Reliable Auto DB

2021 Toyota Corolla reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Toyota Corolla holds 185 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 16 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Corolla years here — under the median of the other years, which is 28. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Occupant classification.

2020 Toyota Corolla LE
Photo by SsmIntrigue, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

185

Per year

16

Recalls

1

Years on the road

6

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (52 of 185), then Engine (40) and Electrical system (22). Those filings include 18 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 10 that report an injury.

Next to 2020 and 2022

The 2020 Corolla has 308 complaints, 29 per year, and the 2022 has 100 complaints, 20 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2021 Toyota Corolla. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (1)

Recall air bags, sensor, occupant classification 2023-12-20 · NHTSA campaign 23V865000
Summary Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Remedy Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.

Complaints by component (185 total)

Air bags
52
Engine
40
Electrical system
22
Powertrain
19
Visibility and wipers
15
Exterior lighting
8
Forward collision avoidance
8
Seat belts
8
Speed control
7
Service brakes
6
Steering
5
Structure
5
Tires
5
Seats
4
Wheels
4
Lane departure
3
Parking brake
3
Suspension
3
Fuel and propulsion system
2
Hydraulic brakes
1
Show 12 more Show less
Crash-flagged

18

Fire-flagged

2

Injury reports

10

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

12020192021172022122023522024552025292026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The Coolant Bypass Valve needs replacement and my car only has 94,000 miles on it I called Toyota to see if the part and labor were cover under their 100,000 miles/ 10 years warranty and they are saying that it is…"
    Unknown or other · filed 2026-08-28
  • "Notification spontaneously received as Engine Maintenance Required; Visit Your Dealer. Service appointment immediately scheduled for Toyota of Plano for the following day. My service advisor recommended replacing the…"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-21
  • "This Toyota Corolla hatchback is experiencing an issue where it is constantly giving an “ENGINE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED” light and when scanned, it says “coolant bypass valve malfunction”. There is already a recall for…"
    Electrical system, Engine · filed 2026-07-21
  • "The coolant bypass valve issue"
    Engine · filed 2026-07-03
  • "Over the past year and a half I’ve had to deal with unknown reasons for at least 13 tire problems. And one of those problems was a complete blow out on the highway. When I went to get my spare tire and change it there…"
    Tires · filed 2026-06-15

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2021 Toyota COROLLA 4 DR FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Toyota COROLLA HATCHBACK 5 HB FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2021 Toyota COROLLA HYBRID 4 DR FWD 5 stars 5 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Corolla 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S10) Front-wheel drive 31 40 34 MPG $1900
Corolla 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 30 38 33 MPG $1950
Corolla 1.8L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 29 39 33 MPG $1950
Corolla 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 29 36 32 MPG $2050
Corolla APEX 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S10) Front-wheel drive 31 38 34 MPG $1900
Corolla APEX 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 36 31 MPG $2100
Corolla Hatchback 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S10) Front-wheel drive 32 41 35 MPG $1850
Corolla Hatchback 2L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 28 37 31 MPG $2100
Corolla Hatchback XSE 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AM-S10) Front-wheel drive 30 38 33 MPG $1950
Corolla hybrid 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 53 52 52 MPG $1250
Corolla XLE 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 29 37 32 MPG $2050
Corolla XSE 2L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S10) Front-wheel drive 31 38 34 MPG $1900

Specs and fitment

12th generation, 2020–present
Body styles Sedan, Hatchback
Oil 0W-20 , 4.4 qt capacity
Tire size 195/65R15 (Hybrid LE), 205/55R16 (sedan L/LE/XLE; hatch SE), 225/40R18 (sedan SE/XSE; hatch XSE)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 24V-878 covers certain 2023-2024 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Hybrid vehicles: due to cracks developed during manufacturing, the steering intermediate shaft assembly may fracture and possibly detach from the steering column, which can cause a loss of steering control. Dealers replace the intermediate steering shaft, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning January 17, 2025. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB13 and 24TA13.

Compare

Previous year 2020 Toyota Corolla Next year 2022 Toyota Corolla See every Toyota Corolla model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2021 Toyota Corolla reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2021 Toyota Corolla holds 185 complaints after 6 years, a rate of 16 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Corolla years here — under the median of the other years, which is 28. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Occupant classification.

What are common problems with a 2021 Toyota Corolla?

The complaints owners file most often name Air bags (52 of 185), then Engine (40) and Electrical system (22). Those filings include 18 that report a crash, 2 that report a fire, and 10 that report an injury.

Is the 2021 Toyota Corolla more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2020 Corolla has 308 complaints, 29 per year, and the 2022 has 100 complaints, 20 per year. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2020. The 2021 has fewer complaints per year than the 2022.

Has the 2021 Toyota Corolla been recalled?

The 2021 Toyota Corolla has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2021 Toyota Corolla?

Owners have filed 185 complaints about the 2021 Toyota Corolla with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2021 Toyota Corolla get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2021 Toyota Corolla is 34.5 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What generation is the 2018 Toyota Corolla?

11th generation (2014-2019 in the US).

What oil does a Toyota Corolla use?

Recent US Corolla generations specify 0W-20; capacity is typically about 4.4 qt with filter on the 1.8L, but always check the owner manual for your engine.

Does the Toyota Corolla come as a hatchback?

In the US, the Corolla Hatchback joined the sedan starting with the 12th generation (2020 model year onward); earlier US Corollas were sedan only.