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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  Reliable Piece of Junk - 2002 Toyota Corolla
  By g zeine - July 28 - 3:33 pm

  Since, I bought the car in Sept. 2001, I have had to rebuild the engine before 60,000 miles, had the brakes done twice, window motor replaced, catalytic converter replaced. I had the engine rebuilt due to burning oil, now about 50,000 plus miles later it is burning oil again. Door lock on passenger only works manually. While, it cranks up every time, I have never had a Toyota that has cause me such trouble or cost me so much while owning it.

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  Had not drove a Toyota before. - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By Matt B - July 22 - 11:13 pm

  Rented this car for 10 days. I drove it across the country. The power mirror adjustment is on the dash behind the steering wheel. You can not see it while in the seat, so it is difficult to adjust while driving. There was plenty of room on the door to put it in the correct place. Gas mileage could be improved with a higher overdrive gear. The engine was running around 3,000 RPM on the highway. Ideally should be around 2,200 RPM. Car was noisy, but at that level I would expect. Very low tech in the instrumentation/radio. The cigarette lighter does not stay powered to charge your phone while the car is off. The hood release should probably not be paired with the gas opening lever on the floor. I see potential safety issue if you do not realize you pop the hood. Car gets the job done.

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  Disappointed - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By wonderboy1 - July 22 - 10:00 am

  After I bought it, I already visited the dealer 4 times to repair. Interior is really a nightmare. A consol, side airbag molding, dashboard part, ceiling molding, and etc are shaky and coming out. Heat shield at bottom of a car makes noises, and tire pressure monitor warning light is not working at all. I think toyota never inspects their car before selling it. I am really disappointed.

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  Should have gotten a Camry! - 2011 Toyota Corolla
  By milans - April 28 - 8:31 pm

  Ive driven my 2011 Corolla for 18k/mi and wish I would have been less concerned about MPG than comfort. The car feels a bit underpowered. It also needed a front tire replacement almost immediately because it was defective (two dealer visits). MPG is good but Im not sure that the gas savings are worth the back pain. Im glad I didnt get rid of my 2004 Sienna because I absolutely cannot drive the Corolla all the time. Should have gotten a Camry instead which has more comfortable seats and fits a taller person better (Im over 6).

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  Good Mileage - not much else unfortunately - 2010 Toyota Corolla
  By jring123 - April 20 - 5:44 am

  Had this as a rental for 2 weeks - looked like [violative content deleted] outside (scratched, chipped and dented all around) and inside (seat fabric worn, plastic color rubbed off everywhere) after a year - albeit with 30k miles. Even if one reckons in careless handling it did look worse than any other rental I had - including a lot older ones. Performance was ok but not more - I guess Im spoiled by my saab turbo... Steering was unremarkable, what was a bit strange was the whole Traction Control, Anti-Skid Brake and Cruise Control unit - see below. Seats and Interior were very uncomfortable for my 62" - seats dont go back far enough for sufficient legroom and hard plastic on door and dash hurts legs.

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  Does not deliver on the looks it promises - 2016 Toyota Corolla
  By NK - April 4 - 9:43 pm

  I thought long and hard so far of my month+ of driving the 2016 Corolla S. Am I really driving a Toyota? What willed me into the vehicle was its overall design- very well done on the exterior and interior. Reminds me of several higher-end vehicles of the last decade. I do enjoy the HID lights and nice wheels; the vehicle has a nice presence. However, this vehicle overall has been a major letdown. I expected buying a brand new Toyota not to have to worry about petty little issues like squeaks and rattles. I did not look over the car in that regard; I expected, "its a Toyota"... & that is where it has let me down. I have NEVER owned a vehicle (coming from years of driving old Hondas) that RATTLES so much. This vehicle has a rattle in the drivers door, one by the a/c vent by the drivers window, the steering column itself, one in the passenger seat, one in the plastic trim over the passenger-side airbag, and last but not least, the light/Bluetooth microphone fixture on the roof rattles as well. I would imagine it is not unreasonable that this drives me crazy- it has 1200 miles on it!! This vehicle is also somewhat noisier then anticipated. Blame this on the short test-drive, I suppose. The LE did not seem as noisy. Additionally, the MPGs are marginal at best. In identical conditions, my old Honda got 33 MPG... it was a class-size above... The Corolla is getting about the same. However, the EPA is 25~30% better on the Corolla, go figure. Again, something that this car has not been able to deliver. The steering on this vehicle is light. I realize during a highway maneuver how lacking in feel and control this car is. Lane changes are an ordeal- the car just floats around and one cannot control its direction due to lack of feedback. Imagine using a computer tiller, but attached to an actual car. The one last pet-peeve I have of this vehicle is how uncomfortable it is. It did not seem so during the test drive- it didnt raise an objection. However, the telescopic steering wheel does not come out far enough, causing me to sit closer to the wheel, which in turn bends my knees so that it is not resting against the cushion. The left footrest is too close to the brake pedal- I cant rest my foot on this footrest without contorting my legs, and thus they look to stretch beside it. However, the proximity of the protruding footrest and brake pedal is so close that if I were to move my foot, it also touches the brake pedal- not great when actually depressing the brake pedal. Again, my responsibility for not scrutinizing this during the test drive, but an ergonomic downfall galore nonetheless. I suppose the consumer in this situation is the one that needs to take responsibility- or the salesman hustled me too good. However, the Corolla is the worst car Ive ever had- and Ive had old cars stranding me every now and then. This was the whole point- I wanted to avoid this headache in that regard. What I got was a warrantied car, but an absolute irritant to drive. This vehicle was bought on past reputation- parents, company cars, etc. It even looks great. After a month of driving it, it has disappointingly not delivered. I urge others to scrutinize their Toyota purchase; my experience says the current Toyota product is a hollowed out facade built upon past glory.

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  Random Fire in the Cylinders - 2001 Toyota Corolla
  By terriblydisappointed - March 25 - 10:00 am

  I am disappointed with my Corolla. The engine light has come on 3 times with an error code of P30 (random misfiring in the cylinders). I have had it serviced 2 times and they have turned off the light..sluffing it off as nothing. Now the engine light has come on for a third time and it runs really rough. Not only has my Toyota Corolla CE failed my expectations for reliability..it has failed my expectations for servicing.

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  Lightning Issue PLEASE READ! - 2015 Toyota Corolla
  By Jason - March 15 - 8:58 pm

  If you plan on buying this car please take a test drive at night without high beams on and go downhill. Half of the windshield is completely dark and sometimes the whole windshield. Very concerning and Toyota hasnt done anything yet and wont test drive the car at night to be shown what is happening. Good looking out for your customers Toyota.

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  I hate this car! - 2017 Toyota Corolla
  By janie - January 26 - 8:07 am

  I have been a Toyota fan since I bought my first one in the 1960s, I havent owned any other brand and I was never disappointed until 2016. I was extremely happy with my 2004 and never would have given it up(it only had 48,000 mi.) if it wasnt totaled by another driver. At low speeds(30mph) the car hesitates as if I am continually touching the brake. At highway speed (60mph) the car does not hold the road and drifts, so I am constantly steering to hold the car steady. At my six month checkup they told me the car was performing normally and this was backed up by a case manager at Toyota headquarters. I have the temperature set at 66 degrees, but the air always seems too hot or too cold. I am short and I find the visibility poor. I am also over 65 so I am not a fan of having to program everything,but thats my problem, not the cars. Well, thats enough complaining for now.

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  GAS GUZZLER - 2014 Toyota Corolla
  By carlove3 - January 15 - 4:04 pm

  Someone told a big lie about the gas mileage on this car - it is terrible. I had a 91 volvo and was paying the exact amount for gas without the car payment. If gas mileage is a concern... go with a hybrid... this is absolutely not your car