Welcome and congrats on your new car.
I agree this car is not the best in terms storage space, but it is far from the worst among the cars that we have had over the years. we just got use to it. My take of storage space is like horse power - there is no such thing as enough.
My bet of the "shrill sound" is the electric motor running in low speed before your ICE engine fires up.

 

Cars tend not to have the most storage bins, with maybe the exception of the old Echo, but that car was designed to be funky inside and out.

You would have to step up to a RAV4 to get some more storage shelves on the dash.

 

The lack of storage is a small price to pay for the longevity, economy and low maintenance of a Toyota Corolla.

 

Get you a fishing vest if you need to carry all that much more stuff. Does the car carry you, or you carry the car?

 

Good idea, I think I'll use my fishing vest and backpack! That way the car will carry my "stuff."

 

It's cost cutting. It has the least of amount of storage of any vehicle I've owned as well. Toyota is also more about appearance vs functionality and unfortunately, that's how things work these days. Superficial and cheap 🤷‍♀️ You can't get the new Yaris in Canada, but shocked when driving it in Japan and parking beside a previous generation. You could see how much less practical is was and how the design also greatly reduced the amount of raw material needed to make the car. Our corolla hb has less storage bins, less functionality and less overall space than the previous generation yaris, but the current generation yaris is even less than that! I'd most likely have bought the new yaris if it was still sold here though as I value a smaller, reliable vehicle over space to store things.

 

I'm saying that's good. Reason why is, cars all over town are getting windows smashed and ransacked. More stuff left in more cubbies is more tempting to those who can't resist stealing everything left in a car.

 

You may be right, but remember one who is lazy once is almost always lazy all the time. Case in point, I know folks that'll just throw stuff on the passenger seat (or) even the floor in the passenger area. Can't fix stupid 🙇‍♂️

 

You’d think that the aftermarket would come up with some kind of replacement panels with storage. Something on the sides of the center stack would be nice.
I do miss having two glove boxes that my 2009 had.

But you can still get a 40 in each door!

 

I couldn't believe how much storage they omitted going from my 2012 to a 2024. Compartment above the glove box, overhead compartment, and fold away rear drink holders all gone. Gonna take some adjustment for sure.

 

I agree, the designers weren't thinking of practicality, only appearances. I'm thinking of leaving the Corolla owners manual at home because it occupies half the glove compartment. My Yaris has three glove boxes, a spare change compartment by my left knee and a seat back pocket. BTW, the shrill sound at slow speeds might be the sound that is played as a safety warning when the car is in EV mode under 35kph (21mph).