There was a time when America’s love for hatchbacks ran a lot deeper than it does today, when trucks and SUVs rule the industry. Yet even today there are quite a lot of models with such bodywork being offered in the States, some more successful than others. Can you guess where the hatchback Toyota Corolla fits in?
The Japanese carmaker revealed this week both the grades and the pricing for the 2025 Corolla Hatchback, and if you were expecting them to be more affordable, just consider the fact Toyota is selling the top grade XSE for prices that are pretty close to what American carmakers are asking for their entry-level muscle cars.
The three grades for the model are the SE, Nightshade and XSE, all of them sharing a lot of attributes, including the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 and an 8-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia system that can run Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in a wireless fashion.
All are built, naturally, on the same platform, the TNGA-C, and are equipped with MacPherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear suspension. Under the hood there is a single engine across the range, the 2.0-liter Dynamic-Force direct-injection inline four-cylinder.
The powerplant is rated by Toyota at 169 horsepower 151 lb-ft. of torque and as per the carmaker’s own estimates it returns a fuel economy of 33 mpg combined (7.1 liters/100 km) for the top trim level.
Setting the three grades apart are a series of special features, the most visible of them all being the wheels. The SE, for instance, rides on 16-inch alloy pieces, while the Nightshade bumps that up to 18 inches. The same size is used on the XSE, but these ones come in a graphite color instead of bronze.
Toyota has a lot of colors on the table for the hatchback Corolla, with seven main hues being offered alongside two-tone combinations that use a Midnight Black metallic roof.
The 2025 model year Corolla hatchbacks are not yet listed by the Japanese carmaker, but it’s obvious to anyone looking that pricing for the model moved neither north nor south of what was was on the table until now.
The Japanese are selling the entry-level SE (complete with stuff like single-zone automatic climate control, an electronic parking brake, and four USB ports) from $23,505.
At the opposite end, the XSE adds dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, and a JBL audio system with eight speakers and an amplifier, thus reaching a sale price of $26,805. In between them sits the Nightshade, selling from $24,505.
