Toyota has sold tens of millions of Corollas over the years, and the car just keeps improving with every new model that hits the streets. Though changes for the 2022 model year are minimal, the car remains competitive in its segment with sharp style, generous safety gear, and improved tech. Toyota also offers the car in sedan form with either a hybrid or a gas engine.

The 2022 Corolla Hatchback is available in three trims: SE, XSE, and SE Nightshade. The SE and XSE trims are available with a manual transmission, but they are otherwise identical to their automatic transmission-having siblings. While the sedan is a great option for most people, the hatchback offers more cargo space—17.8 cubic feet instead of 13—but lags its sedan counterpart in rear legroom.

Toyota offers the Corolla sedan with a frugal hybrid powertrain, but no such option exists for hatchback buyers. The only engine available is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit that produces 168 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive are standard, but buyers can opt for a six-speed manual gearbox. The car rides on 16-inch wheels, but 18-inchers are available for several trims.

The base Corolla Hatchback SE comes with LED daytime running lights, automatic high beams, a 4.2-inch driver information display, fabric upholstery, manual seat adjustments, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, single-zone climate controls, an 8-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Bluetooth, and more.

Every 2022 Corolla gets Toyota Safety Sense 2.0. The advanced driver aids include a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alerts with steering assist, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, road-sign recognition, lane-tracing assist, pedestrian detection, and daytime cyclist detection. Top trims add blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts, which are available for lower trims in added-cost options.

The 2022 Corolla hasn’t been evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration yet, but its predecessor performed well in crash tests. The 2021 Corolla earned a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS, which includes “Good” scores in all crash-test categories and “Superior” scores in front crash prevention tests.

While the Corolla line contains three compelling models, including a sedan, a hatchback, and a hybrid, we know that Toyota has plans for a sportier version of the car. The GR Corolla will be a hot hatchback with more power and a manual gearbox, and it may sport an all-wheel drive system similar to the smaller GR Yaris hatchback that is offered elsewhere in the world.

Pricing for the 2022 Corolla Hatchback starts at $21,940/$23,040 for manual/automatic transmission models, including a $1,025 destination charge. The top XSE trim with a continuously variable transmission starts at $25,990.