Jump LinksThe Modern Toyota Corolla2018 Toyota Corolla: 11th Generation2021 Toyota Corolla: 12th Generation2020 Toyota Corolla: 12th Generation2010 Toyota Corolla: 10th Generation2009 Toyota Corolla: 10th GenerationAre Toyota Corollas reliable cars?Which model of Toyota is most reliable? (in 2026)How long will a Toyota Corolla engine last?There's only one model in history that has sold over 50 million units since its launch: the Toyota Corolla. As simple as this budget-conscious model is, the Corolla goes to show that even budget-friendly options can be the best. The Corolla didn't climb the ranks for no reason, though — it earned its place as the best-selling car by offering legendary reliability in a simple package. Durability, safety tech, relatively low maintenance costs, and much more contributed to its success.Toyota continues to improve upon its popular platform today, but only time will tell how reliable they are in the long run. With that said, Toyota Corolla reliability hasn't been steady for its entire lifetime. Here, we'll dive into the most reliable Toyota Corolla years, and we bring up some Toyota Corolla years to avoid. Here's everything you need to know about the best-selling car of all time.Reliability data has been sourced from the NHTSA. Recalls and complaints listed, as well as feedback from consumer surveys, have been taken into account. Authoritative sources are listed at the end of the article. This article focuses on Corolla model years starting with the sixth generation in 1988. In order to ensure enough reliability data is on record to judge the cars fairly, model years prior to this are excluded. Toyota Corolla Generations Overview Toyota The Corolla's success in selling so many units is partly due to its exceptional longevity; we mean that in terms of reliability, but also because it's been around for so long. Toyota first introduced the Corolla in 1966, but it wasn't sold in the United States until the 1968 model year — this model used a tiny 1.1-liter inline-4-cylinder engine. Its first generation didn't stick around for long before being replaced by an updated model. The second-gen Corolla lasted from 1970 through 1973, and was powered by either a 1.2-liter I4 or a 1.6-liter I4 that made a whopping 88 horsepower.The compact sedan market continued to grow in popularity, as did the Corolla, so Toyota kept updating its best-selling economy car without missing a beat. The 3rd-gen Corolla was sold from 1974 to 1978 before the 4th-gen stepped up to replace it from 1979 through 1983. Perhaps one of the most influential generations on the Corolla as we know it today, the 5th-gen was the first to move away from a RWD drivetrain. Lasting from 1984 to 1987, the fifth iteration of this budget model lasted for another four model years.Toyota Sure, the Corolla has a long history that's important to understand before we reach the modern day, but economy car reliability these days doesn't correlate with vintage models that aren't on the road often. That said, the rest of this article focuses on the generations we can expect to pop up on the used market. We'll find models with contemporary features like Toyota Safety Sense, and now there are other variants, like the Corolla Cross SUV and the Corolla's current generation even has an optional hybrid powertrain. The Modern Toyota Corolla The sixth generation of the Toyota Corolla kicked off in 1988 and ran through 1992. The final series to be classified as a subcompact, it was a notably more aerodynamic Corolla than its predecessor. Carburetion gave way to fuel injection over this stretch and the Corolla hit a production milestone of more than 4.5 million units produced worldwide.For seventh-gen production, the Corolla dropped its prior 1.6L inline-four in favor of a 1.8L mill. Larger and heavier than before, the 1993 Corolla was now a compact car and would become the best-selling nameplate in automotive history by 1997. The eighth-gen Corolla straddled the new millennium with a more advanced 1.8L inline-four that would ultimately adopt VVT-i and individual coils by model year 2000. From 2003 to 2008, the ninth-generation Corolla grew taller, added bigger 15-inch wheels as standard equipment and still came with manual crank windows. For the 2005 model year, a sporty XRS variant joined the lineup with a 170-horsepower engine and a six-speed manual. A 2.4L inline-four powertrain arrived with the tenth-gen Corolla in 2009 along with all-new sheet metal.A continuously variable transmission (CVT) became part of the Corolla as of eleventh-gen production in 2014. This series boasted fresh looks, modern safety systems, and would mark the end of the long-running four-speed automatic. As of 2020, the sporty twelfth-generation Corolla has been on sale with a 1.8L or 2.0L four-cylinder engine, an available hatchback body style, and a hybrid Corolla variant. Best Toyota Corolla Years for Reliability To determine the best model years for the Toyota Corolla from a reliability perspective, we've combed through recall and complaint data from the NHTSA and Car Complaints, cross-checked it against J.D. Power and Repair Pal insights, and ranked these best Corolla years — saving the very best for last. 2018 Toyota Corolla: 11th Generation Toyota J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Score: 86/100 RepairPal Reliability Rating: 4.5/5 CarEdge Rating: N/A Though the 2018 Toyota Corolla is the "least" best year for reliability, it's still worth your consideration as one of the best years for Toyota Corolla models. Of the 138 NHTSA complaints, 34 were for fuel pump failure, which correlates with one of the three recalls for 2018. That's certainly not an ideal situation, but is benign relative to true problem years. There are only 11 issues reported with Car Complaints for these Corollas, including a handful for the annoyance of mice chewing on wires. That said, J.D. Power puts these Corollas in the "Great" category for quality and reliability, while Repair Pal rates them as "Excellent." 2021 Toyota Corolla: 12th Generation Toyota J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Score: N/A RepairPal Reliability Rating: 4.5/5 CarEdge Rating: A+ As the runner-up to the best Toyota Corolla year, the 2021 model is a contender worth checking out. With only one recall from the NHTSA for a malfunctioning Occupant Classification Sensor, which is related to the airbag, and a pair of owner-reported concerns at Car Complaints, the 2021 Corolla is an easy pick for one of the best model years available. There were 166 NHTSA complaints for this model year, but 22 were related to an engine coolant bypass valve — a reasonably affordable repair — and more than 30 were airbag-related. J.D. Power has not rated the 2021 Corolla, but Car Edge gives it an overall A+ grade, the highest possible score. 2020 Toyota Corolla: 12th Generation Toyota J.D. Power Quality and Reliability Score: 85/100 RepairPal Reliability Rating: 4.5/5 CarEdge Rating: A+ Our pick for the very best year for Toyota Corolla reliability is the 2020 model year. Like its closely-related 2021 stablemate, these Corollas have excellent ratings from the likes of RepairPal and Car Edge, plus a high J.D. Power reliability score. Of the two recalls issued for these Corollas, one was for an incorrect load capacity label and the other for failing backup lights that impacted just 960 units. Those relatively low-severity recalls were accompanied by a single concern logged with the NHTSA and just 20 with Car Complaints. Toyota Corolla Years To Avoid The two worst years for Toyota Corolla reliability are back-to-back model years that have the unfortunate distinction of being produced during the Takata airbag fiasco and Toyota's sticking accelerator pedal scare. The airbags are arguably not a reliability issue, but unintended acceleration certainly is, along with several surprisingly severe issues that impacted many tenth-gen Corollas. 2010 Toyota Corolla: 10th Generation Toyota The 2010 Corolla received the most NHTSA recalls of any model year at 17. Six of those were airbag related and two were for the sticking gas pedal, but there is another recall that owners and would-be buyers should be aware of. Under the "Visibility" category, this recall — on more than 1.8 million vehicles — was related to the master power window switch melting and potentially catching fire. There were also 1,257 complaints logged with the NHTSA and 127 with Car Complaints. On the latter site, a dozen were tied to severe brake system problems, which has a typical repair bill of $540."The contact was driving approximately 35 mph when the brakes were applied but the vehicle did not stop until it crashed. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The driver suffered a serious injury. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop where the contact was told that the brakes were not functioning."- NHTSA Complaint, 31 December 2010, ~5,000 miles 2009 Toyota Corolla: 10th Generation Toyota For the least reliable Toyota Corolla, we give you the 2009 model year with 13 recalls, 1,533 NHTSA complaints, and 254 issues reported to Car Complaints. Of those NHTSA complaints, 146 were engine related, which correlates with the 76 engine-related concerns shared with Car Complaints. Of those, the problems caused by excessive oil consumption carry an average repair bill of $4,570 followed by significant numbers of complaints in other high-dollar repair categories like the following: Water pump failure at an average of 62,000 miles with a typical repair cost of $800 "Loud engine noise" resulting in an average $900 repair bill Transmission failing at about 137,000 miles with a typical $2,460 cost to replace "My car has 91,414 miles and has had multiple cylinder misfires with my normal daily commute of six miles each way. In three years on a 4 cylinder engine I have had three ignition coils replaced, twice within two and a half years and 10,468 miles on the #2 coil. All repairs have been completed by Toyota certified repair facilities with Toyota OEM parts."- NHTSA Complaint, 15 January 2020, 91,414 miles Corolla Reliability Comparison by Generation ToyotaWhile we went over each of the best and worst individual Corolla model years, their generations as a whole can tell a different story. In the 11th-gen's and 12th-gen's cases, we hold them in high regard as being the best Corolla generations overall - however, even they aren't without issues.Below is a table to showcase each generation's common problems, and their average J.D. Power Quality and Reliability scores. The scores given by J.D. Power take each model year's score to find the average for the generation — it's also important to note that these scores are an assessment of initial reliability, not long-term reliability. They may not be available to cars prior to the 2007 model year.We've taken a comprehensive look at the most reliable Toyota Corolla Generations before, but the table above features some highlights. These bullet points include the most common issues reported to the NHTSA and Car Complaints, and are displayed in chronological order by generation. When ranking in order of reliability, we place the 11th and 12th generations as the most reliable overall (with the 12th-gen taking first place), and the 10th-gen Corolla is the least-reliable. These rankings take into account the number and severity of problems, the volume of complaints overall, and the volume of complaints about individual issues, and more. Used Corolla Buying Guide eBayWhen buying a used Corolla, there are some questions you have to ask yourself first, like which generation you want, then which trim you want (LE, SE, XSE, etc.), how big is your budget, and more. Let's start with the last point: budget. Corolla prices fluctuate for any number of reasons. Here are some aspects that affect Corolla values that prospective buyers should check before buying a used Toyota Corolla: Maintenance records (Has this Corolla been maintained regularly?) Model year (See the rest of the article above: Is it a generally reliable model year?) Cosmetic condition (Is there damage to the exterior or interior? Scratched or faded paint?) Number of previous owners (How many people have owned the car before you?) How many miles it's been driven (Does it have high mileage?) Accidents on the vehicle's record (Has it been in an accident?) Mechanical condition (does it have problems?) With all that being said, potential maintenance costs should be a high-priority concern when buying any used car. However, that's part of why the Corolla is so popular — it's relatively cheap to maintain, as long as you buy the right model year. According to CarEdge, the Corolla costs about $4,434 in maintenance and repairs over its first ten years on the road. For reference, that's less than the industry average for popular sedan models by $1,104. It also explains how the Corolla has about a 12% chance of needing a major repair (a repair that costs over $500) within its first five years on the road, which is about 5% better than similar vehicles in its segment.Buyers should take all of this with a grain of salt, though, because buying any used car has inherent risk. The Toyota Corolla is a reliable car, but its reliability only goes as far as the owner is willing to maintain it. Be sure to check if the previous owner(s) changed the car's oil and filters regularly, as well as other procedures like rotating the tires, replacing worn brake pads, keeping fluids at their proper levels, and more. Summary: Find Yourself A Recent Toyota Corolla And Skip The 10th Generation On the whole, Toyota's Corolla is regarded as a reliable small car and that is certainly borne out with the modern examples. While older high-mileage Corollas are inherently more prone to reliability problems, there are gems to be found. Not all Corolla generations have the same reliability status; considering nearly half the 10th-gen Corollas land on the wrong side of these reliability rankings, it may be best to skip that generation entirely. However, the best Toyota Corolla generations include the current (12th) gen, and some model years from the eleventh generation. FAQs Are Toyota Corollas reliable cars? Yes, the Toyota Corolla is a reliable car in general — if you wish to buy used examples, though, you should stick to the most reliable generations and years we talked about above. Which model of Toyota is most reliable? (in 2026) Most Toyotas are reliable with proper maintenance, but our current recommended models include the Corolla and Camry. The Corolla is the best-selling car of all time for a reason: it's more reliable than virtually any competitor. How long will a Toyota Corolla engine last? If properly taken care of, most Toyota Corolla engines should last for far beyond 200,000 miles. Of course, that depends on how the previous and current owner(s) maintain it throughout its life.