Likes
- Ultra-frugal hybrid
- Manic GR
- Lots of safety tech
- Top build quality
Dislikes
- Small back seat
- Small trunk, too
- Grumbling base engine
- Some trim-walk quirks
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2025 Toyota Corolla offers something for just about everyone, though the sweet spot for commuters is the excellent hybrid.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Toyota Corolla? What does it compare to?
The 2025 Toyota Corolla offers a lineup of compact sedans and hatchbacks. Compare it to the Honda Civic and Hyundai Elantra.
Is the 2025 Toyota Corolla a good car?
The 2025 Corolla is a strong contender. It may not be the best in most categories, but it’s darn close. We like both the frugal Corolla Hybrid and the fun GR Corolla the most, though the range rates 6.2 out of 10 overall. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Toyota Corolla?
Higher-end Corolla models are now available with a larger 10.5-inch touchscreen sprouting from the dash. A new Corolla FX trim package adds some blacked-out exterior elements and the 10.5-inch touchscreen.
The sporty GR Corolla adds a new 8-speed automatic transmission in addition to its carryover 6-speed manual transmission. It also gets a bump in torque from 273 to 295 lb-ft, suspension tweaks for even better handling, and a revised front fascia for better aerodynamic performance.
While not much to look at, the Corolla wears pleasant, inoffensive sheet metal and it boasts a modern and convenient cabin. The Corolla GR, however, looks like the street-legal rally car it is thanks to its chunky fenders and body kit.
Base Corollas use a gruff 2.4-liter inline-4 paired with a CVT that sends 169 hp to the front wheels. The less powerful but way more fuel-efficient Corolla Hybrid swaps in a 1.8-liter inline-4 paired with an electric motor and a big battery pack for just 138 hp, but it’s nearly as spirited to drive and it offers huge improvements in refinement and fuel economy. A second motor can add all-wheel drive. Look for up to 50 mpg combined, which makes these cars commuting champs. With all-wheel drive, they’re genuine crossover SUV rivals, too.
Standard Corollas are pleasant and quiet, if just short of truly entertaining.
Then there’s the GR Corolla, which has a tiny turbo-3 churning out an impressive 300 hp to all four wheels. These are street-legal rally cars with a somewhat manic nature that makes them a delight to enjoy on a winding road.
No Corolla is especially spacious inside, though they have decent front seats and good overall build quality. The small 13.1 cubic-foot trunk in sedans grows slightly to around 18 cubes of cargo space in hatchbacks, which are a bit shorter overall.
The Corolla has a great crash-test record with excellent scores from the NHTSA and the IIHS plus a good array of standard features like automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and blind-spot monitors.
How much does the 2025 Toyota Corolla cost?
Toyota offers the Corolla sedan in LE, Hybrid LE, SE, Nightshade, Hybrid SE, Hybrid Nightshade, XSE, and Hybrid XLE trims. The hatchback comes as the SE, Nightshade, and XSE, while the GR Corolla is sold in Core, Premium, and Premium Plus trims.
The LE starts at $23,185, while the Hybrid LE adds $1,350 and the hatchback SE starts just shy of $25,000. The sporty GR Corolla goes for about $40,000 up to about $46,000.
The Corolla’s base spec isn’t lavish, but neither is it missing any major items. You’ll get an 8.0-inch touchscreen with a fairly good infotainment system and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Where is the 2025 Toyota Corolla made?
In Blue Springs, Mississippi, or Japan, depending on the configuration.
2025 Toyota Corolla Styling
The 2025 Toyota Corolla blends in just well enough.
Is the Toyota Corolla a good-looking car?
The latest Corolla is a familiar sight. It’s pleasantly styled outside and has an inoffensive cabin. We rate it a 6 out of 10.
Sedans and hatchbacks have the same basic look up front with a gaping lower grille intake that gives way to boomerang headlights. From the side, the sedan is a bit frumpier with its tall greenhouse, while shorter (in length) hatchbacks have a vaguely European flair. The look culminates in a bland rear end on sedans and a pert, trim look on hatches. The GR Corolla wears a meaty body kit and bigger wheels and tires; it truly looks the part, even if it’s not exactly pretty.
The bright cabin has an airy feel when finished in lighter hues. The control layout impresses and materials are fairly good for the money thanks to extensive use of grained vinyl on the dash and front door panels on most trim levels.
2025 Toyota Corolla Performance
The 2025 Toyota Corolla is light on thrills—except for the GR, that is.
The 2025 Toyota Corolla lineup offers three distinctly different experiences. We rate the range a 5 out of 10 based on the gas-only models that eke out the best sales; hybrids might lose a point for acceleration, while the GR Corolla would certainly gain two or three points above average for its zippy feel.
Is the Toyota Corolla 4WD?
Front-wheel-drive comes standard on most models, and some hybrid Corolla trim levels are available with all-wheel drive, making them viable crossover alternatives for drivers who don’t need maximum interior volume. The GR Corolla has its own standard all-wheel-drive system for spectacular traction at the limit.
How fast is the Toyota Corolla?
The base Corolla’s 2.0-liter inline-4 is rated at a decent 169 hp, but the CVT can exacerbate its gruff nature. The engine simply has to spend too much time in the upper reaches of the rev range to extract power, and, accordingly, it lets too much snarl into the cabin.
The Corolla Hybrid is a better bet overall, even if it offers just 121 hp. It’s more refined and it can motor along in all-electric mode under low-load situations, making it feel even more refined.
No matter what’s underhood, the Corolla has a comfortable ride that may be slightly firmer than you expect if you haven’t shopped for a small Toyota recently. Combine that composed suspension with quick, light steering and the Corolla has a nimble, almost sporty personality. It’s kind of, sort of fun.
GR Corolla impressions
Forget about everything we’ve said about regular Corollas if you’re shopping for the GR Corolla. This one has spent plenty of time with Toyota’s comically named Gazoo Racing engineers, and it’s downright brilliant to drive. Its little 1.6-liter turbo-3 zips out 300 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, for a 0-60 mph run of five seconds or better. The 6-speed manual gearbox’s clutch can take some getting used to, but it has a snick-snick feel and tight spacing that makes it a genuine delight to operate. We’ve yet to drive the new 8-speed automatic transmission, but it's optimized to anticipate power needs, and Toyota says it provides quicker lap times. We’ll update this space when we have some seat time with it.
For 2025, the GR Corolla gets handling improvements, too. It adds front and rear rebound springs to reduce inner wheel lift during hard cornering, and features revised rear coils and stabilizer bars to further improve tire contact in the curves. A higher trailing arm mounting point also reduces rear squat during acceleration and improves stability in turns, according to Toyota.
Drivers can decide how much power they want going rearward to give the GR Corolla a more rear-biased feel based on driving modes (the splits range from 50:50 to 30:70, but Toyota says the Track mode's even split provides the quickest track times). We haven't driven the 2025 model, but the grip was already astounding, with credit due to both the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires and the limited-slip differentials. You’ll also find race-grade dampers and firm springs that give the GR Corolla a hard ride in normal cruising and little lean in corners at speed.
2025 Toyota Corolla Comfort & Quality
The 2025 Corolla’s interior is reasonably roomy.
It may not boast the segment’s biggest back seat, but the 2025 Toyota Corolla has a decent interior. It gets a point for its comfortable front seats, which offer power adjustments for the driver in most trim levels. It’s a 6 on the TCC scale.
GR Corollas have well-bolstered front seats that suit their performance mission well.
The rear seats have reasonable legroom, but the sloping roofline in sedans means surprisingly limited headroom. The bench is somewhat low to the ground in all versions, while hybrids have weak padding due in part to a battery pack that sits below.
Sedans have a somewhat trim 13.1 cubic-foot trunk, while hatchbacks check in with an additional five or so cubes of space even though they’re shorter overall.
The Corolla’s cabin has a nicely assembled feel and most versions have synthetic leather on the dash and front door panels, but no model will rival a luxury car for trim.
2025 Toyota Corolla Safety
The 2025 Toyota Corolla has a solid safety record.
How safe is the Toyota Corolla?
It’s a safe choice. The 2025 Corolla (only the hatchback has complete tests) boasted a five-star rating from the NHTSA. The IIHS gave the 2024 Corolla top "Good" ratings in most of its tests, but it didn't earn Top Safety Pick status. Add in its standard crash-avoidance tech including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and we land at a 7 for safety.
All models also have active lane control, blind-spot monitors, and adaptive cruise control.
Outward vision is better in sedans than hatchbacks, which have hefty rear roof pillars.
2025 Toyota Corolla Features
The 2025 Toyota Corolla is a solid overall buy.
It may not be the cheapest compact car, but the 2025 Toyota Corolla comes well-equipped and is available in a decent number of trim levels. It gets an 8 here thanks to its reasonable value, big infotainment screen, and good standard feature set.
The base Corolla LE sedan starts at $23,185, which nets automatic climate control, an 8.0-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and 16-inch steel wheels. It’s not too costly to add alloy wheels, rear cross-traffic alerts, and keyless start, either.
The Corolla’s 3-year/36,000-mile warranty is nothing special, however.
Which Toyota Corolla should I buy?
We’d spend up for the hybrid powertrain, which runs $1,350 more but may pay for itself fairly quickly if you drive a lot. The $28,385 XLE model comes with synthetic leather seats, a digital instrument cluster, and a sunroof, plus nicer interior trim. It’s probably worthwhile.
Be aware that Toyota only offers all-wheel drive on a few hybrid sedan trims (as well as the GR Corolla); a set of winter tires and spare wheels will cost you less.
Hatchbacks start just south of $24,765 in sporty(ish) SE trim, making them a decent buy, too. But don’t look for a hybrid hatch.
How much is a fully loaded Toyota Corolla?
The Corolla GR kicks off at $39,995, which seems like a lot for something with a Corolla badge until you consider that these are basically rally cars eligible for a license plate. We’d spend up for the mid-level Premium trim at $42,575 since it adds traction-enhancing limited-slip differentials and heated seats, two items that could come in handy in winter. The top GR Corolla Premium Plus costs $46,650 and adds a carbon-fiber roof, a head-up display, heated synthetic leather and synthetic suede upholstery, a heated steering wheel, and an additional radiator. The new automatic transmission adds $2,000 for all models, so the price can top $49,000.
2025 Toyota Corolla Fuel Economy
The 2025 Toyota Corolla is a fuel-sipper.
Is the Toyota Corolla good on gas?
It won’t use much gas in any form. Even the base versions rate a 5 on the TCC scale thanks to their 32 mpg city, 41 highway, 35 combined estimates. Note that higher-end versions are a bit thirstier thanks to their bigger wheels and tires and additional features that add up to a bit more curb weight.
Hybrids are even better at 53/46/50 mpg, which rivals Toyota’s own Prius and would rate a 7 here. Note that hatchbacks are a bit thirstier as they’re not quite as aerodynamic.
The 2025 GR Corolla ratings are not yet available. The 2024 model checked in at just 21/28/24 mpg with the manual transmission. Expect the same for 2025, and the new automatic may be slightly more fuel efficient. The GR Corolla needs premium fuel—but it’s not a car you buy if you’re after fuel economy, anyway.