It’s been more than six months since I drove the 2025 Toyota Corolla FX. Quite frankly, I thought I’d known about every single Corolla model, but I’d never heard about the FX until Toyota graciously loaned us this black example with its gray interior.

Toyota’s four-door sedan Corolla has been around nearly since the automaker’s US entry, introduced in 1966. Corolla remains the best-selling nameplate worldwide and is now in its 12th U.S. iteration. It’s a familiar car, offered in both gasoline and hybrid models, with similar trim levels. The FX, which shares some of its standard items with Toyota’s Corolla SE model, definitely has a more sporting nature than all but the upmarket XSE.

The Toyota Corolla FX is definitely sporting looking with its side sills, an aggressive yet tidy front end, its lowered suspension, the gorgeous 18-inch satin black-finished alloy wheels with their machined accents at each wheel’s edges, mounted on P225/40VR rubber, double exhaust pipes and its bespoke rear winglet. This package has great looks and the black paint is almost black/gray, which was just right for the conditions we dealt with during our week together.

Like the other three gas-fed Toyota Corolla models, the FX is powered by a two-liter directly-injected four-cylinder inline engine. It produces 169 horsepower at 6,600rpm and 151 lb-ft of torque at 4,400; redline is at 6,800 rpm. Toyota uses a continuously variable 10-speed transmission with overdrive for all of its Corolla models, as well as electric rack and pinion power steering. With struts and wishbones providing front and rear suspensions, the overall package is one of capability and, with the FX model, enjoyment. Disc brakes are standard at all four wheels.

These days, no matter how good a car looks, we want to see how comfortable it is, how economical it is with regard to refueling and whether it’ll fit into our budgets. There are seven gasoline-burning Corolla models listed for 2025 and the FX is the model just below the XSE top-of-the-line sporting model, before one gets into the variety of hybrids Toyota offers for sale. Most of its models are primarily hybrid these days and that’s a good thing; after all, who wants to pay more for fuel when you can get close to 50mpg with a hybrid?

Well, there are still some of us who like internal combustion engines, particularly those that give sufficient power and return sufficient economy. This car does just that and much of it is due to aerodynamic qualities. It rained like crazy during our week together, and that meant NHRA had to cancel its finale. Optimists, we still drove the 100+ miles round-trip each day hoping the weather would break. Aero on this little sedan is excellent. Rain will clear itself without wipers pretty darn easily and that aids fuel economy, rated at 31/39/34 mpg from the 13.2-gallon tank. And that engine doesn’t work very hard at 65mph, turning all of 1,500 rpm.

The real question is, why buy or lease the Corolla FX over an LE or an XSE? While most of its separate features are cosmetic, there are some performance aids in this package, which truly looks like it came from the black-it-out-and-add-a-spoiler school of thoughtful design. Produced to pay tribute to the much-beloved Corolla FX16 that Toyota brought to the US in the 1980s, the Corolla FX does have shorter springs that lower this four-door sedan a little bit; the power-assisted electric power steering has been retuned to give it a sportier feel. The sport-oriented seats give plenty of support.

The differing cosmetics on Toyota’s 2025 FX Corolla include the wheel-tire combo, a blacked-out roof (it’s actually a $500 option), rear spoiler, and attendant aero tweaks at the rear, together with black badging and mirror caps. This FX model also marked the arrival of Toyota’s 10.5-inch infotainment screen as standard equipment; it was an option on the balance of the 2025 Corolla lineup. That screen, which is located just above the central vents, is tough for this shorty to see over. It does block my view a bit…

Since we’ve brought up the cost of the black roof, let’s talk about the price of this car. With destination fees, it starts at $27,635. Add in the $500 black roof paint and a convenience package for $530 (blind spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert), a rear bumper protector for $89, frameless HomeLink mirror for $175, $90 for black wheel locks, $25 for a trunk LED light and $325 for Toyota’s Connected Services trial offering of two added years of Drive Connect and Remote Connect in addition to single-year trials. A remote control is included and the system is 4G-dependent. All told, this car retails at $29,369.

This Corolla FX comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibilities and a wireless charger beneath the central stack, which does allow your phone to float a bit. Toyota has other wireless chargers, but costs could be a factor and keeping Corolla buyable is very important to the manufacturer. While it’s normal to cheap out a bit for rear passengers, Toyota did place a pair of USB-C plugs in the rear to keep passengers engaged and includes both 12V and USB-C plugs at the front of the cabin inside central, carpeted storage.

Trunk space of 13.1 cubic feet is totally usable and there’s a release on the floor for that and the fuel tank.
That trunk is accessible from the rear seats and offers a 60/40 fold. Because it’s low, it’s an easy lift to get items into the trunk and safely stored. While there was no spare beneath the floor, Toyota does include a tire repair kit should the need arise.

It’s a known fact that this writer prefers to drive cars that people actually buy. It’s fun to drive vehicles I can’t (and likely you can’t) afford, but my preference is to find the best vehicle for the least amount of money. Toyota’s FX Corolla meets my standards in that it’s sporty, handsome, reliable and relatively inexpensive considering its capabilities. Might not be the most exciting sedan in the world, but at least it has sporting pretensions. With three drive modes, eco, normal and sport, this FX Corolla allows those of us that love to drive the opportunity to flex our talents over the road. The steering might be a bit light, but the FX Toyota Corolla makes up for that with all of us aerodynamic qualities. I could have neglected this sedan but I liked it too well. It’s not your father’s Toyota Corolla and that’s a good thing.

Can you buy a 2026 Toyota Corolla FX? Yes, but it’s not a sedan body; rather, Toyota decided to morph this equipment to its hatchback, giving those that wish they could afford a GR hatch the opportunity to get, maybe, halfway there. Although the FX’s power output is dwarfed by the GR’s, the sporting feelings and feel definitely remain. The fact that Toyota continues to build an FX model is good for those of us that prefer our vehicles to be more sporting conveyances.

words and photos by Anne Proffit