Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 202 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Toyota Corolla, and it carries 5 recalls. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 40 | 20% |
| Engine | 20 | 10% |
| Unknown or other | 14 | 7% |
| Air bags | 9 | 4% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 9 | 4% |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 7 | 3% |
| Fuel system | 7 | 3% |
| Air bags | 5 | 2% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Slave cylinder on clutch failed and leaked fluid in to clutch and flywheel. Clutch pedal would not rebound after being pressed in to shift gear, stuck in middle of road trying to get vehicle in first gear. Had vehicle
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2019 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low tire pressure warning light illuminated, with several other unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle w
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I was driving on a two lane state road. Two vehicles we traveling in front of me in the left lane. The further vehicle in left decide to make a sudden stop at a traffic light. The silver sedan behind that vehicle was tra
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Premature slave cylinder failure at ~70k miles. Suddenly started leaking brake fluid profusely. Inspected and confirmed by Toyota dealership. No symptoms prior to failure. Clutch stopped functioning, unable to shift whi
NHTSA complaint: Power train
DESCRIPTION OF SAFETY ISSUE: The Concentric Slave Cylinder (CSC) on my 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback 6-speed manual failed during normal driving at around 60mph, creating an immediate and uncontrolled safety hazard. The
NHTSA complaint: Power train
6 speed manual transmission. 79K miles. Vehicle was checked at a dealer due to a sluggish clutch. Dealer found low brake fluid, but no problems with the clutch. The next day the clutch failed completely and car had
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Clutch release bearing/slave cylinder failed at 29,900 miles. Without warning or unusual symptoms, clutch pedal stuck to floor and was unable to shift gears without manually pulling clutch pedal up.
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2019 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
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, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300,
Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer servic
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback vehicles equipped with Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVT). The pump impeller blades within the torque converter may detach, especially when driven under high load, potentially causing a vehic
Risk: A vehicle stall, especially when driving a high rate of speed, can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota has notified owners, and dealers will replace the CVT and torque converter, free of charge. The recall began April 22, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toy
Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC (SET) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4, Sienna, and Yaris iA vehicles equipped with factory-installed floor mats. The load carrying capacity modification label may be incorrect. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirement
Risk: An incorrect label may lead to unintentionally overloading the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: SET will notify owners and provide a corrected label for placement over the inaccurate label, free of charge. The recall began August 23, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-27
| Reliability | 79 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 83 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 90 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 97 | excellent |
| Performance | 43 | below average |
| Efficiency | 54 | average |
| Safety | 61 | average |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 202 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 40 of them (20%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 79/100 (good) 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 83/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2019 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 68/100. 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.