The Lemon Index

All cars · Toyota Corolla

2019 Toyota Corolla.

The 2019 Toyota Corolla is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 104 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 33, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about airbags, it has 5 recalls, and it gets 30 to 36 mpg combined. The best Toyota Corolla year is 2002.

33Lemon Index · 100 = average car

One of the most reliable. 3× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2002 · Worst year 2009

Toyota Corolla
Photo shows a 2020 Toyota Corolla. Kevauto, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints104first 3 years
Fuel economy30–36 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★★NHTSA overall

Fixes owners look up most.

From 89 YouTube videos about the 2014–2019 Toyota Corolla, 19.4M views. The 2019 is the same car.

  1. Gauges, lights & wiring1.2M views
    2014 and 05-2017 Toyota Corolla oil light reset / maintenance reset2014 and 05-2017 Toyota Corolla oil light reset / maintenance resetThe Bravo Connection · 506K views · 4 videos
  2. Infotainment, battery & electrical982K views
    Fuse Box Locations, How To Check and Replace Fuses, Toyota Corolla, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018Fuse Box Locations, How To Check and Replace Fuses, Toyota Corolla, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018Clever Fix · 252K views · 8 videos
  3. Transmission & shifter836K views
    2014 Corolla How-To: Paddle Shifters | Toyota2014 Corolla How-To: Paddle Shifters | ToyotaToyota USA · 387K views · 4 videos
  4. Timing chain & engine414K views
    2014-2019 Corolla Buying Guide2014-2019 Corolla Buying GuideThe Car Care Nut · 414K views
Show 4 more
  1. Oil changes & service305K views
    How to Change Oil 2014-2019 Toyota CorollaHow to Change Oil 2014-2019 Toyota CorollaTRQ · 196K views · 2 videos
  2. Cooling system284K views
    Coolant Change, Toyota Corolla, Drain & Fill 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018Coolant Change, Toyota Corolla, Drain & Fill 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018Clever Fix · 284K views
  3. Brakes & ABS227K views
    Toyota Corolla Front Brake Pads & Rotors Replacement 2013-2017 - 3 1/2 Minute DIY VideoToyota Corolla Front Brake Pads & Rotors Replacement 2013-2017 - 3 1/2 Minute DIY VideoMINUTE DIY VIDEOS · 227K views
  4. Death wobble & steering141K views
    2014 Corolla How-To: Steering Wheel Controls - Audio | Toyota2014 Corolla How-To: Steering Wheel Controls - Audio | ToyotaToyota USA · 141K views

Before you buy, watch

Views show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.

How serious. Out of 205 owner complaints, owners reported:

24crashes
11injuries
1fires
22tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

airbags21%
transmission & drivetrain20%
fuel or ev drive system19%
fuel system, gasoline11%
speed control10%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Toyota Corolla year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 12K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 3K to 32K miles on the car (57 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

Recalls 5

  • airbags 2020

    During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.

  • fuel system, gasoline 2020

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500,…

  • equipment 2019

    The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect.

Show all 5 recalls
  • equipment 2019

    The text on the load capacity label may become illegible.

  • transmission & drivetrain 2018

    The pump impeller blades within the torque converter may detach, especially when driven under high load, potentially causing a vehicle stall.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Toyota told dealers about

Toyota sent dealers 204 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • REVISION NOTICE May 08, 2018 Rev1: * Applicability has been updated to include 2019 model year…
  • Some 2019 model year Corolla Hatchback vehicles equipped with a K120 Continuously Variable…
  • REVISION NOTICE September 03, 2019 Rev1: ?

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

  • ClosedElectrical overstress2019–2024

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningStandard
Lane departure warningStandard
NHTSA front crash test of the 2019 Toyota Corolla
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Toyota Corolla 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Toyota Corolla 5 HB FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines

About $1800–2150 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.8L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl.

In owners' words

Hit an embankment and car went 60ft then hit fire hydrant and other objects but drivers side airbag didn’t deploy

2019 Toyota Corolla owner · NHTSA complaint 11483947
More owner reports

As I was pumping gas , odometer failed , power train/streen icon came ... As I would accelerate on highway car would slip , as I parked car accelerate on its on resulting in a total

NHTSA complaint 11415931

Transmission loses power at highway speed lazy powerless shifting

NHTSA complaint 11184361

Quick answers

Is the 2019 Toyota Corolla reliable?

Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 3× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 33; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Toyota Corolla year by this measure since 2010 is 2012.

What are the most common 2019 Toyota Corolla problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are airbags (21%), transmission & drivetrain (20%) and fuel or ev drive system (19%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2019 Toyota Corolla have?

5 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2019 Toyota Corolla get?

30 to 36 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2019 Toyota Corolla safe?

NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

At what mileage do 2019 Toyota Corolla problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 3,900 and 32,500 miles. The middle report was at 12,800 miles, from 57 complaints.

Does the 2019 Toyota Corolla have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 20% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2019 Toyota Corolla cost in fuel a year?

About $1800 to $2150 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2019 Toyota Corolla have?

1.8L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl.

What Toyota Corolla year is better than the 2019?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2012, 2013 and 2022.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data