2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid Review

The Corolla is a mainstay in Toyota's lineup, and it's one of the best-selling cars on the planet. For the current-generation Corolla, it added a hybrid model that borrowed the powertrain from a Prius but was only offered in the very basic LE trim. That changes in 2023, with the Corolla Hybrid getting a raft of changes and an expanded lineup that now stretches to five trim levels. That should help it be a more appealing choice for a small hybrid sedan.

In addition to the entry-level LE, the Corolla Hybrid comes in SE and XLE trims. All-wheel drive has also been added for the new model year and LE AWD and SE AWD versions round out the trim offerings. Notable changes are everywhere in this refresh, but we'll start with what's outside. The looks have been massaged, and it now features squintier, meaner-looking headlights and reworked front and rear fascias. The standard 8-inch touchscreen remains, but it has a brand-new multimedia system with standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with upgraded driver assist technology.

Toyota has upped the ante for the hybrid powertrain. Like before, the Corolla Hybrid uses a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motor-generators, but power is bumped up to 134 horsepower (up from 121 hp) and 156 lb-ft of torque (up from 146 lb-ft).

The 2023 Corolla Hybrid can also be had with an all-wheel-drive system that adds a separate rear-mounted electric motor. This should prove to be a boon for those who live in temperamental climates. Toyota notes that this is the only compact hybrid on sale that offers all-wheel drive. The only other changes to the way the Corolla Hybrid drives will be felt on SE models, which get the heftier power steering tuning from the Corolla's sporty Apex model.

Fuel economy has dipped slightly: Front-wheel-drive models get 47 mpg combined (50 city/43 highway), while AWD versions check in at 44 mpg combined (47 city/41 highway). Those numbers fall behind the 2022 Corolla Hybrid's 52 mpg combined (53 city/52 highway) by a decent margin.

We took a quick spin in a Corolla Hybrid LE AWD to see how the new system performs and if the added power pays off in any way. A warm day on dry roads outside of Nashville unfortunately didn't provide a good opportunity to see the AWD system in action. That rear electric motor only applies power when traction is lost at the front wheels.

But it did give us a good chance to evaluate the additional power that the hybrid system makes across the board, the extra grunt that makes the Corolla Hybrid the best Corolla (upcoming GR Corolla excepted) for day-to-day driving. Continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) can be annoying, with sluggish acceleration from a stop and engine drone at cruising speeds. The boost that you get from the battery and electric motor, especially at low speeds, makes the accelerator pedal feel more responsive and gets the Corolla Hybrid off the line quicker.

The drone, however, isn't entirely fixed. The Corolla Hybrid prefers to get going on electric power, but if you're accelerating at even mid-pedal the gas engine is bound to kick on. And when it does, it jumps straight into the 3,000-4,000 rpm range and an obnoxious buzz fills the cabin. Fortunately, the operation of the system is seamless and the sedan moves forward at a consistent pace when the engine starts. But the noise gets in your bones, and after about 30 minutes behind the wheel, you might look for ways to keep the engine off as much as possible.

Handling is tidy, though the steering is a bit numb. The suspension feels well composed over good roads, and though you'll never confuse the Corolla Hybrid for a sports car, it gets the job done for something in this class with enough competency.

Changes were made inside, too. All models feature a new 8-inch center touchscreen. The top-of-the-line XLE also gains a redesigned 7-inch information display in the instrument cluster, while lower trim levels have to settle for a smaller — albeit updated — 4.2-inch display in the instrument panel. The new touchscreen also features a new software interface that comes with standard wireless connectivity for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, as well as the capability to receive over-the-air updates from Toyota.

The back seat will be a touch small for taller passengers, but it's on par with most of the class, though it feels tighter than the back seat in the Honda Civic. There are two standard USB Type-C ports on the back of the center console to offer charging all around the cabin.

Last but certainly not least, all 2023 models receive Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 standard. This update makes enhancements to several of the existing safety systems, such as pre-collision warning, lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control. For example, the forward-facing cameras and radar sensors have been upgraded with wider detection angles and higher resolution, which means that the pre-collision warning system can now detect motorcycles and pedestrians. And the lane detection has been improved so the lane departure warning is more accurate and the steering assistance that turns on when the adaptive cruise control is engaged works more smoothly.

The 2023 Corolla greatly expands its lineup, jumping from one to five trims compared to last year's model. Kicking things off is the base LE, followed by the sporty SE and the line-topping XLE. Toyota also offers the LE AWD and SE AWD to round things out. For 2023, there's also an Infrared Edition package for SE models. Feature highlights for each include:

LE
Comes respectably well equipped with:

• Continuously variable transmission (CVT)
• 16-inch steel wheels
• LED headlights
• Heated side mirrors
• Automatic climate control
• 4.2-inch driver information display
• 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Natural voice recognition
• Cloud-based navigation system
• Wi-Fi access
• Four USB type C ports
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration (with wireless connectivity for both)
• Six-speaker sound system

Standard driver assist features on every Corolla Hybrid include:

• Automatic collision notification
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Corolla and the car in front)
• Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Lane departure mitigation (warns you of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position)
• Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane)

LE AWD
The LE AWD has the same features as the front-wheel-drive vehicle, except that it also has all-wheel drive.

The LE is also offered with a pair of option packages:

• LE Convenience package
• Push-button start with smart key
• 16-inch alloy wheels
• Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
• LE Premium package
• Same features as the Convenience package, but with a sunroof

SE and SE AWD
The sporty Corolla offers:

• Revised power steering for a sportier feel
• Gloss black front grille and rear diffuser
• Premium sport seats
• JBL premium audio system

The Infrared Edition is only available on the SE, and it includes:

• Sport-tuned suspension
• Red interior and exterior trim accents
• 18-inch alloy wheels

XLE
The king of the hill for the Corolla Hybrid, it adds these features on to the SE's standard equipment:

• Heated front seats
• Power-adjustable driver's seat
• Simulated leather upholstery
• 7-inch digital gauge cluster display