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2023 Toyota Corolla review

Research, photos, specs, and expertise

Toyota Corolla highlights

Customer rating

Pros

  • Fuel-efficient
  • Comfortable ride
  • Intuitive controls

Cons

  • Slow acceleration
  • Intrusive highway road noise
  • Limited rear headroom

Mileage (EPA estimate)

(data not available)

Pricing for current inventory

(no current inventory)

Price
Year
Mileage

The 2023 Toyota Corolla earns praise for reliability and affordability

The Toyota Corolla has been the go-to choice for economical and reliable transportation for over 50 years. The 2023 Corolla continues that tradition in hatchback, hybrid, Corolla Cross SUV, and in the case of this review, the sedan.

For 2023, the Corolla received a rather significant update, with a new infotainment system, improved driver-assist features, and minor styling revisions. The Corolla lineup has also been pared back to only the LE, SE, and XSE trims, all of which get last year’s more powerful engine upgrade, a 169-horsepower four-cylinder. The manual transmission option has been dropped, though.

The Corolla justifiably leans heavily on its reputation for reliability, but it’s not what we consider the overall best in its class. Contemporary rivals such as the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, and Mazda 3 have it squarely beat in a number of areas by being more powerful, comfortable, or practical. Some also meet or beat the Corolla in terms of fuel economy, too.

All Toyota Corolla years

What is new for the 2023 Toyota Corolla?

  • The L, SE Apex, SE Night Shade, XLE, and XSE Apex trims have been discontinued for 2023.
  • Remote Start and Navigation System features are now available as options on select trims.

2023 Toyota Corolla trims

Curious how Toyota Corolla trims differ? Use our side-by-side vehicle comparison to see the differences and similarities

LE:

  • 169-hp, 151-lb-ft of torque 2.0L
  • Side Airbags
  • Cloth Seats
  • Rear View Camera
  • Power Mirrors
  • Traction Control
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Rear Defroster
  • Automated Cruise Control
  • View our Toyota Corolla LE inventory

SE:

XSE:

5 reasons to buy the 2023 Toyota Corolla

What We Like

Fuel-efficient: The base LE trim has an EPA-estimated 32 mpg city, 41 mpg highway, and 35 mpg in combined driving.

The SE and XSE trim make 1 fewer mpg across the board. It’s worth noting that the Corolla Hybrid that’s covered separately achieves 50 mpg combined. The Honda Civic gets an EPA-estimated 36 mpg combined while the Hyundai Elantra gets a 37 mpg rating, and the Mazda 3 brings up the rear with 31 mpg combined rating.
These are all excellent figures for the class.

Comfortable ride: Small economy cars often suffer from a rough ride due to their short wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) as well as cost-saving measures that don’t allow for more advanced suspension components. The Corolla, though, manages to deliver a pleasantly smooth ride even when it's driving over rougher road surfaces. As a result, both commuting and road trips should be more enjoyable.

Intuitive controls: The Corolla’s simple dashboard layout and design makes its many features intuitive and easy to use. They’re all well placed within reach, clearly labeled, and logically grouped, so you’ll likely never have to consult the owner’s manual. We like that there are plenty of buttons to control the many systems without having to use the more distracting touchscreen.

What Needs Improvement

Slow acceleration: With only 169 horsepower being channeled through a rather lifeless continuously variable transmission, the Corolla needs 8.8 seconds to reach 60 mph. The Honda Civic’s base engine is a fraction of a second quicker, while the available turbocharged upgrade gets it there in 7.9 seconds. The Mazda 3 is a relative rocket, with the base model reaching 60 mph in 8.3 seconds and the turbo in only 6.1 seconds. The Corolla isn’t the slowest, though, as the base Hyundai Elantra needs 9.4 seconds.

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Ratings & reliability

Customer ratings

4.2 out of 5

5 customer reviews
4
1
2
Excellent

RepairPal gave the Toyota Corolla an overall reliability rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, which RepairPal describes as Excellent. This rating ranks Toyota Corolla 1st out of 46 among Compact Cars.

View RepairPal's full rating of the Toyota Corolla

Toyota Corolla features and specs

LE 2WD 4D Sedan

Standard Features

  • ABS Brakes
  • Air Conditioning
  • AM/FM Stereo
  • Android Auto
  • Apple CarPlay
  • Automated Cruise Control
  • Automatic Transmission
  • Auxiliary Audio Input
  • Bluetooth Technology
  • Cloth Seats
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Overhead Airbags
  • Power Locks
  • Power Mirrors
  • Power Windows
  • Rear Defroster
  • Rear View Camera
  • Satellite Radio Ready
  • Side Airbags
  • Traction Control
  • Alloy Wheels
  • Blind Spot Monitor
  • Remote Start
  • Smart Key
  • Sunroof(s)

Drive Wheels

Front Wheel Drive (2WD)

Engine size

2.0L

Horsepower

169

Torque (ft-lbs)

151

Engine type

Gas

Fuel capacity

13.2

Wheelbase

106.3"

Overall length

182.3"

Width

70.1"

Height

56.5"

Leg room

F 42"/R 34.8"

Head room

F 38.3"/R 37.1"

Front tires

P205/55HR16

Rear tires

P205/55HR16

Seating capacity

5

Transmission

Automatic

2023 Toyota Corolla FAQ

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We hope you found this information helpful. This content is intended to inform and is not meant to indicate that a particular vehicle is currently available or recommended for you.​

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