Toyota Corolla Models

Sedan, Hatchback, or SUV: Which is right for you?

David Gluckman | 

May 15, 2025 | 4 min read

Toyota

Toyota

2025 Toyota Corolla Sedan

The four-door sedan is likely what many people have in mind when they hear the Corolla name. For 2025, this long-running member of the lineup offers the choice between a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 169 horsepower paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) or a hybrid version with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder and a CVT making 138 horsepower. Hybrid models offer optional all-wheel drive (AWD), made possible by an additional electric motor on the rear axle, whereas all other Corolla sedans feature front-wheel drive (FWD).

Fuel economy is as high as 32/41/35 mpg in city/highway/combined driving for the 2.0-liter model, while the FWD hybrid sedan achieves 50/43/47 mpg and the AWD gas-electric comes in at 47/41/44 mpg.

There's generous space in the sedan's cabin, especially up front, and its trunk can accommodate 13.1 cubic-feet of stuff. That should be plenty for a couple of suitcases, but the back seats fold and split 60/40 in case you need to carry more.

Equipment includes an 8.0-inch center touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, while a 10.5-inch screen is available. Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, a suite of driver-assistance systems, comes on all Corollas. It includes niceties such as adaptive cruise control and automatic high-beam headlights.

Pricing for the Corolla sedan starts around $23,000 for an LE model, while the base Hybrid LE comes in at about $25,000. Adding AWD to the hybrid model runs $1,400.

Toyota

2025 Toyota Corolla Hatchback

Five-door Corollas have a sportier look than the sedan, and all come with front sport seats. The hatch's standard engine is the same 169-hp 2.0-liter as in the sedan, again paired with a CVT and FWD. Toyota also offers the GR Corolla hatchback, a performance-tuned option with a 300-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder engine and an advanced AWD system, matched with either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid powertrain is not offered here.

EPA ratings for the standard Corolla Hatchback range from 30/38/33 mpg to 32/41/35 mpg, depending on trim. The GR Corolla is much less efficient, with ratings of 21/28/24 mpg for the manual and 19/27/22 mpg for the automatic.

The tamer 2.0-liter Corolla five-door comes equipped similarly to the gas-only sedan. All hatchback trims are given the 8.0-inch center display. Keyless entry and start are standard on all Corolla Hatchbacks, whereas they're a package add-on for the base sedan trim.

The Corolla hatch can accommodate 17.8 cu-ft of gear in its cargo hold and expands to 23.0 cu-ft when the rear seats are folded. The hatchback style is a great option for carrying a lot of stuff in a small vehicle. That said, the sedan offers more rear-seat legroom — 34.8 inches versus 29.9 inches.

Hatchback prices start at about $25,000 for the FWD SE model. The GR Corolla, meanwhile, commands around $40,000 due to its special powertrain and distinct chassis setup.

Toyota

2025 Toyota Corolla Cross

Last but not least in the lineup is the Corolla Cross, a subcompact SUV. Like the sedan and hatchback, the Cross has a 169-hp four-cylinder as its standard engine. It's mated to a CVT, and is available with either FWD or AWD. The Corolla Cross gets a stouter hybrid option, with a 2.0-liter engine and standard AWD from a rear-axle electric motor; the combined output is 196 horsepower.

As the Cross is taller and generally heavier than its sedan and non-GR hatchback counterparts, its fuel-economy ratings aren't as good. The gas-only version is estimated at 31/33/32 mpg with FWD or 29/31/30 mpg with the optional AWD. The hybrid comes in at 45/38/42 mpg.

Equipment levels are again similar to those of the other body styles. It has the same 8.0-inch center touchscreen as the rest of the Corolla lineup. The base L trim, which is offered only with the gas powertrain, does not have proximity-key functions.

Front-row space in the Corolla Cross is similar to what you get with the sedan and hatch, although there is more headroom and less hip and shoulder room in the utility. Rear-seat legroom, at 32 inches, falls between that of the hatch and sedan.

With the rear seats up, the Cross offers about 17 cu-ft of space on AWD models and 19.6 cu-ft with the gas FWD setup. Folding the rear seats down opens up a generous 44 cu-ft (AWD) or 46.9 cu-ft (FWD). The Cross's greater interior height also means it can carry bulkier items than the Corolla Hatchback.

Aside from the GR hatch, the Corolla Cross is the most expensive in the range. Pricing for the gas-only model starts at above $25,000 ($27,000 with AWD), while opting for the hybrid raises the starting price to about $30,000.

All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.

David Gluckman

David has years of experience as a writer and editor for print and digital automotive publications, including Car and Driver and Road & Track. He can parallel-park a school bus, has a spreadsheet listing every vehicle he's ever tested, and once drove a Lincoln Town Car 63 mph in reverse. When not searching for the perfect used car, he can be found sampling the latest gimmicky foodstuffs that America has to offer.