Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: it scores well across the board with no single weak engine.
Owners have filed 213 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Toyota Corolla, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 32 | 15% |
| Power train | 13 | 6% |
| Vehicle speed control | 12 | 6% |
| Service brakes | 12 | 6% |
| Unknown or other | 11 | 5% |
| Air bags | 11 | 5% |
| Tires | 8 | 4% |
| Steering | 7 | 3% |
| Exterior lighting | 7 | 3% |
| Structure | 6 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Purchased set of 4 Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring 195/65R1591H tires on 26 Jun 2026 @ 48,847 miles on the odometer. Three of the tires had the same serial number of U9AE1CR2622, with the 4th of U9AE1CR4822. Brought car in fo
NHTSA complaint: Tires
The CVT transmission on my 2016 Toyota Corolla initially suffered a complete mechanical failure and was repaired on 01/08/2024, forcing me to pay $3,696 out of pocket for a replacement at an independent shop. Last week,
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The factory-applied Super White (paint code 040) paint on my vehicle has peeled down to bare metal on multiple exterior body panels. The peeling is not the result of any collision damage, scratches, or external trauma —
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
I was driving on the highway and the transmission gave completely out!! with no warning! No check engine light no error message. Car only has 160000 miles on it, if i wasn't calm as I was that could've been lethal!!!!
NHTSA complaint: Power train
I have super white (040) paint and it's flaking off due to original manufacturer paint defect. Paint is flaking off my passenger back door and a large piece/area of roof. flakes of paint will come off at highway speeds,
NHTSA complaint: Structure
In 2024, my 2016 Toyota Corolla was involved in a collision. The airbags did not deploy. I went to the emergency room following the crash and later required additional medical treatment, including rehabilitation.
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
My 2016 Toyota Corolla suddenly showed a Check Engine light, and the dealer diagnosed a CVT transmission failure with code P2757. This code is linked directly to Toyota’s own TSB T-SB-0150-16 for torque converter clutch/
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The driver seat belt dont work and once in a great while it will work but even whenever it does latch it still shows the seat belt isn't on and that noise keeps going off but after a while the noise goes off but the symb
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2016 Toyota Corolla. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags a
Risk: In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of t
| Reliability | 82 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 84 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 90 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 90 | excellent |
| Performance | 46 | below average |
| Efficiency | 53 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 213 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 32 of them (15%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 82/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density, adjusted for how many were sold so a popular model is not penalised for having more owners.
AVOIR scores its longevity 84/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2016 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: buy, because it scores well across the board with no single weak engine. Its overall ownership score is 80/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.