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The 2023 Toyota Corolla is successful for numerous reasons, including affordability and high-level safety. It’s the cheapest 2023 Toyota car. Also, the new Corolla is one of the safest cars in the lineup, as evidenced by its Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). 

The cheapest 2023 Toyota car is the Corolla

New 2023 Toyota Corolla on road, cheapest Toyota car in 2023 and one of safest with IIHS Top Safety Pick
2023 Toyota Corolla | Toyota

For shoppers wanting the most affordable Toyota car, the 2023 Corolla is a top pick. It’s the cheapest new model in the lineup. The sedan version of this compact car starts at $21,550, while the hatchback starts at $23,005. There’s also a crossover SUV variant in the 2023 Corolla Cross ($23,060). After that, the next cheapest Toyota car is the 2023 Camry midsize sedan ($26,220).

The Corolla is also inexpensive to own. For one, it has high fuel economy, saving money at the pump. The fully gas-powered model gets an EPA-estimated gas mileage of 31 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway, while the Corolla Hybrid can achieve 53/46 mpg city/highway. Also, the compact car is highly reliable, with low repair costs. In addition, like other new Toyota models, the 2023 Corolla provides a free two-year/25,000-mile maintenance plan.

The 2023 Corolla is 1 of the safest Toyota models: IIHS Top Safety Pick award

Seats in new 2023 Toyota Corolla, most affordable Toyota car in 2023 and one of safest
2023 Toyota Corolla | Toyota

In addition to being the cheapest 2023 Toyota car, the new Corolla is also one of the safest in the lineup. Both its sedan and hatchback models recently earned IIHS Top Safety Pick awards. The only Toyota model that rates higher in safety is the 2023 Camry, which received the top-tier IIHS Top Safety Pick+ honor.

The IIHS set a higher bar for crash test ratings for its 2023 car safety awards — but the Corolla met or exceeded them. That includes the highest “good” test rating for small overlap front (driver and passenger), headlights, roof strength, and head restraints and seats.

The compact car also earned a top “superior” rating for front crash prevention. The only test where the Corolla didn’t receive the highest rating was for side impact. Though it earned a “good” rating in the original side impact test, it scored “acceptable” in the stricter updated side test.

What are the Toyota Corolla safety features?

The IIHS Top Safety Pick-winning 2023 Toyota Corolla provides a deep layer of safety features. It has 10 airbags, whiplash-mitigating seats, energy-absorbing crumple zones, and high-strength body panels.

Furthermore, the affordable Toyota car offers many safety-enhancing driver-assistance systems. Every model has Toyota Safety Sense 3.0. The suite includes proactive driving assist, a pre-collision system, pedestrian detection, steering assist, lane departure alert, road sign assist, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. In addition, a rear cross-traffic alert feature and a blind-spot monitoring system are available. 

The new 2023 Toyota Corolla offers an attractive blend of affordability and safety. It’s the cheapest new Toyota car and boasts an IIHS Top Safety Pick award.