2022 Toyota Corolla: Hybrid or Hatchback, It's All Good

If I try and count the number of times I’ve written about and/or driven in a Toyota Corolla since I started driving cars… I don’t think I could. The Corolla is the number one best-selling car in. the. world. Let that sink in. Toyota has sold 50 million Corollas worldwide. That’s insane! But also hugely impressive.

No wonder we see so many Corollas on the road, all the time.

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And no wonder I have spent the better part of my automotive career either driving or talking about the Corolla.

As a continued leader in its segment, the Corolla has spent many generations up against some serious heavyhitters like the Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra and Volkswagen Jetta. And yet its continued to do well and sell, and there’s a really good reason for that.

It’s a really, really good car.

Feeling Personally #Corollattacked

In the best way possible, too. Here’s the thing: Over the years, the Corolla has grown and evolved in all the ways it was it needed to in order to keep it relevant. And even in ways we maybe didn’t expect.

Let’s talk about the current exterior look of the Corolla: It’s awesome. Toyota designers took a previously bland, hum-drum looking sedan and turned it up more than a few notches on the good-looking scale. Some may say it’s “too much” - especially for the Japanese manufacturer known more for its run-of-the-mill looks - but we say it’s exactly where it needs to be. Modern, funky, and yet not too over-the-top.

Here is a Corolla that will appeal to all family members - and that’s key here.

Inside, that same design flare translates. Not in an obnoxious way, but definitely taking the interior above and beyond what’s it’s been in the past. While not as futuristic as the Prius centre stack design, it still has elements of technology, design and usability that blend really nicely.

And this is applicable to both the hatchback and sedan.

One of the best features (according to my son) was the available heated rear seats in the Hybrid sedan. For a car that comes in uner $30k as driven, the addition of heated rear and front seats, heated steering wheel, charge pad, Apple CarPlay, plus the hybrid drive was just icing on the Corolla cake.

Predictably Efficient

Again, this isn’t a bad thing. Fuel efficiency is on everyone’s minds these days - especially as gas prices soar across the country.

While we got behind the wheel of both the manual and hybrid, each had their pros and cons, and both did well in terms of efficiency, one more than the other of course.

Let’s start with the Corolla Hatchback XSE: Now, because this particular model featured the manual transmission, the overall fuel numbers were slightly higher than they could have been had the hatchback been outfitted with an automatic transmission. And yet they were more than OK hovering at 8.7L/100km for the week. We drove a combination of highway and suburban streets, so lots of stop and go, as well as a fresh layer of snow on the ground.

Of note: Driving the manual version of the Corolla gives it a whole new lease on life. Being able to row our own gears brings the hatchback to life and really ramps up a drive that could otherwise be considered dull at times. No, it’s not fast, it’s not powerful, and it’s not racy, but it is fun.

In the Corolla Hybrid, that fuel efficiency number plummeted to 5.8L/100km which is amazing and so good for today’s current gas-price situation. Again, with a combination of highway and suburban driving, we were notably impressed with how well the hybrid engine handled it all and kept the vehicle in full EV mode whenever it could, while also offering a decent amount of performance when needed.

A Corolla for All

When it comes to engine specifications and differences, we’ll look at the Hybrid first: Equipped with a 1.8L 4-cylinder that produces 121 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT for maximum fuel efficiency, it gets the job done and it does so exceptionally well. Never did I think I would say I enjoyed driving a CVT or a hybrid, but this time I really did.

With a fresh dump of snow on the roads, the Corolla Hybrid in ECO mode did very well with a dulled throttle response that really helped control the Corolla’s traction on slippier surfaces. 

Now, on the other hand the 6-speed hatchback XSE version sported a 2.0L 4-cylinder mill that was good for 169 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. Peppier and more lively, the Corolla XSE was a pleasure to pilot and the 6-speed manual only added to that level of enjoyment. Also, rowing our own gears over snow-covered rows really helped stay in control and proved that a FWD vehicle can be just as easy to drive and safe as an AWD in winter conditions.

Still at the Top

It’s hard to imagine a time when the Corolla won’t be one of the best selling cars in the world. I’ve spent almost two decades trolling Corolla drivers (particularly those in beige Corollas), but deep down I know just why there are so many on the road and I fully support that. No matter the version, this is a smart choice for anyone looking for a well-made, long-lasting, efficient vehicle. And with the addition of the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross, they may just take more than one segment by storm.