2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Pricing And Fuel Economy Confirmed

Toyota has confirmed pricing and fuel economy numbers for the new 2019 Corolla Hatchback, and there's generally good news all round. The first of the 12th generation Corolla range to hit the market, it replaces the 2018 Corolla iM – previously known as the Scion iM – with more power and more economy.

Indeed, the step up over the old iM is considerable, with the 2019 Corolla Hatchback besting its predecessor by several points – depending on where you're driving – whether you opt for the six-speed manual transmission or the CVT. The 2019 Corolla Hatchback SE MT does 28 mpg in the city, 37 mpg on the highway, and 31 mpg combined. In contrast, the old Corolla iM manual did 27 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg combined.

As for the CVT, the new 2019 Corolla Hatchback SE CVT does 32 mpg in the city, 42 mpg on the highway, and 36 mpg combined. The XSE CVT version of the new car gets 30 mpg, 38 mpg, and 33 mpg respectively. Meanwhile, the old iM CVT did 28 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 31 mpg combined. EPA figures for the XSE MT are yet to be confirmed.

It's an impressive showing, considering the new Dynamic Force 2.0-liter engine pushes power to 168 hp and torque to 151 lb-ft. of torque. That's 31 hp and 25 lb-ft. more than the old 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine mustered. As we found when we drove both transmissions last month, the new Corolla Hatchback is eons ahead in driving enthusiasm, too.

In the CVT, that's in no small part down to Toyota's use of a mechanical first gear. That helps avoid some of the rubber-banding feel that continuously-variable transmissions can suffer from, with lag between when you put your foot down on the gas and when the drivetrain actually starts delivering power to the wheels. It's not to say the manual gearbox has been left out of the fun, mind. That gets a new "Intelligent Manual Transmission" mode, which switches on rev-matching among the things.

If there's a downside, it's that the price has risen slightly over the old iM. The 2019 Corolla Hatchback SE MT starts at $19,990 (plus $920 destination), while the SE CVT starts from $21,090. That's between $1k and $1.5k more than the previous hatchback, though it's worth noting that you get far more tech as standard in the new car.

The 2019 Corolla Hatchback XSE MT will be $22,990, meanwhile, and the XSE CVT from $24,090. Again, count an extra $920 destination on top of all those numbers.

As for options, the adaptive front lighting system – which uses extra, angled lamps to illuminate around corners when you turn – will be a $415 extra on the XSE trim. The SE Preferred Package, with Entune 3.0 Audio Plus, app suite support, Toyota Connected Services, and blind-spot monitoring will be $1,400. The XSE Preferred Package, which steps up to Entune 3.0 Premium Audio with an 800W JBL 8-speaker system, Toyota Connected Services, navigation, and Qi wireless charging for your phone will be $1,600.

Finally, Blizzard Pearl premium paint will be $395 regardless of trim. Sales kick off when the 2019 Corolla Hatchback arrives in dealerships this summer.