While fueling up at the gas station around the corner from the Car and Driver office, we heard a cheerful "Nice GR!" from behind us. Thinking there was a GR Corolla or a GR86 at the pump behind, we turned to check it out, but there was no such car. Instead, we made eye contact with a young man putting gas in a silver Mitsubishi Eclipse with an aftermarket wing and graphics on the body side and rear window. We didn't have the heart to tell him that what we were driving was more or less a standard Toyota Corolla hatchback. So we accepted the compliment with a wave, hopped behind the wheel, and sped off before he realized his mistake. To be fair, the Corolla in question wears the new FX Edition appearance package, which sticks on a bigger black-painted wing, aftermarket-looking 18-inch wheels, and a pair of sport bucket seats. We can understand the confusion, but the Corolla FX hatchback is no GR.2026 Toyota Corolla FXInstead of the GR's fire-breathing turbo three, the Corolla FX gets the standard car's nonturbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder. It makes 169 horsepower, a far cry from the 300 ponies you get with the GR Corolla. The FX has a continuously variable automatic transmission—a decidedly un-sporty piece of equipment that we admit does a decent job of doling out what little power the four-cylinder makes, thanks in part to its fixed first-gear ratio that makes it initially more responsive than you might expect.However, the CVT steps through some fake shifts, and they are syrupy and slow. Even in Sport mode, they don't get quicker. This car would be so much better with the automatic box from the GR model . . . or its manual. 2026 Toyota Corolla FXNonetheless, the Corolla FX feels perky enough both in urban traffic and when getting up to speed on a highway onramp. Acceleration testing revealed unexciting results of 8.2 seconds to 60 mph and a quarter-mile time of 16.4 seconds at 85 mph. Handling isn't as sharp as the GR Corolla's, but the front-wheel-drive FX is on the same entertainment level as the Honda Civic Sport Hybrid Hatchback, which is saying something. There's noticeable understeer when you push it hard into a corner, but back off a little bit, and there's enough grip to have a fairly good time. On our skidpad, we recorded a competitive 0.84 g before the Yokohama Avid GT all-season tires broke free. 2026 Toyota Corolla FXRide comfort is fine on smooth pavement, but over the broken asphalt native to Michigan, especially this time of year, the large wheels and low-profile tires conspire to make the Corolla FX feel stiff and jittery. Braking performance is good, although the pedal feels spongy. At our test track, the Corolla FX stopped from 70 mph in a solid 169 feet; the Civic needed 174 feet. The sport seats look great and provide excellent comfort and support, but that's where our praise for the Corolla FX's interior ends. The design is dated, the infotainment display is puny, and the cabin feels claustrophobic when compared to the more airy Civic. The cabin also feels narrow, as if you are shoulder to shoulder with the front passenger. Cubby storage in the front is suboptimal. There are two cupholders in the center console, as well as a bin under the armrest, but it's not quite enough. A smartphone charging pad is tucked under the dash at the leading edge of the center stack, but it's not deep enough to serve as a key catcher when you aren't using it to charge your device. 2026 Toyota Corolla FXRear seat space is so snug that a pair of adults will find it too small, especially on a longer drive. Cargo space is also limited, and the load floor is rather high. We fit three carry-on suitcases in the Corolla FX's cargo area, half as many as in the Civic hatchback. The Civic is larger on the inside, has more cargo room, and is simply more practical.Like any other compact car, fuel economy is part of the Corolla's appeal. The EPA estimates for the FX hatchback are 30 mpg city, 38 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined. But we averaged just 26 mpg over a stint of mixed driving in California. Back home in Michigan on our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, we recorded a mere 32 mpg. That's more efficient than a manual-equipped GR Corolla but thirstier than the Kia K4 hatchback, which managed 38 mpg in the same test. Still, no one is accusing the FX of being a gas guzzler.2026 Toyota Corolla FXWe'll argue that the FX package's white wheels would look cooler if they were paired with the right exterior color. But with our car's white wheels, black spoiler, and Inferno orange paint, it looked a little too DIY for our tastes. The Corolla FX does come in a more monotone look with the body painted Ice Cap (white), and that scheme looks more cohesive.But perhaps we're too quick to judge the FX's looks. Clearly, as evidenced by our friend in the Eclipse, there's a certain aesthetic that appeals to a subset of young car enthusiasts. Not to mention that not everyone—and this is certainly true of many in the younger demographic—can afford a full-on GR car. The Corolla FX serves to fill that gap, with a sporty look that says GR but with a price that's under $30,000. 2026 Toyota Corolla FX➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.