Starts at $22,050
2024 Corolla Selector
FAST FACTS
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2024 Toyota Corolla that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
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First of all, we should note that the fuel economy here pertains specifically to the Corolla Sedan LE; if you step up to the SE, Nightshade or XSE, you'll drop a notch to 34 mpg combined (31 city/40 highway). Either way, it's a lot of mpg. But perhaps the most notable thing about the Corolla, mechanically, at least, is that its continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) has an unusual fixed first gear that makes takeoffs from a stop feel like you've got a regular automatic transmission. There's no zinging up to a high-rpm drone if you ask for more power; it just feels normal. Once you're out of that first gear, the "Direct Shift-CVT" (a.ka. K120 CVT) continues its trickery with 10 simulated ratios that feel like "steps" akin to a regular transmission's gears. That part isn't unusual, but combined with the fixed first gear, it does work to minimize the typical obtrusiveness of a CVT.
The sedan-only Corolla Hybrid is more expensive than the regular Corolla and significantly slower to boot, but if you want to maximize your fuel economy, this is the way to do it. Compared to a peak of 35 mpg combined for the standard Corolla, the Corolla Hybrid notches a gaudy rating of 50 mpg combined for its LE and XLE trims (the SE and Nightshade trims drop to 47 mpg combined with their larger wheels). If you do a lot of stop-and-go driving, the difference will likely be even greater, since hybrids shine in city driving and non-hybrids are at their worst. However, note that the Corolla Hybrid's CVT is not the "Direct Shift-CVT" with a fixed starter gear that distinguishes the non-hybrid Corolla; instead, the Corolla Hybrid rocks Toyota's usual eCVT hybrid transmission, so you can expect the usual high-rpm droning when you ask for extra power.
The Corolla Hatchback is a full 10 inches shorter than the sedan, which is handy for parking, but you also lose a significant slice of rear legroom in that trade. Otherwise, it's largely the same car, so it's your choice between hatchback versatility (and parkability) and the larger backseat of the sedan.
The only Corolla to offer all-wheel drive (well, other than the unhinged GR Corolla) is the Corolla Hybrid Sedan, so that's a notch in this configuration's cap. You might say it's AWD with an asterisk, as Toyota's "Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel Drive" consists of a separate rear-mounted electric motor that only wakes up to assist the rear wheels in the event of traction loss, and only with 40 horsepower (30 kW) at the most. But the car can technically drive both axles, so we'll call it AWD. You do lose 2 mpg combined due to the AWD system and its added weight, but 48 mpg combined will still likely be enough for most tastes. Note that if you step up to the SE or Nightshade trim, you'll step down to 44 mpg combined (47 city/41 highway) due to the larger wheels.
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008, personally driving most new cars on the market every year since. He also served as the project manager for Edmunds' expert vehicle rankings from their inception in 2018, building the product out from the back end to the front end. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has tested, compared and critiqued a ridiculous number of cars in his career.
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