Toyota Corolla 11th Generation 2014-2019 Review

The 11th-gen Toyota Corolla went under the knife in 2017 with a design brief that aimed to make the conservative compact sedan more dynamically appealing and modern. Along with a more distinctive exterior, the Japanese sedan also received a retailored interior in a bid to enhance the cabin ambiance to be more premium and digitally oriented. Under the metal, the 2017 model was afforded better safety equipment.

Toyota's attempt to make the 2017 Corolla appear more modern is achieved by adding two new headlight designs. The L, LE, and LE Eco gain a set of Bi-LEDs while the SE, XSE, and XLE benefit from complex LED clusters¹. The most distinctive change made is no doubt to the bumper² that boasts a new set of vertical LED fog lights encapsulated in big gloss-black plastic housings with four horizontal streaks, replacing the earlier horizontal strips³. This is accentuated by an aggressive lower bumper intake that stretches upward into a thick curved divider. Just above this, you'll find a smaller air inlet and a redesigned grille with a body-color plastic trim strip dipping down from the hood to meet the Toyota badge on sportier trims⁴. The narrower air inlets give the front end a sportier appearance as it rakes down from the headlights to the badge.

The lower bumper changes a bit¹ and Toyota has refreshed the taillight clusters². The light clusters retain their shape, with the white upper strips containing the turn signals and backup lights getting a darker, smoked-amber finish, or making way for all-red clusters on the sportier trims with tiny LED backup-light strips inset into the trunk-mounted clusters. The Corolla retains the integrated trunk spoiler on some models, and this little piece of plastic makes a big difference³.

The profile of the Corolla changes at the front thanks to the new bumper design¹ and very noticeable new upright fog-light housing². Furthermore, Toyota introduces a new set of 16-inch wheels for the LE and XLE trims while the SE and XSE get a new set of 17-inch alloys³.

The 11th-gen Corolla retains the same simplistic and unapologetically Japanese interior throughout its life, but the 2017 update does modernize things a touch. The triangular side air vents have been replaced with circular ones¹ and the silver trim strip above the center vents now arch up to meet the curve of the gauge-cluster hood to its left². Speaking of the gauge cluster, the updated model now features a central 3.5-inch monochrome TFT multi-information display³. The buttons on the steering wheel have been repositioned⁴. On automatic transmission cars, the dead pedal's rubber trimming now features diagonal grip lines as opposed to the vertical design seen on the pre-facelifted car⁵. The center section of the dash has a new housing for the LED clock⁶ while the new 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system is set into a sleek new flushly-integrated, gloss-black panel with a round hazard-light switch replacing the old squared-off one⁷. The climate controls have also been exchanged for a new set that does away with the rotary dial for the temperature⁸. To enhance the cabin feel, Toyota has upholstered the 2017 Corolla with a new fabric finish for the LE. You may find that these cars are covered with the Almond, Ash/Dark Gray, or Black/Brown color schemes. In the SE, a Vivid Blue, Orange Zest, and Black premium fabric insert with Softex leatherette upholstery can be found⁹.

Only one engine is available and it serves a basic purpose, which is to provide adequate forward propulsion without using an excessive amount of fuel. The 2ZR-FE is a tried and trusted 1.8-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine that is forged with an aluminum block and head with a DOHC 16-valve layout. Using the brand's Dual-VVTI-i in the 11th-generation Corolla, it produces 132 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 128 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. This is the case for all models except for the Eco which is tuned specifically for the lowest possible fuel consumption. It produces 140 hp at 6,100 rpm but torque is down at 126 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm.

Looking at the pre-facelifted range, the CE and S trims come fitted with the manual transmission as standard. The CE can be had with the four-speed automatic torque converter while the S can be upgraded to the CVTi-S which is standard on the LE and LE Eco. For the 2015 range and onwards, all models are paired with the CVTi-S with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. The SE is the only trim that can be fitted with a six-speed manual transmission as an option. Power is sent to the front wheels only, and the suspension setup is unashamedly geared towards comfort. The result is a car that feels effortless, though in no way engaging.

The standard Corolla's engine is tuned to be frugal, though Toyota took it a step further by providing a specific ECU tune for Eco models. As you can see below, all models come with impressive claimed and real-world MPG figures.

Most impressive of all is the manual's real-world MPG figures the EPA received from customers. It seems self-shiting humans are smarter and more frugal than a CVT. The gas tank's size makes the Corolla a useful highway cruiser with 13.2 gallons of fuel available.

* Real-world mpg and MPGe figures are provided by the EPA. Once a car has been on sale for a significant period of time, the EPA gets real-world figures directly from the customer base. These figures are then provided on the EPA website. Real-world figures are not available for certain models due to a lack of sales, or not enough people partaking in this after-sales survey.

Pre-facelift models have the bare essentials. The most advanced feature is a rear-view camera, standard on all models except the rental-spec CE and L. Other standard features include eight airbags, ABS brakes, and traction and stability control.

The 11th-generation Toyota Corolla gains some serious safety upgrades post-facelift. All facelifted models have a rear-view camera, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. Toyota was one of the first manufacturers to set a benchmark of what driver-assistance features should be standard on all cars, and the competitors had to include them to keep up.

Even before Toyota added all of the driver-assistance features as standard in 2016, the eleventh-generation Corolla received impressive crash test results from the NHTSA.

Present and accounted for on the 11th-generation Corolla are most of the typical Toyota trims, including L, LE, SE, XSE, and XLE. The 2014 CE trim is essentially just an L trim and was renamed from 2015. The pre-facelift S trim is the sporty derivative, but was replaced with the SE from 2015. The only other odd trim is the LE Eco, based on the LE trim but with a focus on fuel efficiency. Each trim generally follows the previous one with all the same equipment unless otherwise noted.

Worth noting - and not included in the trims below - is the 2016 S Special Edition:

• Toyota Corolla 50th Anniversary Special Edition: To celebrate a pretty impressive 50-year milestone, Toyota celebrates its Corolla with a special edition that can be had painted in n Black Cherry Pearl, Blizzard Pearl or Classic Silver Metallic complemented by a 50th-anniversary badge at the rear. It also features unique 17-inch alloy wheels and Toyota Safety Sense P as standard. Inside, you'll find Black Cherry contrast accents and stitching, and 50th Anniversary Special Edition floor mats.

The Corolla has a typical Toyota interior. It may not have the best-looking plastics, but the Japanese brand's material selections only start making sense 20 years down the road. When you're driving a 20-year-old Corolla without rattles or squeaks, you quickly forget about the various shades of gray and the simplistic layout. The interior is ergonomically brilliant, too.

There's no shortage of space either. The 11th-gen Corolla's rear bench seat has 41.4 inches of legroom, which is somewhere between the BMW 5 Series and 7 Series of the same era.

With the rear seatbacks up, the trunk can accommodate 13 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Folding the rear seats forward increases the capacity, but the seatbacks don't fold flat enough. It creates an odd curvature in the available space, limiting cargo-carrying options. For a family of four, the Corolla offers more than enough trunk space, though a weekend away will require careful packing.

The estimated annual servicing cost of a Corolla is roughly $360, which is a lot less than most cars. There's no shortage of dealerships that will look after it, not to mention the thousands of third-party service centers that have the right equipment. A major inspection and repair service is required at roughly 100,000 miles. If a belt needs to be replaced, you can expect a $1,000 bill. The brakes usually need to be replaced at 60,000 miles, in which case you can expect to pay $500.

Technical Service Bulletins according to the NHTSA. Check service book for:

There aren't many 11th-gen Corolla recalls you need to be aware of. All model years were recalled in 2020 for airbags and seatbelt tensioners that don't deploy as intended. This was part of a huge airbag recall that affected more than 2.8 million cars. Toyota installed a noise filter between the airbag and its wire harness free of charge. The second recall for the first model year was for a wiper switch that may short circuit, but this affected less than 10,000 cars. The 2017 model was recalled for incorrect spare tire pressure and a missing load-carrying warning label. 2018 and 2019 models were recalled in 2020 for a possible faulty low-pressure fuel pump in the fuel tank. In late 2018, Toyota issued a CVT transmission recall. The CVT pump blade could have detached, causing a loss of power at high speed.

These are the error codes you'll most likely encounter when shopping for an 11th-generation Toyota Corolla:

• Code P0441 indicates a leak in the EVAP system. This also relates to Code P0420, which is a problem with the catalytic converter.
• Code P0705 shows up when the ECM isn't communicating properly with the gearbox.
• Code P0300 indicates an engine misfire. Codes 301, 302, 303, and 304 tell you which cylinder is misfiring.
• Code P0171 is for a faulty mass airflow sensor, which usually turns out to be dirty and not faulty at all.
• Code P0013 indicates a problem with the timing.
• Code P0138 points to a high voltage being sent to the oxygen sensor on bank one.

2014-2019 Toyota Corolla problems are few and rarely a cause for concern. Like most Toyota products, it's generally robust and an excellent buy. It did receive a series of one-off complaints from several buyers, though. These ranged from LED headlights to moonroof and paint-peeling problems. One less common problem that will drive you mad is dashboard rattles. There aren't nearly enough complaints for it to register as common, but a rattling dashboard can really ruin your life.

Normally, problems like these would be cause for concern, but the number of complaints versus the number of Corollas sold makes these problems anomalies rather than the norm. Other anomalies you should be aware of are paint-peeling, alternator, battery, and starter problems. Two less common problems worth keeping an eye out for are the brake and electric power steering problems. A few owners reported grinding brakes, indicating brake-pad wear and failure of the brake master cylinder.

The second is a steering problem or rather an issue with how the steering feels. The latter also relates to a suspension problem. In short, some people did not like the lack of feedback and the rear of the car felt floaty or light. We reckon it's a case of accepting the Corolla for what it is, or it could be as simple as the wrong tire pressure. Enough owners complained about gas caps not closing properly, and Toyota responded with a technical service bulletin. Code P0455 will usually illuminate, but the fix only requires a repositioning of the fuel tank filler neck.

Another common problem you might encounter is the Safety Sense suite not working properly. This is common in cold-weather states, or on cars that are regularly exposed to dirt and dust. The solution to this problem is super easy. You need only keep the sensor on the top of the windshield and the front emblem clean. The lower front sensors are located behind the front badge. Just give these two sensors a wipe, and the car should be good to go.

Given the reliable engine and the lack of serious problems, there isn't a particular model year to avoid. The most complained-about year is 2014, and the most serious problem was the radio. That's hardly cause for concern, but 2014 models are easy enough to avoid given how many Corollas there are for sale. The pre-facelift L is a bit too rental-spec for our liking. Still, there really isn't a wrong answer here. Your personal purchase will likely be limited by a budget. Since Toyotas generally don't give their owners headaches, we'd opt for the highest possible specification level.

Looking at all the Corollas on sale in the USA at the time of writing, only a handful of manuals are available. Finding one will be a hassle, but not impossible. The best trim is the SE, offering the best balance of features. As a post-facelift trim, it comes with all of the neat driver-assistance features. We prefer the manual for two reasons. First, the CVT is a poor companion. It's reliable, but we want something more than that, even if it's just the self-expression that comes with manual gear changes. Secondly, the manual is surprisingly frugal. However, if you live in the city, you might want to stick to the CVT.

Toyota's Corolla is one of the most famous cars in the world. Even non-car-people know what a Corolla is. This humble sedan built a name for itself by sticking to its roots. It offers reliable and affordable motoring to the masses, even if it comes at the expense of all joy. The Corolla is the perfect option for people who want a car to get them from point A to point B with as little hassle as possible, using the least amount of fuel. An 11th-gen Corolla is a great addition to those looking for an efficient, reliable family sedan.