2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback

Pros: Peppy, efficient powertrain; sporty driving personality

Cons: Limited back seat room; infotainment screen looks tacked on

CG Says: Toyota introduces a redesigned 4-door compact hatchback for 2019. The Corolla Hatchback replaces the Corolla iM hatchback (a vehicle that was formerly named the Scion iM) in Toyota’s model lineup. The 2019 Corolla Hatchback is built on a new vehicle architecture; it will be sold alongside the 2019 Toyota Corolla Sedan (see separate review) that continues with its old design. (A new Corolla Sedan based on the 2019 Hatchback’s new platform is set to launch as a 2020 model.) The Corolla Hatchback is powered by a 168-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that replaces a 1.8-liter four. Transmission choices are a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic. Available features include forward collision warning and mitigation with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot alert, lane-departure warning and mitigation, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, road-sign identification, Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa Connectivity, and keyless access and starting. The new Corolla Hatchback gains a lot over the outgoing Corolla iM, though it does lose almost three inches of rear-seat legroom. However, the Hatchback’s new chassis has far better driving dynamics than either the Corolla iM or the outgoing Corolla sedan, plus the new engine is more powerful and is mated to much-improved new transmissions. These new sporty attributes, combined with Toyota’s traditional value equation, make the Corolla Hatchback an especially strong competitor in the compact-car class.