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 185 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 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 | 42 | 23% |
| Engine | 28 | 15% |
| Power train | 16 | 9% |
| Unknown or other | 15 | 8% |
| Visibility/wiper | 10 | 5% |
| Tires | 5 | 3% |
| Seat belts | 4 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 4 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 2% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The Coolant Bypass Valve needs replacement and my car only has 94,000 miles on it I called Toyota to see if the part and labor were cover under their 100,000 miles/ 10 years warranty and they are saying that it is not,ye
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
This Toyota Corolla hatchback is experiencing an issue where it is constantly giving an “ENGINE MAINTENANCE REQUIRED” light and when scanned, it says “coolant bypass valve malfunction”. There is already a recall for ma
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Notification spontaneously received as Engine Maintenance Required; Visit Your Dealer. Service appointment immediately scheduled for Toyota of Plano for the following day. My service advisor recommended replacing the c
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Over the past year and a half I’ve had to deal with unknown reasons for at least 13 tire problems. And one of those problems was a complete blow out on the highway. When I went to get my spare tire and change it there wa
NHTSA complaint: Tires
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving in third gear, the vehicle failed to shift into a lower gear and became stuck in Neutral. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic,
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving 10 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond and remained in first gear. The contact shifted into Neutral, manua
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Within a week of buying my vehicle in May of 2021 I went to Clearwater Toyota where I bought the vehicle from and complaining about the three seat belts in the back malfunctioning. When nobody is sitting in the backseat
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
During the lower interval settings, wipers will not work in proper order. Sometimes you may get three quick wipes and them the wipers will stop in middle of windshield for about 5-8 seconds. Sometimes the wipers are inco
NHTSA complaint: Visibility/wiper
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2021 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 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed
| Reliability | 83 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 84 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 90 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 89 | excellent |
| Performance | 43 | below average |
| Efficiency | 55 | average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and air bags is the most reported area with 42 of them (23%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 83/100 (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 2021 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.