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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  Thus far Im happy. - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Rick Evans - May 13 - 4:33 pm

  I replaced a 90 manual Probe seeking an economical and reliable ride. Considering the smaller engine 1.8L vs 2.2L the highway performance is surprisingly good. The Probe had an edge in acceleration during passing but the Corolla is noticeable quieter at 75mph. Tire noise is about the same. Corolla shifting is clearly smoother. Calculated fuel economy averages 33 mpg. On Boston to NYC trips Ive gotten 40. Trunk space is surprisingly roomy. A key factor was that it carry all my amateur astronomy stuff. The little storage areas including the armrest storage are quite convenient keeping the interior neat. Radio reception is excellent. CD/radio sound is good

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  Mediocre - 2013 Toyota Corolla
  By frontier191 - May 13 - 3:23 am

  I bought a 2013 corolla LE after trading in my old car. I ended up with corolla when I wanted a Civic because of lower insurance and retail price. Biggest mistake ever. I didnt thoroughly research the car and its competitors before making my decision. The car rides OK. Very quiet cabin and good fuel economy but its very boring and the styling looks outdated for a 2013...but it does the job. I dont think this car has a good resale value. Many of its competitors offer more bang for the buck and Im seeing many of these corollas already for sale when its barely 1 or 2 years old. Toyota is also redesigning the corolla next year so thatll likely further hurt its value.

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  great car except for paint job - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By warren65 - May 8 - 8:58 pm

  Hi I have a corolla le 2009. Its a great car no problems mechanically. The paint job on the front hood has about 12 black spots on it they are very tiny but noticeable. Toyota claims they are rocks or stones from the road and no warranty coverage. Does anyone else have this problem? Still a reliable car.

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  Fantastic vehicle - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By Kabir Wali - May 8 - 7:37 pm

  Wow, Toyota nailed it with this model. I own a 2005 Corolla Sports sedan with 112k now that I bought with 90k in March of 2014. Its really reliable, the gas mileage is great, the stock sound system they have is good also. Gives you close to 35mpg when youre driving on the highway, I like the fact that anything mechanically is easy to fix and cheap as well. Personally I have no issues with this car, mine came with the moonroof which was another pro for this car. The couple of things I wish it had was a aux slot, and steering wheel volume control as I keep leaning forward to change the radio station or make the music louder. Other than that, the car is great, hopefully I can put a lot more miles on it.

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  rusty brakes - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Lily - May 8 - 8:10 am

  Overall I love my Corolla. So much so I bought 2. However, it was not long on the road before I noticed a lot of noise from my brakes. Every were I parked I left a rust trail. I took the car to the dealer,at least 5X. Each time they assured me the problem was correct. Finally they had a big wheel from Corporate Toyota examine the car. To my surprise, NO ONE could hear the noise, then or there after. The noise is so bad, I have had strangers at lights roll their window down and comment "Lady, you need to check your brakes". Now I am wondering with the recalls. Wish I would have bought a Ford. Service stinks as apparently does their collective hearing. Ill never buy another Toyota

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  Jaunty Wheels - 2007 Toyota Corolla
  By Diane - May 7 - 9:46 am

  I just purchased by 2007 Corolla LE and am quite impressed by the ride and the quality of the interior design. Smooth and janty ride with good pick up for an automatic.

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  Most reliable car I have ever owned - 2005 Toyota Corolla
  By brymil2 - May 6 - 8:15 pm

  I have owned a lot of vehicles and have put a ton of miles on them. However, my 2005 Corolla has been by far the most reliable among all of them. I bought it brand new in late 2004 and performed all the required maintenance myself. What stands out about this car is that I drove it 178k miles before ANY repair was needed. Very few cars have performed that well. It ended up being the intake manifold gasket which what I hear from others, it one of the few things that go wrong with this car. I have averaged 35 mpg in 65% highway driving. I handed it down to my son but still drive it on occasion. Still going strong with 182k miles. Toyota has come close to perfecting this vehicle!

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  Corolla vs. Civic - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By Kevin - May 4 - 8:46 pm

  I owned a 2008 Civic that was totaled and replaced it with a 2009 Corolla. The Corolla is much quieter and smoother on the road and the stereo in the LE Corolla has a much richer sound than did the LX Civic. The Corolla gets fantastic gas mileage, as did the Civic, 35mpg is easy.

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  All in all AOK car - 2004 Toyota Corolla
  By lyraleblanc - May 4 - 6:03 pm

  Biggest gripe: the steering wheel is too close to the dash, so if I adjust the seat for leg comfort, I cant reach it. Make steering wheel telescopic!! Handling is very good, ride a little bumpy (well, its not a Camry). Exterior scratches very easily. My dogs ride comfortably. *Great* mileage. Did brakes/rotors at 50K, otherwise have done nothing but oil changes and it runs like a charm. Very reliable, which I love - I never have to worry about being stranded.

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  A lot of features from a trusted brand - 2009 Toyota Corolla
  By DY - May 2 - 1:00 am

  Ive had the chance to own several new cars in the past 4 yrs ranging from a luxurious sport sedan to a crossover. The engine didnt start to feel "powerful" until about 300 miles. I test drove the LE trim w/ std wheels and it felt like it would tip over in turns, but the S I bought has wider 16" alloy wheels and feels much steadier; XRS w/ wider 17" should handle better yet. Steering is very soft & seems to have a mind of its own. Ride is nicely isolated, and road surface noises are muted well compared to my crossover. Interior looks much nicer than the Civic IMO, but several interior areas like the dash and center console are made of hard "cheap" feeling plastic.