2021 Toyota Corolla E210

Overview

Engines

1.8L four-cylinder, 2.0L four-cylinder, Dynamic Force, 1.8L hybrid

Came as

• Sedan
• Hatchback

On record

0 warnings, 1 recall

What changed for 2021

• The Apex Edition arrives. Android Auto becomes standard, and the sedan adds rear side airbags and engine stop-start. Edmunds, a published reference

Compare 2021 with 2020

Rare and special

• SE Special Edition hatchback, Supersonic Red
• Apex Edition

Colors

• Supersonic Red An owners' registry (unofficial)3U5, 2021
• Barcelona Red Metallic3R3, 2020–2021
• Blizzard Pearl070, 2019–2021
• Black Sand Pearl209, 2020–2022
• Blue Flame An owners' registry (unofficial)8W9, 2019–2022

Sources: Toyota, Edmunds, an owners' registry (unofficial)

Interiors in the generation, years not known: Black/Blue Toyota, Moonstone Toyota, Macadamia/Mocha (Premium cloth) Toyota, Edmunds, Black (Premium cloth) Edmunds, Light Gray/Moonstone (Premium cloth) Edmunds

Specs

Badges

• Corolla Hatchback Edmunds, a published reference
• Corolla Hybrid: 1.8L hybrid Toyota, Edmunds

Engines

• 1.8L four-cylinder 2ZR-FAE Toyota, a published reference

  139 hp and 126 lb-ft; L, LE and XLE sedans · 2020–2022

• 2.0L four-cylinder, Dynamic Force M20A-FKS Toyota, Edmunds, a published reference

  169 hp and 151 lb-ft; SE and XSE, the hatchback, and every non-hybrid sedan from 2023

• 1.8L hybrid 2ZR-FXE Toyota, Edmunds, a published reference

  121 hp combined; 138 hp from 2023 with a stronger motor and a smaller lithium-ion battery · 2020–2026

Transmissions

• CVT Toyota, a published reference
• eCVT (2020–2026) A published reference
• 6-speed manual (iMT) Toyota, a published reference

Drivetrains

• Front-wheel drive A published reference

Body styles

• Sedan (2020–2026) A published reference
• Hatchback Edmunds, a published reference

Trims

• L (2020–2022) Edmunds, a published reference
• LE Edmunds
• SE Edmunds
• XLE Edmunds
• XSE Edmunds

Packages

• Apex Edition (2021–2022) Edmunds, a published reference, an owners' registry (unofficial)
• SE Special Edition hatchback, Supersonic Red (2021) An owners' registry (unofficial)

Also in the generation, years not known: Nightshade Edition Edmunds, an owners' registry (unofficial), GR Performance Package Toyota

Figures for the whole 12th gen

• Platform: TNGA GA-C, shared with the Prius and C-HR A published reference
• Where built: Sedans at Blue Springs, Mississippi, and Huntsville, Alabama from 2021; the Hybrid at Takaoka and the hatchback in Japan; the GR Corolla at Motomachi, then Burnaston, England, from May 2026 Toyota, a published reference
• Direct Shift CVT: A physical launch gear, then the belt, with nine simulated steps, for ten in all A published reference
• Hybrid economy: Toyota rated the first Corolla Hybrid at 52 mpg combined Toyota
• Safety award: IIHS Top Safety Pick for the 2019 hatchback and 2020 sedan, short of Plus for their headlights A published reference

Rare trims and options

• Rare

  SE Special Edition hatchback, Supersonic Red Package

  Limited to 1,500 An owners' registry (unofficial)

  1,500 built An owners' registry (unofficial)

• Rare

  Apex Edition Package

  Toyota said it would build 6,000, only 120 of them manuals A published reference

  6,000 built for the US A published reference

Watch out

Faults owners and the press report, and how to spot each one.

No warning is written up yet. That means none is recorded, not that there are none.

Recalls

Newest first. Ask the seller for proof the work was done, or check the VIN with NHTSA.

• 2020–2021 Recall 23V865000

  A short circuit may develop in the passenger seat occupant sensor, stopping the passenger front airbag from deploying. NHTSA

Checked against NHTSA records on November 2, 2026.

Owning

What owners and buyers say

• Sought after

  Ranked second of twelve All years

  One source so far

  SlashGear ranks the 12th gen second of twelve, for the TNGA platform's better handling, the hatchback's manual with the 2.0L, the Hybrid and the GR Corolla. SlashGear

• Sought after

  2019–2021

  One source so far

  SlashGear picks 2018 to 2021 among the best used Corolla years, with IIHS Top Safety Picks in three of the four, few severe problems and among the fewest complaints. SlashGear

Maintenance

• Engine oil and filter 2020–2024

  Replace every 10,000 miles or 1 year Toyota

  Only with 0W-20 oil in the 1.8L or 0W-16 in the 2.0L

  Ask the seller: Ask for oil change records, and which oil was used.

• Engine oil and filter, Corolla Hybrid 2020–2024

  Replace every 10,000 miles or 1 year Toyota

  Only with 0W-16 oil

  Ask the seller: Ask for oil change records, and which oil was used.

• Engine oil and filter, hard use 2020–2024

  Replace every 5,000 miles or 6 months Toyota

  Only for the guide's special operating conditions

• Cabin and engine air filters 2020–2024

  Replace every 30,000 miles Toyota

• Engine coolant 2020–2026

  Replace first at 100,000 miles, then every 50,000 miles Toyota

The 12th gen has 13 services on its schedule, and 12 of them apply to 2021. The rest are for other years.

Warranty when new