With the shift towards SUVs and crossovers, you’d think most compact hatchbacks would’ve disappeared by now, but Toyota is keeping the segment alive and well with the best-selling car in the world. The GR Corolla may be generating all the buzz these days, but the 2024 Toyota Corolla XSE Hatchback shows even the non-performance-oriented models can still blend a dash of excitement with the quality and value Toyota is known for.
The XSE we have here is the top trim level before getting into the performance-oriented (and more expensive) GR models. Despite being on the market since 2020, the Corolla hatchback still looks modern and fresh, which is far more than we could every say about previous-generation Corollas that would put us to sleep based on its looks alone. The XSE looks sporty with its upsized wheels and two-tone paint, but much more toned-down compared to the GR with its widened body and lower stance.
All Corolla models ride on Toyota’s TNGA platform, giving our XSE tester impressive moves around corners. Beyond that, its normally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder pumps out an average-at-best 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, matched to a CVT that powers the front wheels. Unlike the GR models pushing out 300 hp, you need to work this engine hard to pull off most merges or passes on the highway. It doesn’t sound great as RPMs climb, either, to the point where you almost feel sorry for revving it out. The new Prius will probably smoke any non-GR Corolla in a straight line.
On the plus side, the Corolla hatchback rides and handles well, and fuel economy is impressive for a non-hybrid. It’s rated at 7.5 L/100 kilometres city, 5.9 highway, and 6.7 combined. With mainly city driving in a cold snap, we achieved a higher-but-still-reasonable 7.9 L/100 km in our evaluation. If you want a hybrid powertrain, however, you’ll have to choose the sedan.
Inside, the Corolla hatchback is relatively quiet, and only the worst of potholes and speed bumps make themselves known. The rest of the interior feels solidly built, with quality materials throughout minus a few hard plastics here and there, though that’s expected at this price point. On the tech front, the 2024 Corolla delivers standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but sadly, the built-in Google-based navigation is only part of a trial period on the XSE trim. Once that ends, you’ll need to pony up for a monthly subscription. It’s worth noting most of the Corolla’s competitors don’t lock built-in navigation behind a subscription. Features like this, stuck behind a paywall, need to end.
If you’re looking for as much cargo space as possible, you’ll need to look elsewhere. With the front seats adjusted for taller drivers and passengers, rear-seat legroom is tight, and headroom isn’t much better, either. There’s 660 litres of cargo space on tap with the seats up, though Toyota doesn’t publish an official figure with the seats down. The Honda Civic hatchback, by comparison, offers 694 L seats-up and 1,308 L seats-down, plus a lower cargo floor. What the Corolla hatch gives in looks, it takes back in usable space.
Toyota offers the non-GR Corolla hatch in four trim levels. The base SE starts at $26,982 including destination and other fees, but before taxes. From there, you can move up to the SE, SE Plus, SE Upgrade, and our fully loaded XSE tester, topping out at $33,372 as-tested. The XSE receives additional features such as an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, an eight-speaker JBL sound system, a digital speedometer with a 7-inch multi-information display, two-tone fabric-and-faux leather seating surfaces, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a three-year free trial for Toyota’s Drive Connect suite, which includes remote start and built-in navigation. Our tester also rolled on dark grey 18-inch wheels, versus the 15-inchers you’d find on the base SE.
If you’re willing to trade the hatchback’s looks for even better fuel economy or all-wheel-drive, the Corolla sedan may be a better fit, but the 2024 Toyota Corolla XSE Hatchback is a stylish, more fuel-efficient, and more fun-to-drive alternative to a small crossover. I just wish that a hybrid or all-wheel-drive were available with the hatch, especially for us Canadians dealing with less than ideal weather conditions.
