CarTold

2020 vs. 2021 Toyota Corolla: What Changed

EPA lists the same engines, transmissions and drive types for the 2020 and the 2021 Toyota Corolla. Check the individual trims for equipment and production changes these records do not cover.

One campaign covers both years. Two campaigns (fuel system and seat belts) cover the 2020 and not the 2021.

Fewer campaigns do not establish better reliability. Confirm each car's coverage and repair status by VIN.

The campaigns that separate them

Imported NHTSA recall campaigns that name one of these two model years but not the other, with their component labels. Campaigns covering both years are left out of this list.

Only the 2020

  • 19V877000 seat belts
  • 20V682000 fuel system

Only the 2021

No campaign names this year that does not also name the other.

A campaign may cover only part of a model year's production. Use the campaign number to ask an authorized dealer whether the car's VIN is included and what work remains. Our recall tool finds model-year campaigns; this guide explains the vehicle-specific check.

Side by side

2020 2021
Engines listed 1.8L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl 1.8L 4-cyl, 2.0L 4-cyl
Drive types Front-Wheel Drive Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel types Regular Gasoline Regular Gasoline
Combined MPG 32–52 31–52
Recall campaigns 3 1
Complaints on file 305 185
Investigations 0 0
Complaint totals reflect different time on the road, sales and reporting. They cannot rank these years for reliability. The categories below identify symptoms to read about, not failure odds. How reporting time affects the comparison.

What owners reported, by system

2020

Engine 94 (31%)
Other 85 (28%)
Drivetrain 37 (12%)

2021

Airbag 49 (26%)
Other 36 (19%)
Engine 32 (17%)

Full reports

Open each year's report to read the recall, investigation, manufacturer communication and EPA variant records on file:

2020 Corolla full report 2021 Corolla full report Every Corolla year compared

Sources and methodology