2021 Toyota Corolla Apex Edition

The 2021 Toyota Corolla Apex Edition was a pleasant summer surprise from the Japanese automaker. The new model adds an assortment of small upgrades to the compact car. However, pricing information was missing until now. A new report from Cars Direct, citing a dealer order guide, shows the Toyota will start at $26,065 for the Apex Edition SE model, which includes the destination charge. The top-tier Apex Edition XSE costs $29,205.

As the publication notes, that’s a hefty premium over the standard Corolla SE and XSE models – $2,695 and $2,385, respectively. That extra money sees Toyota upgrade the suspension, the car’s most notable change, lowering the suspension by 0.6 inches thanks to new coil springs with internal rebound shocks. The suspension is stiffer, too, 47 percent more in the front and 33 percent more in the rear, which will improve the car’s driving dynamics.

Toyota also upgrades the car’s looks, adding a custom body kit, bronze accents, and a rear spoiler. Black, 18-inch wheels are 2.2 pounds lighter than the Corolla’s standard set, and the wheels are unique to the Apex. Toyota also offers customers the choice of two two-tone exterior paint schemes or a blacked-out single-tone look, which would help make the gold accents pop. Inside, XSE customers receive faux leather seats with eight-way adjustability.

One thing that Toyota didn’t change was the Corolla’s powertrain. The Apex Edition models will still use a 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 169 horsepower (126 kilowatts) and 151 pound-feet (205 Newton-meters) of torque. Customers can pair it with either a continuously variable transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox. Toyota is only producing 6,000 Apex Edition models for the 2021 model year, and only 120 will be available as the SE Apex Edition with a manual. The 2021 Corolla Apex Edition should soon join the regular 2021 Corolla at dealerships.