AutoTrader SCORE
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STYLING8/10
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Safety9/10
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PRACTICALITY7/10
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USER-FRIENDLINESS8/10
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FEATURES8/10
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POWER8/10
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COMFORT8/10
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DRIVING FEEL9/10
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FUEL ECONOMY8/10
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VALUE7/10
The 2024 Toyota Corolla Hatchback enters the model year unchanged, having received a few styling and features updates last year.
It comes in four trim levels, starting with the SE at $24,090, including a non-negotiable delivery fee of $1,760. Tested here was the top XSE trim, priced at $30,480 before options and extras.
Styling: 8/10
The hatchback shares its large lower grille with the Corolla sedan. It’s a design that can be a bit polarizing, but has some subtle and handsome details here, including a smoother hood edge and brightwork on the lower fascia. The base SE has 15-inch wheels, upgraded to 16-inch alloy rims on the SE Plus, while the SE Upgrade and XSE both use 19-inch dark grey wheels.
The simple but handsome interior is all about functionality with its buttons and dials. All trims include an eight-inch touchscreen. Lower trims have fabric upholstery, while the XSE’s seats are clad in faux-leather with cloth inserts.
Safety: 9/10
The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the 2024 Toyota Corolla Hatchback its highest five-star crash-test rating. At the non-profit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2023 version earned a Top Safety Pick, but while it got the top “Good” in most tests, it earned a next-step-down “Acceptable” in the updated side crash test, which better simulates being struck by a larger SUV. That “Acceptable” rating kept it from earning a Top Safety Pick+ for 2023, and in the 2024 ratings, only “Good” in that test will earn a Top Safety Pick.
All trims include emergency front braking including oncoming traffic on a left turn, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, automatic high-beam headlight, road sign recognition, driver’s knee airbag, a front passenger-seat cushion airbag, and the back-up camera that’s mandatory on all new vehicles sold in Canada. All trims but the base model also have blind-spot monitoring with a safe exit alert system that warns of traffic approaching from the rear.
Features: 8/10
The base SE trim is indeed rather base, but includes an eight-inch centre touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connections, push-button start, USB charging port, fabric upholstery, and automatic climate control. The SE Plus adds heated seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
From there, the SE Upgrade further heats the steering wheel, and adds a wireless charger and two rear USB ports. My XSE tester topped all that off with a power driver’s seat, eight-speaker audio system, faux-leather and fabric seats, fog lights, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a seven-inch digital instrument cluster. All models include trial subscriptions to safety, service, and remote functions. A Google-based navigation subscription can be added to lower trims, while the XSE includes a trial period.
User-Friendliness: 8/10
That simple-looking cabin features controls that are generally easy to use. The temperature and stereo volume are operated via dials, as they should be to reduce distraction. The small row of identical buttons that operate the fan speed, air vent direction, and defroster could be larger for easier use, but they’re still an improvement over tapping icons on a screen. If you have the Google navigation system, you can access the voice control system by simply saying, “Hey, Toyota” to handle several functions.
The steering wheel controls are equally simple, with a design Toyota has been using for a very long time – it originally mimicked the buttons on an iPod – but they’ve held up for their intuitive operation.
Practicality: 7/10
Hatchbacks have an almost inherent sense of practicality over a sedan, since you can load items almost straight into the back without bending down into a trunk; and they don’t have the bulk and height of an SUV. The Corolla Hatchback has 660 L of cargo space with the rear seats up. That’s more than the Kia Forte5, Mazda3 Sport, or Subaru Impreza, although it’s less than the 693 L in the Honda Civic hatchback. The rear seats fold down completely for extra cargo space, but they’re still taller than the cargo floor so you can’t put longer items in flat.
The Corolla is more space-challenged than most rivals, though. While headroom front and rear is about mid-pack, its front-seat legroom is slightly less than most. The rear seat is very tight, with just 759 mm (29.9 in) of legroom, where the Mazda3 Sport has 891 mm (35.1 in), and the Civic, Forte5, and Impreza run from 906 to 950 mm (35.7 to 37.4 in). If you’re a passenger, always call shotgun.
Comfort: 8/10
Providing you’re in that roomier front seat, the Corolla Hatchback is a comfortable car thanks to its supportive seats. The ride is firm and a bit noisy, but not enough to unsettle its passengers, and most should be fine with it.
Power: 8/10
The Corolla Hatchback uses a 2.0L four-cylinder engine making 169 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque, mated to an automatic continuously-variable transmission (CVT). It’s the same engine in the Corolla sedan, although that model is made in Ontario, while the hatchback hails from Japan. This would be a great little car with the Corolla sedan’s available hybrid powertrain but it isn’t offered, which means you also can’t get all-wheel drive (AWD) as with the hybrid. The hatchback has a small engine but peppy enough, and can handle highway merging and passing.
Driving Feel: 9/10
The Corolla Hatchback is a great little city car. It’s small enough to fit into tight spaces, and the steering is light and responsive. While its handling isn’t as sharp as that of the Mazda3, which pretty much remains the gold standard in this mainstream segment, the Corolla is fun to drive on a winding road. The SE Plus and above include paddle shifters on the steering wheel, which let you sequentially “shift” between pre-set points; it’s mostly a novelty but can be fun if you do have some curves up ahead.
Fuel Economy: 8/10
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) rates the 2024 Corolla Hatchback at 7.5 L/100 km in the city, 5.9 on the highway, and 6.8 in combined driving, and it takes regular-grade gasoline. On a cold week with it, I came in above at 7.9 L/100 km.
Among its hatchback rivals – measured against their comparable engines to the Toyota if they offer more than one – the Corolla is the thriftiest at that official 6.8, although they all are close. The Honda Civic Hatchback is rated at 7.1 L/100 km in combined driving; the Mazda3 Sport at 7.6; the Kia Forte5 at 7.7; and the Subaru Impreza, the only one with standard AWD on all trims, rates 8.0.
Value: 7/10
The base SE trim is priced at $25,850 before tax, while the SE Plus is $27,750, and the SE Upgrade is $29,350, but if the wallet permits, the move to the $33,035 XSE is appealing for the extra items it includes.
The Corolla Hatchback is priced below most of its rivals, where the Kia Forte5 runs about $25,695 to $34,295; the Mazda3 Sport starts around $27,445; and the Honda Civic Hatchback begins at $35,960 (all prices with delivery). The dark horse here could be the Subaru Impreza, which starts at $28,790. The Impreza RS at $33,790 has features fairly comparable to the Corolla Hatchback XSE, but the Subaru includes standard all-wheel drive.
The Verdict
The 2024 Toyota Corolla Hatchback is a fun little car that’s best viewed as a two-passenger model that can, in a pinch, carry extra people for short trips. It would be great if it offered its sedan sibling’s hybrid powertrain, but it’s still fuel-efficient, and worthy of a test-drive.
| Engine Displacement | 2.0L |
|---|---|
| Engine Cylinders | I4 |
| Peak Horsepower | 169 hp @ 6,600 rpm |
| Peak Torque | 151 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm |
| Fuel Economy | 7.5 / 5.9 / 6.8 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb |
| Cargo Space | 660 L |
| Model Tested | 2024 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE |
| Base Price | $31,275 |
| A/C Tax | $100 |
| Destination Fee | $1,760 |
| Price as Tested | $33,930 |
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Optional Equipment
$795 – Two-tone paint with black roof, $795
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