If you were around in 1987, then you may have heard of the Corolla FX16.
Over the past few years since this generation launched, Toyota has been building out the Corolla lineup with plenty of special models. The GR Corolla with its 300-horsepower three-cylinder engine is naturally the show-stealer, but that doesn’t mean the more conventional Corolla models aren’t getting any love. Take this 2025 Toyota Corolla FX special edition, which revives a name that the automaker used to signify its sportier, more fun hatchback in the late 1980s.
Let’s start with what the FX does get: 18-inch satin black alloy wheels, black badging and mirror. caps, a decently sized rear spoiler, a black roof and three color options. For those cursing the Corolla’s infotainment setup, it also gets a larger 10.5-inch infotainment screen that will be available throughout the rest of the 2025 Corolla lineup.
What it does not get, as you might expect, is a laundry list of performance upgrades. Apart from the sportier trim, it does sit on lowering springs to improve the stance with those 18-inch wheels and Toyota says its tuned the electric power steering, but that’s pretty much where the driving enhancements end. It still packs a 2.0-liter engine with 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque on tap, which matches every other non-hybrid or non-GR Corolla you’ve been able to buy since 2019. Since this is a sedan, it also (sadly) doesn’t get a manual transmission — only the standard CVT.
In other words, though you’ve likely already worked it out, the 2025 Toyota Corolla FX special edition is mostly an appearance package, based on the SE model. It is available in Midnight Black, Ice Cap and Underground (gray), and gets a 7-inch multi-information driver display and wireless phone charger from the higher-end XSE trim. Inside, this trim gets Moonstone cloth seats with orange contrast stitching. Finally, Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (including lane departure warning, lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control) comes on the FX, same as it will on every other 2025 Corolla.
Pricing isn’t available yet, though the 2025 Toyota Corolla FX will likely sit near the top of the range, above the $25,585 XSE. It’s also worth keeping in mind that price figure is for the 2024 XSE, so we have to see whether Toyota bumps up that pricing, in turn pushing the FX up into the upper-$20,000s. MSRPs for the full 2025 Corolla lineup are coming in the next few months, with the FX specifically available in the fall.
