Overview & Reviews

Well into its fourth decade of production, the compact Toyota Corolla is the best-selling car in automotive history, and for good reason. Small, inexpensive, fuel-efficient and as reliable as the day is long, the Corolla is the quintessential economy car. As long as you change the oil on time and don't hit a tree, any Corolla should provide dependable transportation well past the 100,000-mile mark. That's why so many shoppers keep buying Corollas year after year.

Since its 1968 introduction in the U.S., the Toyota Corolla has come in a variety of body styles, including a sedan, coupe, hatchback and wagon. More recently, however, it has only been available as a sedan. Today's Corolla has almost as much rear passenger space as a midsize sedan and its fuel economy is impressive. Although rivals boast sportier designs and more entertaining driving dynamics, a Corolla is nonetheless an excellent choice for smart consumers on a budget.

User Reviews:

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  get a honda - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By honda85 - July 14 - 2:00 am

  This car is supposed to get at least 26 mpg. Over the past years it has only gotten 17!!! I dont live where there is tones of stop and go driving either. This car is not what its made out to be. The engine is very high strung and noisey. And, if you dont mind having every car passing you when youre getting on the interstate, have at it!

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  toyota reliable...not the case here - 1998 Toyota Corolla
  By whyd I buy it - February 24 - 6:10 pm

  I bought my corolla new in 1998. Ive had nothing but problems with it. I only have 82000 miles and Ive had to replace the starter, water pump, battery 3 times, struts twice, front brake pads at least 6 times, rotors 3 times, new calipers, rear brakes twice, tires every two years, poor front suspension, dont feel in control of car. Burns oil (a quart every 600 miles appx) The headliner is disentegrating and the interior plastic around the doors is brittle and falling apart. Airbag light constantly flashes and rear seat very uncomfortable (bottoms out). Bought Toyota thinking Id have it for a long time. NOT! My Hyundai didnt give me this much trouble. Worst car Ive ever owned.

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  inspect windshield before buying - 2015 Toyota Corolla
  By former toyota fan - February 1 - 2:15 am

  I am very saddened by the experience Ive had with Toyota over the purchase of this vehicle. Overall this really is a good little car, gets the job done, decent pickup for the size, smooth enough ride although there is significant road noise compared to other vehicles Ive driven, and good feel to it while driving. HOWEVER, there seems to be an issue with the windshields that Toyota is getting from its vendor. My original windshield had a very weird magnifying effect with random waves running through it that would distort the view of cars, the road, and other objects as you drove it. I took it to the dealer who agreed with me and replaced it, only to find the second one had the same problem. The third windshield is much better but still have two waves running through the drivers viewing range from different angles creating a significant distraction, and if you drive the car long enough, tension headaches. It seems Toyota is sick of dealing with this issue and is, what appears to be, refusing to fix the third defective windshield. I was given a loaner while my car has been in the shop for 1.5 months back and forth over this issue and the loaner appears to be fine. There is a great deal of inconsistency in the quality of the windshields being put on the 2015 Corollas, and recently I heard this is also true for the 2016s. Unfortunately I am now stuck with a car that has a defective windshields with waves in it, although its better than the original windshield, and will have to replace it through Safelite on my own dime. This is a major fail, Toyota. Never again. I hope this review helps others to avoid the same situation. Not sure if this constitutes a significant impairment to the value of the vehicle which would be covered under lemon law in most states.

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  First and last toyota - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By yota - January 2 - 7:10 pm

  This is the worst car Ive ever driven. Whatever small gains you get from the electric steering assist are nullified by any small gust of wind. You cant relax in a car when youre blowing all over the highway in the slightest wind. Furthermore, the seats are doughy and unsupportive. If youve ever had lower back problems in any car, this one will bring them right back. My Volkswagen had firm, supportive seats and I forgot what it was like to have a sore back after a trip - until now. Cheap backseats too - pull on a corner when theyre "locked" and it will have enough give for you (or a criminal) to reach into the trunk. Awful creamsicle backlighting treatment on the dash too.

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  Worst Car Ive ever driven! - 1997 Toyota Corolla
  By Kevinster - November 12 - 3:07 pm

  I admit this car has its place... and its not with me. Ive driven quite a few cars and I would consider myself a "car guy", so Im going to base my review on that. Apart from the quite ugly exterior theres not much to talk about there. Upon entering the car youll notice it sits VERY low to the ground and for a "family sedan" you would be surprised. A nice amenity it has is that it has power windows, and the amenities stop there. Although the interior has some decent soft touch plastics, youll notice its not very inviting. The look is very bland. One thing Im surprised on is that it has no cupholders. The seats feel like youre sitting on an old sofa and the rear seats seem to be missing headrests. It has a radio with a tape player; so nothing out of place for that year of vehicle. Now for the drive. The suspension feels okay, and I can say thats the best thing about the car. Its not so soft, but it does soak up a bit of the bumps in the road. Steering is quite bad and has very little direct response, but most people could live with it. Now, the acceleration is my main issue here: it feels like it has none. You practically have to floor it to even get moving to speed and there is just no enjoyment in driving this car. The brakes are also quite unresponsive. If you actually enjoy driving this is NOT the car for you. If you could care less about what car you drive, want something cheap and to get to point A to point B I suppose this car is okay. But with how low it rides, how small it is, lack of cupholders and with the slow moving speeds I would say this isnt a good daily driver.

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  You Get What You Pay For - 2017 Toyota Corolla
  By Jay0893 - November 2 - 12:59 pm

  First time leasing a Toyota. Bottom line: its an economy car. If you travel and have rented cars--it would be the one youd be driving if you the cheapest rate was your no.1 priority. Its...a solid inexpensive car that optimizes features to the extent possible for a car of this price and category. Being brand new--easier to tolerate some of the irritating things that Id expect from cars like this, primarily: extremely noisy above 40-50 MPH. Seats are very basic and stiff--comfort adjustments seem to be a given basic feature in cars today--the corollas would be too--if it was 1980. Decent control panel and ease of Bluetooth. Speakers and sound are terrible--like a cheap speaker bought in a pinch at Walgreens for 5.99. Surprisingly bad. Headlights and safety features are strong. Gas mileage of course is exceptional--you can drive the thing all month in your avg. metro area on one tank of gas. It is a complete sled of a car on acceleration until the engine warms up (in 2017? And with a little car with no weight to it-would have thought a basic feature) Very nice optimization of cargo space --they really do a nice job optimizing. You can fit much more than youd think in this little car. But in the end--its nothing luxurious by way of smooth ride, or comfort beyond normal day to day city driving. Solid. Reasonably priced, bland but decent enough exterior look. Sure the rental companies are all over Corollas, also seems a car youd lease your teenage child as a first car or reliable college car--as buying or leasing brand new is very affordable. My number one irrantant that, had I known at signing, would have been a deal breaker: the noisy ride. Definitely zero in on that in test drive to make sure you can live with it or itll really grate on your nerves.

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  You Get What You Pay For - 2017 Toyota Corolla
  By Jay0893 - November 2 - 12:59 pm

  First time leasing a Toyota. Bottom line: its an economy car. If you travel and have rented cars--it would be the one youd be driving if you the cheapest rate was your no.1 priority. Its...a solid inexpensive car that optimizes features to the extent possible for a car of this price and category. Being brand new--easier to tolerate some of the irritating things that Id expect from cars like this, primarily: extremely noisy above 40-50 MPH. Seats are very basic and stiff--comfort adjustments seem to be a given basic feature in cars today--the corollas would be too--if it was 1980. Decent control panel and ease of Bluetooth. Speakers and sound are terrible--like a cheap speaker bought in a pinch at Walgreens for 5.99. Surprisingly bad. Headlights and safety features are strong. Gas mileage of course is exceptional--you can drive the thing all month in your avg. metro area on one tank of gas. It is a complete sled of a car on acceleration until the engine warms up (in 2017? And with a little car with no weight to it-would have thought a basic feature) Very nice optimization of cargo space --they really do a nice job optimizing. You can fit much more than youd think in this little car. But in the end--its nothing luxurious by way of smooth ride, or comfort beyond normal day to day city driving. Solid. Reasonably priced, bland but decent enough exterior look. Sure the rental companies are all over Corollas, also seems a car youd lease your teenage child as a first car or reliable college car--as buying or leasing brand new is very affordable. My number one irrantant that, had I known at signing, would have been a deal breaker: the noisy ride. Definitely zero in on that in test drive to make sure you can live with it or itll really grate on your nerves.

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  Dissapointing Quality - 2003 Toyota Corolla
  By kjonim - October 2 - 2:00 am

  Very dissaponting quality of interior parts. 14 days spent since Purchase date. Do not buy cars made in California. Interior buzzes will drive u crazy. Recently right front door developed new ratteles and buzzes. This is my 4th toyota and definitly the last one.Toyota quality definitly took a nose dive. I also own Mitsubishi which has no such quality issues.

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  Stay away! - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By Archie - September 23 - 3:26 pm

  If you hit 60 mph, you feel yourself close to God because you might die anytime. The car loses all its balance, steering/handling is out of control, as if there is a strong wind hitting you sideways. I called toyota, they said they are aware of the issue, but no recall yet. If several people dies, I guess then they will start dealing with the problem.

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  Defects in design - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By flyhi152 - June 30 - 6:50 am

  whenever something is wrong with the car, Toyotas answer is: the car is designed like that. The GPS is designed to take me to addresses several miles from their actual location. it is designed to take me in circles and it is designed to take me several miles into dead end streets. (I paid about $ 1,500 Dollars for this feature and have to stick my 4 year old Garmin onto the windshield). Also, I got a speeding ticket because the speedometer is designed to be unreadable when the sun shines through the window. Within a few months I have seen several 2014 Corollas driving with the taillights off.