Toyota Corolla by Model Year: Problems, Recalls and MPG

Counting owner complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2016 Toyota Corolla drew the most (88; most-reported area: air bags) and the 2021 the fewest (49).

Data: US EPA and NHTSAUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Every model year since 2016 in one place: EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls, owner complaints and crash test ratings. The best fuel economy rating, 52 mpg combined, arrived in 2020. Includes the Corolla Hybrid and hatchback. Excludes the GR Corolla and Corolla Cross.

Most and fewest complaints

Model years ranked by owner complaints filed with NHTSA in their first three years (model year Y: filed by the end of Y+2), so every year is measured over the same time on the road. Years without three full years of data, and partial first years with very few sold, are left out. Counts are not adjusted for how many were sold.

Model year	First 3 years	All complaints	Recalls
2016 Corolla Most reported: air bags	88	214	1
2020 Corolla Most reported: engine	88	309	6
2017 Corolla Most reported: air bags	86	190	3
2018 Corolla Most reported: air bags	86	142	3
2019 Corolla Most reported: powertrain	78	203	6
2023 Corolla Most reported: steering	65	73	4
2022 Corolla Most reported: electrical system	62	103	0
2021 Corolla Most reported: air bags	49	185	1

Year by year

Model year	Best rating	Recalls	Complaints
2026 MPG · Recalls and problems	50 mpg Hybrid	1	16
2025 MPG · Recalls and problems	50 mpg Hybrid	1	33
2024 MPG · Recalls and problems	50 mpg Hybrid	3	65
2023 MPG · Recalls and problems	50 mpg Hybrid	4	73
2022 MPG · Recalls and problems	52 mpg Hybrid	0	103
2021 MPG · Recalls and problems	52 mpg Hybrid	1	185
2020 MPG · Recalls and problems	52 mpg Hybrid	6	309
2019 MPG · Recalls and problems	36 mpg Gas	6	203
2018 MPG · Recalls and problems	34 mpg Gas	3	142
2017 MPG · Recalls and problems	34 mpg Gas	3	190
2016 MPG · Recalls and problems	34 mpg Gas	1	214

Owner complaints by model year

All complaints filed so far. Counts rise with sales volume and with time on the road, so recent years look better than they may turn out. The highlighted bar is the model year with the most complaints in its first three years.

2016: 214 complaints

Show as a table

Owner complaints by model year, Toyota Corolla
Model year	Complaints
2016	214
2017	190
2018	142
2019	203
2020	309
2021	185
2022	103
2023	73
2024	65
2025	33
2026	16

Best combined rating by model year

The best-rated version in each model year. Gas: 34 to 36 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); highest in 2019. Hybrid: 50 to 52 mpg (2020 to 2026); highest in 2020.

Best gas version
Best hybrid version

2026: gas 35 mpg · hybrid 50 mpg

Show as a table

Toyota Corolla best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version	Best hybrid version
2016	34	–
2017	34	–
2018	34	–
2019	36	–
2020	35	52
2021	35	52
2022	35	52
2023	35	50
2024	35	50
2025	35	50
2026	35	50

Comparisons

Honda Civic vs Toyota CorollaMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests

Sources and method

US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.