Toyota Corolla 2021
- FUEL TYPEPetrol
- MILEAGE53 MPG City / 52 MPG Highway
- ENGINE1836 cc
- CAR TYPESUV
- TRANSMISSIONAutomatic
- Overview
- Technical
- Location
Overview
The 2021 Toyota Corolla continues its tradition of being an inexpensive, safety-minded, and well-equipped compact car. Available as either a four-door hatchback or sedan, the little Toyota offers a variety of personalities. Both body styles feature a pair of dutiful four-cylinder engines, and they're also offered with an extremely frugal hybrid powertrain. For folks who appreciate driving engagement, the Corolla can be had with a manual transmission and a sport-tuned suspension. However, it's still less exciting than most of its competitors, such as the Honda Civic and Mazda 3. While the hatch has a tiny back seat, it shares desirable features and an attractive cabin design with the sedan. The 2021 Corolla isn't the most exciting small car, but it's still an efficient and stylish choice.
What's New for 2021?
Toyota adds a limited-production Special Edition to the 2021 Corolla hatchback lineup. The 1500 copies that'll be produced feature an exclusive body kit and Supersonic Red paint. Every Corolla hatchback also adds rear-seat-mounted side airbags, which bring the car's total to 10. Its cargo volume can also be expanded by 6 cubic feet (23 total) with a new no-cost option that deletes the spare tire and adds a tire-repair kit. The sedan also adds a limited-production trim level called the Apex Edition. Along with a unique appearance and a specially tuned chassis, it's available with summer tires and a manual transmission. However, there will only be 120 stick-shift models available; the others have a CVT. Every Corolla now has Android Auto, too. Both body styles are once again available with black exterior accents courtesy of the Nightshade model.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
- L - $21,200
- LE - $21,650
- SE - $21,940
- Nightshade - $23,940
- Hybrid LE - $24,775
- XSE - $24,890
- XLE - $25,600
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APEX - $26,345
The hatchback Corolla has too many packaging compromises to warrant our interest. Instead, we'd choose the sporty-ish SE sedan. Along with a sport-tuned suspension that makes it more fun to drive than the regular setup, it's available with a manual transmission for an extra $700. We'd happily check that box, even though it voids the option packages that are otherwise available with the standard continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Thankfully, the Corolla SE sedan still comes standard with plenty of features to keep us satisfied. The list includes 18-inch wheels, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, front sport seats, and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Features & Options
Technical
Overall Safety Rating (NHTSA) ★★★★★
The 2021 Corolla hatchback and sedan haven't been fully crash tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). However, both body styles earned a five-star rating for the 2020 model year, and each was named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. The entire Corolla lineup also offers a host of standard driver-assistance technology. Key safety features include:
- Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
- Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
- Standard adaptive cruise control
Toyota provides the Corolla with a competitive warranty that's highlighted by complimentary scheduled maintenance. However, rivals such as the Hyundai Elantra and the Kia Forte offer much longer powertrain coverages that span 10 years or 100,000 miles.
- Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles
- Hybrid components are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles
- Complimentary maintenance is covered for two years or 25,000 miles