Used 2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback

The Toyota Corolla has long been a trusted name in compact cars with a strong reputation for safety, reliability, and efficiency. That reputation holds up for the Corolla Hatchback model as well. This stylish compact hatchback has all of the virtues of the Toyota brand with a fuel-efficient engine, a generous list of standard safety tech features, and affordable pricing. Some rivals are sportier and have optional all-wheel drive, but the Corolla Hatchback is a practical choice for drivers looking for a humble commuter with modern technology.

One of the top competitors to the Corolla Hatchback is the redesigned 2022 Honda Civic Hatchback. The new Civic is versatile, high-tech, and fuel-efficient, giving the Corolla Hatchback a run for its money. Other close competitors to the Corolla Hatchback are the sporty Mazda3 with available all-wheel drive (AWD) and the Subaru Impreza, which is a bit dated but has standard AWD. Neither the Corolla Hatchback nor the Civic offer AWD.

While the Toyota Corolla Hatchback isn’t the sportiest car in its class, it’s still pretty fun to drive. We’re grateful to Toyota for making the bigger, better Corolla engine the only one available in the hatchback version. It has plenty of thrust to make the daily commute enjoyable, and the handling is agile enough to put a smile on your face when you toss this compact into a corner. However, a turbocharged engine option would be welcome under the hood like the ones available in the Mazda3 and Honda Civic.

If you haven’t driven a small Toyota in a while, you might be surprised by how smooth, quiet, and comfortable the Corolla Hatchback is. This car is proof that the days of the affordable small car being a penalty box are long gone. The gentle ride might make you think you’re in the bigger Toyota Camry.

We greatly appreciate the Corolla Hatchback because it still comes standard with a manual transmission. The stick shift ups the car’s fun factor, but we wouldn’t blame you if you opt for the automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT). This is an excellent CVT that’s never too whiney, and it has a launch gear that improves acceleration from a dead stop. Also, the CVT makes the car more efficient, and it comes with standard full-speed adaptive cruise control, which you can’t get with the manual.

The Toyota Corolla Hatchback is comfortable in the front row. The front seats are very accomodating, and the interior design is pleasant and straightforward without looking or feeling cheap. The interior material quality is nice for this price point, and the tech features like the standard 8-inch infotainment system are easy to use.

One of our biggest complaints about the Corolla Hatchback is the space behind the front seats. The rear seats aren’t uncomfortable, but there isn’t a lot of room.

On top of having the added practicality of a hatch, Toyota Corolla Hatchback is a more stylish alternative to the sedan. It has the sporty appearance of a hot hatch without having too much of a “boy racer” vibe. It achieves this look with exterior features like standard alloy wheels, sleek LED headlights, and the dark appearance package that comes with the SE Nightshade Edition. One of our favorite options is the 2-tone paint with a black roof available on the SE and XSE trims.

The Corolla Hatchback is on the small side of its segment. It’s slightly smaller than the hatchback variants of the Honda Civic and Mazda3 but bigger than a subcompact hatchback like the Kia Rio.

TOYOTA SAFETY SENSE 2.0
This generous host of safety tech features comes standard on every Corolla Hatchback. It bundles automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, and more.

SMARTPHONE CONNECTIVITY
The standard infotainment system is an 8-inch screen that comes loaded with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa.

One of the strong suits of the Toyota Corolla Hatchback is the generous list of standard features. The base SE trim comes standard with LED headlights and taillights, 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic climate control, push-button start, 60/40 split folding back seats, leather-trimmed steering wheel, Sport mode, and more.

The standard infotainment system is an 8-inch unit with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa. You also get Bluetooth for phone connectivity and streaming audio plus SiriusXM satellite radio with a 3-month free trial.

Standard safety tech on the Corolla Hatchback depends on the transmission. On all models, you get automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and road sign assist.

On CVT-equipped models, you also get lane tracing assist and an upgrade to full-speed adaptive cruise control that can come to a complete stop and continue driving when traffic gets moving again.

A 6-speed manual transmission is standard in the SE and XSE models. A CVT automatic transmission is standard in the SE Nightshade Edition and optional in the other two trims. All CVT-equipped models come with paddle shifters.

The Toyota Corolla Hatchback has less variety in its model range than its sedan counterpart, but it still has three trims available. Upgrading to the SE Nightshade Edition is mostly an appearance package. It adds distinct 18-inch black alloy wheels, black exterior trim, a black rear spoiler, and black emblems on the back. This is the only trim of the Corolla Hatchback that is not available with a manual transmission.

The top XSE trim improves the looks and the feature content of the Corolla Hatchback. It has 18-inch machine-finish alloy wheels, chrome grille surround, LED fog lights, dual-zone automatic climate control, 7-inch driver information display, leather-trimmed seats which are heated in front, an Audio Plus infotainment system that adds a few more features, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

The SE and XSE trims both have their own respective Preferred Package. On the SE ($1,350) it adds the Audio Plus system and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. On XSE ($1,600), the option package adds navigation, a JBL 8-speaker premium audio system, wireless charging, and an adaptive front lighting system.

A black roof, spoiler, and mirror caps are a $500 option on select paint colors for the SE and XSE models.

Unlike the Corolla sedan, the Toyota Corolla Hatchback only has one engine option. The good news is that it’s the better of the two non-hybrid Corolla engines available. It’s a 2.0-liter inline-4 that produces 168 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque.

In its most efficient form, it returns up to 41 mpg on the highway. Some rivals have more powerful engines available — namely the turbocharged option in the Mazda3 — but this engine delivers a satisfying blend of performance and efficiency.

There are two transmission options in the Corolla Hatchback: a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic. The automatic is more fuel-efficient, but the manual is more affordable and more engaging to drive.

Every Corolla Hatchback is front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is not available, which generally wouldn’t be an issue, but the Subaru Impreza has standard AWD, and it’s an option on the Mazda3.

2.0-liter inline-4
168 horsepower @ 6,600 rpm
151 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 28/36 mpg (manual), 32/41 mpg (automatic), 30/38 mpg (XSE)