by Michael Satterfield - 08/16/2022
Just as the hot hatch killed off the cheap sports car, the cheap SUV is killing off the hatchback, even though many SUVs don't offer a sporty variant. The Corolla is the last true offering of a hatchback by Toyota, and most other carmakers have also abandoned the fun, sporty, compact hatchback. Nissan's only hatchback is the all-electric Leaf, Honda offers the Civic Hatchback, and while you can still get an Impreza with a manual transmission, "hot hatch" isn't how I would describe the Subaru.
Sporty hatchbacks have to have some personality to them, and while that hasn't always been Toyota's strong suit, they really did nail it with the new Corolla. It's good-looking, fun to drive, and comes in colors like Blue Flame and Finish Line Red. The two-tone black roof option also adds a lot of style points as well.
While many have downplayed the fact that the XSE only has 169 horsepower it is still more than the 158 horsepower offered in the Honda Civic Sport and the 152 horsepower offered by the Subaru Impreza. While it doesn't compare to the Civic Type R with 306 turbocharged horses, the XSE also isn't $40,000, for that you'll need to wait for the GR Corolla which is going to give the Type R a run for its money.
Driving the XSE is a pleasure with the 6-speed manual allowing you to get every bit of the 2.0-liter four-cylinder out of it. I can't imagine it would as fun to drive with the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), but no car with a CVT really is. The Corolla is also perfect for the automotive aftermarket, while the import tuning craze might have slowed down from back in my high school days, the XSE is a great platform for those looking to build something sporty, fun, and inexpensive. Plus you can have fun while still saving at the pump.
When I first drove the Corolla hatchback in 2019, I said it was The Best Corolla in 30 Years, and I still stand by that, and the new Apex and GR versions coming out should only improve on this great platform and it's clear that Toyota is interested in making their line up fun again. The new GR86 and Supra have reignited their on-road enthusiasts and the TRD-Pro series of trucks has built a strong following in the off-road world, it feels a bit like Toyota of the 90s is back, and I hope we get to see a lot more fun rides from Aichi.
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