The Toyota Corolla is among the best-selling cars in the United States. Now the Corolla has changed quite a lot over the last few years. With the 2020 Toyota Corolla XSE, it’s become more aggressive and famous. It’s geared towards millennials and now has a lot more technology features. In this review, we’re going to check out what has changed from the last generation. Also, we will see why Toyota was still selling 300,000 of these cars in the United States in 2019.
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| Toyota Corolla XSE 2020 Barcelona Red Metallic grille and headlights |
What’s New From 2020 Toyota Corolla XSE?
It’s almost becoming a redundant statement when people say crossovers are taking over the automotive industry. The honesty continually hurts, mainly if you’re a car fan. Nonetheless, Toyota has proceeded to manufacture and develop the class sedans in its lineup.
Exterior
With Corolla 2020, the compact car segment may still show signs of life. Despite the terrible times when Ford and Chevy left the small car market.
Toyota surprised all with the Corolla that it might be the best, but an attractive appearance was never something. You will get along with Corolla because practicality and reliability have always been the main selling points.
Starting with the last generation, Toyota began to market to the millennial and fresher users. Now on the sporty outside, which was completely redesigned. One might explain that this is the most excellent impression in its category with a black mesh grille and bold front fascia.
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| Toyota Corolla XSE 2020 Celestite Gray Metallic exterior grille headlight |
Overall the brand has turned to signify more performance-oriented in names of design. Principally due in section to the latest Toyota Supra. This sporty line continues to the back as a black grille mesh body line. Meanwhile, the rear diffuser is an element that was never put into the Corolla presence in previous generations.
For the XSE and SE trims, 18-inch alloy engine wheels come as standard, an upgrade during the 16 inches found in L, LE, XLE trims. The LED daytime running lights and taillights also standard. On the XSE trim, heated side mirrors, plus a power moonroof are extra features that combine spirit to the brand-new Corolla.
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| Barcelona Red Metallic Toyota Corolla XSE 2020 wheels |
The evolution of the Toyota Corolla XSE aesthetically does not only point towards the Toyota brand. Yet, it further guarantees the continuation of this type. Corolla stays to have genuine fans from consumers who spread decades.
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| Toyota Corolla XSE 2020 rear exhaust taillights Barcelona red metallic |
But Toyota is fully knowledgeable that sincerity is not sufficient to match sales in rising interest from more active crossovers. To continue to compete, they provide their compact hybrid sedan at a very affordable base price, just under $ 23,000, with a combined fuel economy of 52.5 MPGs.
Engine
Under the XSE trim hood, the Corolla gets a 2-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 169 horsepower, 151-pound torque, and is paired with a CVT.
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| Toyota Corolla XSE 2020 Blueprint engine |
An improvement from the last generation and this increase in performance have no negative impact on fuel efficiency because the Corolla reaches 31 miles per gallon in the city and 38 miles per gallon on the highway.
FWD is your single choice for the drivetrain, which isn’t shocking because various rivals don’t offer a front-wheel-drive in this division. Notwithstanding the many modifications to the outside, it is still a trustworthy and cost-effective Corolla.
New Toyota Corolla XSE Interior
The interior is as attractive as the recent outside appearance. Inside, you will be welcomed by Tech leatherette seats, which are heated and soft with fabric inserts for the driver and passenger.
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| Toyota Corolla XSE 2020 Blueprint interior front seats |
The driver’s side is power-adjustable. While the passenger has to adjust their seats, you’ll see a 7-inch digital display between analog gauges and using buttons that are not on the steering wheel in front manually. You can scroll through various information well.
Maybe intentionally or not by the Toyota design team because the analog gauge is on blue gives you the impression that this is a Full digital display, which is a nice touch. You will not see the digital technology offered by many brands in the segment.
Features
You will get an 8-inch touch screen with Apple Carplay, Amazon Alexa, and onboard navigation in the infotainment system. Corolla XSE has a JBL 9 speaker premium audio system upgraded as part of a responsive XSE connectivity package. You have quick access buttons on both sides of the screen to make going through menus a lot easier.
You will get a rear backup camera. For new security technology, the Corolla XSE is equipped with four collisions warning, automatic front braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, auto high-beam headlights, and adaptive cruise control.
Under the center console, you will find buttons and dials for climbing control settings. Underneath, there is a wireless charging pad as a modern convenience for segments that generally do not accept this technology. You will also find buttons for the heated front seats with high and low features.
On the XSE, a sport mode button changes the digital display to be more aggressive and allows you to use the paddle shifter mounted behind the steering wheel. Then there is a central storage compartment near the front seat with USB input and enough space for smartphones or small items.
Seats
The interior comfort is outstanding, and you will be surprised by the shoulder room because, in Corolla, you don’t expect to have a lot of shoulder space. You assume the car to be more compact.
The Toyota Corolla XSE is not cramped. You feel like you have a decent shoulder room. Especially if you are a shorter or a smaller person, this car suits your lifestyle.
Toyota Corolla XSE seats provide good bolstering, soft leatherette seats, quite pleasant and premium. You will love it more than leather, and it’s an upgrade from fabric seats.
You have a middle armrest, and it does come out a little soft touch. For someone who isn’t too tall and the arms aren’t too long, this works great, but maybe for some who are a little taller, not so much.
You will find soft padding along with the dashboard, and again you don’t expect to see that in the car in this segment. On the left and right front and back, there is soft-touch padding.
It’s nice because when you think of this segment, where brands are moving away from all this, they will go from providing small cars to Americans. You will be impressed because you do not expect to see quality like this in this price range.
You must remember that the Toyota Carolla is a compact car, so you don’t expect to see much room to get started. If you focus on legroom and may have older children behind you, you will want to go with Camry or Toyota RAV4.
Obviously, with a more prominent family, RAV4 fits in with your lifestyle. If you sit in the back seat, your height is 5.5 and not the average size of an American. You still have room to work, as long as the front seat is not set to the back.
But if you are 6 feet tall, you will have a lack of headroom. With it being a smaller car and having a lower roofline, you will sacrifice the headroom.
But again, let’s be fair with this review. Now for the middle seat in the back, you will be comfortable without anyone on either side. But if there are people on your right and left, you will be like being squeezed.
Remember this is a compact car, you most likely will not have a third person in the middle, but you need to put the shortest person in the middle if you have to. So, this is a suitable car for people who are not too tall, so again if you are 6 feet and you are in the back seat, you will be cramped.
Unfortunately, rear passengers will not get rear air vents or climb control. But that’s to be expected, and you don’t see that in this segment at all. So you know that’s not shocking, disappointing, or surprising to see. If you are rounding out the rear, you do have a center armrest with two cupholders.
Cargo Space
In the rear cargo room, you won’t have a liftgate power in Corolla. But, inside, you will find a deep but spacious storage space. So, the Toyota Corolla XSE trunk has enough space for weekly shopping. You will have no problem putting all your groceries back here.
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| Toyota Corolla XSE 2020 cargo space |
If you have other items that you will buy, such as some more miniature furniture, you can put them here, depending on how tall it is.
Once again, if cargo space is a priority, you must be thinking of getting a crossover in the Toyota series. But if you live in the city and you are more focused on having a smaller car, this is enough cargo space for your lifestyle.
Toyota Corolla XSE Price and Specs
2020 Toyota Corolla XSE MSRP is $25,550.
Conclusion
With Ford and Chevy leaving the segment altogether, there aren’t many alternatives for consumers to look towards. Toyota makes use of this, and they make the interior better; they add technological features like Amazon Alexa and Apple Carplay.
They make the exterior more aggressive to attract millennials and more modern consumers, but they also have loyal followers and customers who buy the Corolla every two or three years.
The 2020 Toyota Corolla XSE is a practical, reliable, and efficient car. That is the reason why this car is not going anywhere. Toyota will not make the same mistakes as its competitors. So, you won’t see this car leaving America anytime soon.