2023 Toyota Corolla Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The Toyota Corolla gets a design update for 2023, plus more substantial changes, including much-needed improvements to its infotainment system.

Toyota has sold tens of millions of Corollas over the years, and the car remains a compelling compact choice today. A new, rally-inspired GR Corolla model debuted for the 2023 model year with all-wheel drive (AWD), a manual transmission, and 300 horsepower, but the standard car picked up a few notable updates as well.

The Corolla’s design got a refresh for 2023, which brought updated headlights and a new grille, and Toyota cut the L and XLE trims from the model line. A much-needed infotainment update brought a more usable interface and easier to understand controls. Toyota offers the 2023 Corolla in several trims and in a hybrid format. Trim levels include LE, Hybrid LE, SE, XSE, Hybrid SE, and Hybrid XLE.

Power for most 2023 Toyota Corollas comes from a 2.0-liter engine making 169 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. It’s paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive (FWD). The GR Corolla gets a turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated exclusively with a six-speed automatic transmission and AWD.

Aside from its GR variant, Toyota doesn’t position the Corolla as a performance monster. As a result, its suspension, drivetrain, and general driving demeanor are set up for comfort over power and performance. The GR Corolla is the complete opposite and offers a frantic driving experience with all the acceleration, noise, and fun you’d expect from a road-going rally car.

Cloth upholstery comes standard, but Toyota offers synthetic leather in higher trim levels. Some variants get heated seats and a heated steering wheel. Adults can ride in comfort in both rows, as the Corolla offers spacious, supportive buckets in the front and a reasonably roomy bench in back. There’s 13.1 cubic feet of trunk space, which isn’t tops in the class, but the area features a large opening and low liftover height for easy loading and unloading.

Every 2023 Corolla comes with an 8-inch touchscreen running Toyota’s newest infotainment interface. It’s a night-and-day improvement over the outgoing system, and offers fluid menus, colorful screens, and a far less distracting experience while driving. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, along with navigation, HD radio, Bluetooth, voice controls, and four USB ports.

The 2023 Corolla hasn’t been crash-tested yet, but its predecessor earned a Top Safety Pick + award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The similarly equipped 2023 model should score close to that level or better, thanks to a generous list of standard driver-assistance features that includes lane-departure warnings, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and more.

The 2023 Corolla is on sale now. Pricing starts at $21,550 for the base LE model. The top Hybrid XLE trim starts at $26,600. The GR Corolla starts at $35,900, and all models are subject to a $1,095 destination charge. Buyers may also consider the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Kia Forte, Volkswagen Jetta, or Mazda3.