Toyota Corolla: common problems, best years and what to check
Very reliable hybrid family hatch, estate and saloon. Covers 2019–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Toyota Corolla a good used buy?
Best buy
1.8 or 2.0 Hybrid
Avoid
cars in cat-theft areas without protection
Who it suits: Drivers wanting a reliable, economical family car.
What's good
- Excellent reliability
- Very frugal
- Comfortable
- Estate is roomy
What's not
- Small hatchback boot
- Cramped rear seats
- Catalytic converter theft
- CVT drone
By the numbers
- #84 most common model on UK roads, with about 102k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2021: 18.6k cars still licensed.
- The most expensive common fault: Catalytic converter theft (up to £2,500).
Toyota Corolla common problems by generation and engine
Toyota Corolla E210 (2019–) · hatch/Touring Sports/saloon; GR
How to spot it: 19 plate onwards. Low, sleek nose with slim headlights; 2023 facelift has new grille mesh.
1.8 Hybrid (2ZR-FXE, hybrid, 2019–)
Very reliable and frugal in town
- Inverter coolant pump / EGR cooler (older cars)£300–£900100k+
2.0 Hybrid (M20A-FXS, hybrid, 2019–)
Quicker hybrid; reliable
- Few reported faults£0–£300any
Faults on any E210 (2019–) engine
- Catalytic converter theft£1,000–£2,500any · Check: Cat shield fitted?
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Toyota Corolla years
How many Toyota Corollas from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
No year clearly outlasts similar cars. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Toyota Corolla MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2019+ cars)
Toyota Corollas pass their MOT first time 3 points more often than the average UK car of the same age (90% vs 87%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 88% | 84% | 52k miles |
| 2020 | 90% | 86% | 44k miles |
| 2021 | 90% | 87% | 37k miles |
| 2022 | 90% | 89% | 29k miles |
| 2023 | 91% | 92% | 50k miles |
| 2024 | 96% | 94% | 24k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Hybrid
Diesel
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively4.03 per 100
- Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect2.84 per 100
- Position lamp: not working2.54 per 100
- Stop lamp: not working1.97 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.85 per 100
- Tyres: has a cut1.54 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick1.52 per 100
- Registration plate lamp(s): inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps1.29 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm19.32 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear10.99 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened10.79 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded8.18 per 100
- Coil spring: corroded8 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick5.57 per 100
- Registration plates: inscription illegible5.4 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn4.8 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Toyota Corolla have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| All engines | chain | durable | £500–£900 |
Toyota Corolla running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Toyota Corolla ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Electric: always compliant.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Electric / hybrid
Toyota Corolla vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Corolla | 102k | 13–23 | 361 l | 1.8 or 2.0 Hybrid |
| Volkswagen Golf | 802k | 10–33 | 380 l | 2013–2020 Mk7/7.5 1.4/1.5 TSI or 2.0 TDI manual |
| Ford Focus | 779k | 4–22 | 375 l | 2018+ Mk4 1.0 EcoBoost/1.5 EcoBlue manual or Mk3 1.6 TDCi |
| Honda Civic | 186k | 9–33 | 478 l | 2012–2017 Mk9 1.8 i-VTEC or 1.6 i-DTEC; 2022+ e:HEV |
| Kia Ceed | 120k | 11–22 | 395 l | 2018+ CD 1.5 T-GDi |
| Skoda Octavia | 201k | 10–24 | 590 l | 2013–2020 Mk3 2.0 TDI estate |
What to check when buying a used Toyota Corolla
- Prefer 2.0 for motorways
Toyota Corolla FAQ
›Is the Toyota Corolla reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 1.8 or 2.0 Hybrid. Avoid: cars in cat-theft areas without protection.
›What is the Toyota Corolla MOT pass rate?
90% of Toyota Corollas passed their MOT first time in 2025 (70,902 tests), better than the 87% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively.
›What are the most common Toyota Corolla problems?
The costliest known faults are Inverter coolant pump / EGR cooler; Few reported faults. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Toyota Corolla have a timing belt or chain?
All engines: chain.
›What is the best year Toyota Corolla to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2019, 2021, 2022 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Toyota Corolla cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.8 Hybrid 55–65 mpg; 2.0 Hybrid 50–58 mpg. Insurance groups 13–23. A minor service is about £150–£210 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Toyota Corolla?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Toyota Corolla ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.