2023 Toyota Corolla Sedan

Despite brilliant rivals in the compact sedan segment, the Toyota Corolla Sedan has long been one of those at the top of a class filled with household names like the Honda Civic, Mazda 3, and Hyundai Elantra. While all of these are excellent vehicles in their own right, the Corolla has repeatedly topped best-sellers lists, spurred on by the introduction of a hybrid variant in recent years. These hybridized models provide excellent fuel economy but not so much punch from under the hood, with only 138 horsepower in comparison to the 169 hp on the gas-only variants. For buyers looking for a small sedan for the daily commute and growing family, the 2023 Toyota Corolla has a lot to offer: a low price, attractive looks, loads of safety features, and good comfort levels. And to underscore its family-focused nature, the safety review of the Toyota Corolla sedan is superb. What's not to like?

The price for a new Toyota Corolla sedan is still reasonable, despite being a little higher than last year. The budget-focused base LE trim will cost just $21,700, while the SE has a starting price of $24,140. If you want the most luxurious 2023 Toyota Corolla sedan with the gas engine, an MSRP of $26,850 will buy you an XSE.

The hybrid options are worth noting as they aren't much more expensive, but the fuel economy savings are excellent. The price of a 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid sedan starts at $23,050 for the Hybrid LE, rises to $25,490 for the Hybrid SE, and tops out at $26,850 for the Hybrid XLE. The special SE Infrared hybrid sedan costs $26,025.

All these prices exclude a $1,095 destination charge in the USA.

Corolla models are known for their compliant ride that soaks up most bumps in the road and isolates passengers from too much road noise. XSE models are a little sportier, thanks to the specially tuned suspension. In all cases, handling feels confident; corners are taken without a fuss as long as you travel at a reasonable speed. The car grips well, despite not having all-wheel drive on the menu. Steering is appropriately light for a city car so it makes parking lots and weaving through traffic a breeze. But when you need to make spur-of-the-moment changes at speed, the Corolla can get a little flustered.

The compact sedan fares best when it's used as a relaxed family transporter, and cruising along the highway isn't a chore either. You may need to plan overtaking and merging maneuvers, though.

The Japanese compact sedan was never designed to be sporty or plush, so judging it on these characteristics would be unfair. Instead, like its rivals, the premise in this segment is to provide reliable transport at a reasonable price while ensuring the safety of its occupants. In all of these aspects, the Corolla does well - it achieves superior safety reviews, which includes a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS, thanks to the updated Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite. This comprehensive list of features is standard from even the base model. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is reasonably punchy, and you won't need more if your brief is just commuting, and it's pretty comfortable in the cabin for all occupants. It's true that rivals from Japan offer a much more engaging and fun driving experience, but if that doesn't matter to you, the 2023 Corolla sedan is likely perfect for you.

Thanks to its attractive pricing, buying a new Toyota Corolla sedan doesn't force you to stick to the lower end of the range. And opting for the hybrid won't break the bank, either. But if you're set on a non-hybrid powertrain, the difference between the base LE and top-spec XSE is just $5k, and if you're not too restricted by costs, the latter is the model with all the best features. It adds blind spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert to the already generous driver-assist suite, gets heated front seats, a seven-inch driver information cluster, and a moonroof - all for under $28k.