Sport)
- seat belt notice
Parking sensors are unavailable for the Corolla Sedan line, and the Ascent Sport and Ascent Sport Hybrid provide rear cross-traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring options.
How much does it cost to operate a Toyota Corolla Hatch SX Hybrid?
Like all Toyota models, the Corolla Hybrid is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty that can be extended by an additional two years, provided maintenance is performed at a Toyota dealer.
A five-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee on the high-voltage lithium-ion battery is also included; however, if you maintain your hybrid vehicle at a Toyota dealer and get yearly hybrid health checks, that warranty can be increased to ten years.
Every 12 months or 15,000 kilometres, logbook servicing is necessary. The first five services are limited at $245 apiece. This translates to $1225 over five years.
The Toyota Corolla Hatch SX Hybrid: CarExpert’s Opinion
It’s no surprise that the Toyota Corolla has been the best-selling passenger car for ten years in a row, given how excellent of a vehicle it is.
The Corolla’s interior and exterior have been nicely updated for the 2023 model year by Toyota. There was an urgent requirement for the new infotainment system.
Despite all its advantages, the second row of the Corolla Hatch is still tiny and has few conveniences, and the boot is relatively small. For one or two people, it’s okay.
Suppose you want to gain the real fuel-saving advantages of the petrol-electric hybrid system and all the available safety features as standard. In that case, the Corolla SX Hybrid hatchback version forms the best choice of the Corolla line.
Yes, the mid-range Corolla SX may not have the same flashy or athletic appearance as the ZR hatchback. Still, it rides better thanks to its smaller 16-inch alloy wheels and sturdy fabric upholstery rather than leather and faux suede.
You might choose the base Corolla Ascent Sport to hatch if you’re on a tight budget, but you’ll have to spend extra for an option pack that includes features like rear-cross traffic warning and front and rear parking sensors.
A Camry, Corolla Sedan, or Corolla Cross crossover could be chosen instead if you’d want a little extra inside room for the same money.
