Greetings from Florida, where we've taken Grasso’s Garage to review Toyota’s 2023 Corolla Hatchback XSE.
The opening drive was a 240-mile trip from Tampa to Miami. On the open road, the bridges and in traffic, the Corolla performed well. With a 2.0-iter four-cylinder engine, and a six-speed manual transmission, our tester was flawless, smooth and quiet. We got an outrageous 41 mpg on the highway in some locations and finished our week-long test with a combined 34 mpg.
Our XSE model showed out nicely in the Blue Flame exterior with black accents, riding on 18-inch wheels.
The Corolla Hatchback XSE may appeal in particular to college students and first-vehicle buyers, it’s also great for commuters. Going back and forth between work is already a drudgery, to which the Corolla hatchback can provide comfort, a spacious interior, excellent fuel mileage and great technology.
Safety features for the Corolla hatchback are top of the line. Federal safety ratings came in at five-stars across the board; especially noteworthy are Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, blind-spot monitoring, smart key system and the backup camera. LED headlights with upgraded adaptive headlights were a great feature.
The interior is comfortable, although the rear seats are small. The hatchback has nice storage space for luggage and groceries. An 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system protrudes from the center stack. It is easy to use and very crisp in appearance. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, in addition to power front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and dual-zone automatic climate control.
We drove over 500 miles on open roads, back roads, highways and side streets in cities. Not only is the Corolla Hatchback a great vehicle for many, the XSE model is a total win.
2023 Toyota Corolla XSE
MSRP: $23,765
MPG: 28 city / 36 highway / 34.1 as tested
As Tested: $25,954
