2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Review

　　

2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Review

byReese CountsVehicle Test Editor

　　Reese Counts has worked in the automotive industry since he started as an intern at zzdcar in 2015. He has written or edited thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Reese is a vehicle test editor at zzdcar and has also contributed to Autoblog. Reese has also been featured on Yahoo! Finance, Engadget and AOL reviewing cars and covering automotive technology, auto shows and more. Reese learned to drive in his father's C4 Chevrolet Corvette and now owns his grandfather's 1999 Mercedes-Benz C43 AMG. A love for cars runs deep in his family.

　　For much of its existence, the Toyota Corolla has been practical and comfortable but not particularly bursting with character. But the 2021 Toyota Corolla hatchback might surprise you with its stylish looks and appealing driving performance. Even better, these qualities don't diminish comfort or utility. Compared to the Corolla sedan, the hatchback has more cargo space and makes it easier to load bulky items.

　　Changes for the 2021 model are few, but the addition of more safety equipment and the new Special Edition trim level are certainly welcome. Overall, the Corolla hatchback is a solid pick for a small hatchback alongside other top rivals such as the Honda Civic hatchback, Hyundai Elantra GT and Mazda 3 hatchback. Read our Expert Rating below to learn more about whether the Corolla hatch is right for you.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.5

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the Corolla Hatchback drive? It has a relatively small engine, but the Corolla hatchback's power is adequate. Our manual-equipped test car covered 0-60 mph in 7.8 seconds, which is an average time for this type of car. The brakes are also adequately powerful for emergency stops and are easy to control for smooth stops in typical driving.

　　The steering doesn't give you much of a feel for the road, but it's quick to respond. Along with the car's balanced handling, the Corolla hatchback makes a sporty initial impression. On a twisty road, this little hatchback is surprisingly fun and engaging.

　　

Comfort

8.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Corolla Hatchback? The Corolla hatchback strikes a great balance between comfort and composure. It might be a bit soft over freeway undulations, but the body stays well under control. Go with the SE trim and its smaller 16-inch wheels for maximum comfort. The XSE rides a bit rougher because of its bigger wheels and skinnier sidewall tires.

　　On the open road, you'll appreciate the fairly quiet interior. The front seats will also appeal to a wide variety of drivers and are relatively comfortable even over long journeys. Airflow from the climate control system is effective at both heating and cooling.

　　

Interior

7.5/10

　　How’s the interior? The Corolla's climate control buttons are a bit crowded and the infotainment buttons are a bit small, but you can figure things out relatively quickly. There's ample access to the front seats thanks to a large door opening, and the seat height makes getting in and out a breeze.

　　Adjustments can be made quickly, and drivers of varying sizes will be able to get comfortable behind the tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel. The rear should be OK for most passengers, but taller passengers will desire more legroom. As you'd expect from a compact hatchback, there's great visibility in every direction. A low hoodline aids forward visibility, while plenty of side glass makes lane changes stress-free.

　　

Technology

7.5/10

　　How’s the tech? The Corolla hatch comes standard with automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, auto high-beam control and lane keeping assist — an impressive array for a car in this price range. The high-mounted 8-inch touchscreen is visually appealing, but various speed-related lockouts and a lack of a native navigation system make for a frustrating experience. The decent audio system helps, but other cars have much better.

　　The native voice recognition system is reasonably accurate as long as you follow the tutorial and set up the system to recognize your voice. Thankfully, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now included and are effective voice command work-arounds.

　　

Storage

6.0/10

　　How’s the storage? A small, practical hatchback can be a surprisingly versatile car, but a high floor spoils the Corolla's cargo space. Behind the rear seats you get 17.8 cubic feet. But competitors such as the Honda Civic and the Hyundai Elantra GT offer more.

　　The door pockets and decent cupholders mean there's some room for small items. In front of the shift lever, there's a shelf that looks to be for a phone, but it's not really big enough to hold one. The center console bin is also a bit small and awkward to reach into. For family duty, the Corolla has a decent amount of space for rear-facing child safety seats. The car seat anchors are easily accessible.

　　

Fuel Economy

8.0/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The Corolla hatchback gets an EPA-estimated 31 mpg combined with the six-speed manual transmission or up to a rather impressive 35 mpg with the automatic. Our manual-equipped test car returned 30 mpg on our 115-mile evaluation route. Our total test fuel economy with random driving mixed in was a more lackluster 25.9 mpg, but we believe the EPA estimate should be achievable for most drivers.

　　

Value

7.5/10

　　Is the Corolla Hatchback a good value? The Corolla hatchback is well built, offers good fuel economy, and comes with a lot of standard safety features. Overall warranty coverage is average, though you do get free scheduled maintenance for services such as oil changes and tire rotations for the first two years/25,000 miles.

　　

Wildcard

8.5/10

　　"Surprising" might be the best word to describe the Corolla hatchback. Its styling and upscale interior push the Corolla name a little more upmarket. And its compliant ride, fun handling and willing engine make it genuinely fun. All that and an available manual transmission give it real potential as a fun-to-drive hatchback even if it doesn't quite make it into hot-hatch territory.

　　

Which Corolla Hatchback does zzdcar recommend?

We suggest going with the top-level XSE model with the continuously variable automatic transmission. Yes, it's the most expensive version in the lineup, but features including dual-zone automatic climate control and a power-adjustable driver's seat make it worth the premium.

　　

2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback models

The 2021 Toyota Corolla hatchback is available in three trim levels: SE, SE Nightshade and XSE. There's also a Special Edition package that's based on the SE trim. All Corolla hatchbacks are powered by a 168-horsepower four-cylinder engine that sends power to the front wheels. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is typically standard but you can get the SE and XSE trims with a six-speed manual transmission. Feature highlights include:

　　SE

　　The base SE comes fairly well equipped with:

　　LED headlights 16-inch alloy wheels Automatic climate control Keyless entry with push-button ignition Two USB ports 8-inch touchscreen display Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration 60/40-split folding rear seatAll Corolla hatchbacks also come with a suite of safety features and driver aids (Toyota Safety Sense 2.0). It includes:

　　Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Lane keeping assist (steers the Corolla back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker) Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the vehicle and the car in front)Options on the SE include:

　　Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (alerts you if a vehicle in the next lane over is in your blind spot and warns you if a vehicle is about to cross your path while in reverse) Special Edition package that adds 18-inch wheels, special red paint and an aerodynamic body kitSE Nightshade

　　As the name implies, the SE Nightshade is a dark-trimmed take on the standard SE. Features mirror those on the SE but with changes such as black-painted wheels.

　　XSE

　　The top-level XSE starts with all of the SE's standard features, adding:

　　LED foglights 18-inch wheels Dual-zone automatic climate control 7-inch multi-function display in the instrument cluster Leather and fabric seats with a power-adjustable driver's seat Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alertOptions on the XSE include:

　　Wireless charging pad Upgraded infotainment system with integrated navigation and JBL audio system

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2021 Corolla Hatchback Highlights

Trim: SESE Nightshade EditionXSESE

　　

Base MSRP	$20,465
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	31 MPG
Cost to Drive	$119/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	17.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles