Toyota Corolla hybrid problems
The Toyota Corolla (E210) is the twelfth generation of the Corolla, a compact car (C-segment) manufactured by Toyota. Introduced in 2018, this generation has also grown to include hatchback and estate (station wagon) configurations in addition to the saloon (sedan).
Since 2022, a high-performance model became available as the GR Corolla. Based on the hatchback model, the GR Corolla is marketed under the Gazoo Racing family of high-performance cars.
Its platform-sharing vehicles include the Toyota Corolla Cross, a compact crossover SUV, and the Toyota C-HR, an SUV with a hatchback-like body.
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Toyota Corolla hybrid model years
Common Toyota Corolla hybrid problems
Based on complaints from owners, common problems with Toyota Corolla Hybrid cars include:
- Engine fails to start after running out of fuel: When the car runs out of fuel, a fail-safe feature prevents the engine from starting. Resetting the system by disconnecting the battery may be required to clear the code and restart the engine.
- Electric-only mode unavailable: Some owners have experienced issues where the car cannot run on pure electricity due to low hybrid battery levels, displaying an error message stating "EV Mode Unavailable Hybrid Battery Low".
- Dead batteries: Complaints have been made about the hybrid batteries dying, especially if the car is not driven daily. The constant power draw from electronics like theft deterrents and keyless entry systems can lead to starting issues, particularly in cold weather.
- Noisy brakes: Owners have reported a "whirring/buzzing" noise when braking at low speeds, which is considered normal and attributed to the hybrid's regenerative braking system.
- Woodland critter-attracting electrical wiring: The car's wiring insulation, made from a soy-based material, has attracted rodents like mice, rats, and squirrels, causing potential damage to the wiring system.
These problems highlight some of the challenges faced by Toyota Corolla Hybrid owners, ranging from fuel efficiency issues to battery-related concerns and unique challenges like attracting rodents due to the wiring material used in the car.
Are Toyota Corolla hybrids reliable?
The Corolla Hybrid and the Prius Prime were named on the top 10 list of the most reliable car brands. It's been proven that hybrid cars are the most dependable and even more reliable than fully gas-powered vehicles and EVs. The 2023 Corolla Hybrid gets around 53 mpg in the city and 46 highway mpg of gas mileage.
How many miles will a Toyota Corolla Hybrid last?
300,000 miles
If you're considering a Toyota Corolla, you may be wondering, “How long do Toyota Corollas last?” With regular service and maintenance, the Toyota Corolla has a life expectancy of up to 10 years or 300,000 miles. Assuming you take good care of your new Corolla, you could have it for well over a decade.
Is it worth buying Corolla Hybrid?
BOTTOM LINE. The 2023 Toyota Corolla hybrid delivers excellent fuel economy, a smooth but unexciting ride, and gets you where you need to go. It's one of few more affordable vehicles left with its starting price under $25K, and offers Toyota reliability on top of that, making it a tremendous value.
What is the common problem of Toyota Corolla?
Some common problems with the Toyota Corolla include: Oil leaking/excessive oil use. Jerky acceleration. MAF sensor problem.
Percentage distribution of complaints by Toyota Corolla hybrid years
We have researched Toyota problems and analysed all the complaints filed against Toyota Corolla hybrid cars and compiled the top 2 most problematic Toyota Corolla hybrid model years:
Below you can see the percentage distribution of known problems by Toyota Corolla hybrid model years.
Distribution of the number of complaints by Toyota Corolla hybrid years
We've also compiled a chart for you with the number of complaints about Volkswagen Jetta cars of certain model years:
Toyota Corolla hybrid car problems categorized by type of issue
After analysing all complaints related to Toyota Corolla hybrid , it was concluded that the most common issues with these cars are:
- Structure problems
- Seats problems
- Electrical system problems
- Exterior lighting problems
The graph below shows statistics for all Toyota Corolla hybrid vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
Distribution of the number of complaints with injuries by Corolla hybrid model years
There were a total of 1 complaints that resulted in a injuries. In the graph you can see the distribution of the number of complaints by model year.
The NHTSA has received 3 complaints about various vehicle components related to the Toyota Corolla hybrid . Below are the 25 most recent complaints reported for Toyota Corolla hybrid vehicles.
List of Toyota Corolla hybrid complaints
Toyota Corolla hybrid 2024
- Date Of Incident: 2024-06-01
- Date Complaint: 2024-08-07
- VIN: JTDBDMHE2RJ
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: The contact owned a 2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be driven frequently. The contact stated that the vehicle was driven daily, but the failure recurred while driving. Roadside assistance arrived on the scene and recharged the battery. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the battery voltage was low. The dealer charged the battery, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired and was sold back to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 200.
Toyota Corolla hybrid 2024
- Date Of Incident: 2024-02-01
- Date Complaint: 2024-02-09
- VIN: JTDBCMFE4R3
- Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- Summary: The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. The contact stated that the headlights were designed with a curve which caused an obstruction in the driver's vision while driving at night. Due to the headlight design creating a blind spot in the driver's vision, the contact was forced to use the high beam headlights to drive at night. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a service technician acknowledged the failure; however, the technician stated that the manufacturer stood behind the design of the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the design was within NHTSA safety standards. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Toyota Corolla hybrid 2022
- Date Of Incident: 2021-10-04
- Date Complaint: 2021-10-04
- Number Of Injuries: 1
- VIN: JTDEAMDE3NJ
- Components: STRUCTURE,SEATS
- Summary: I bought a new Toyota Corolla Hybrid 2022. The interior driver door pull handle is so bulging, hard, and sharp, dangerous, that it hurts my left leg resting against it. It has already caused bruises and horrible leg pain. I've owned 2 previous Corollas from 2005 to present, but nothing like this. Toyota needs to go back to previous models or copy Honda Civic. They should relocate the door pull handle and make it more safe. Cars should get better, not worse. See pictures attached. Other friends who own this car have similar issue ! I would Corolla Product Engineers tell me a good solution ,or how to relocate handle, or give compensation for local upholstery change.
Latest negative Toyota Corolla hybrid car reviews
Latest positive Toyota Corolla hybrid car reviews
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Vehicle year: 2024
I got my Corolla Hybrid at the end of December and have had the chance to drive it in Northeast winter, spring, and summer. Overall, I'm very happy with the car. However, I do have one pet peeve: Toyota's misguided belief that Corolla Hybrids don't need a spare tire. In my opinion, there's enough room for a full-size spare and flat fix kit if you remove the molded foam flat fix kit holder. That goop kit is useless for a large tread puncture or any sidewall puncture. But, putting that aside, I've been tracking my fuel efficiency on Fuelly.com and have averaged 53 mpg with a high of 66 mpg. Even on periodic road trips through hilly NJ and PA with luggage, an astronomical telescope, and a bike on a trunk-mounted carrier, I've never seen less than 46 mpg in cold temps. One of those trips was into 40 mph west winds. My most recent trip delivered 55 mpg. I keep the hybrid system in ECO mode and make regular use of dynamic radar cruise control. And, no, I don't hyper-mile. This is just regular 65+ highway driving on interstates. With the supplied Yokohama tires, the handling is excellent and nicely grippy when going around curves. Hybrid recharging often obviates the need for braking when taking exits. Drive your hybrid sensibly and you can go 100,000 miles or more between brake jobs. The engine groan is noticeable when accelerating but greatly quiets when engine RPM drops to normal cruise. My prior ride was an '07 Corolla CE manual. Highway RPM was typically 3000 at 65 mph compared with under 2000 for this ride at the same speed. Road noise is generally surface-dependent but not bad for this size sedan. Some pro-reviewers have complained of wind noise at highway speeds, an annoyance I have not experienced. Toyota could have put more thought into storage space design. The door storage is more stylish than functional. Otherwise, the front armrest storage is fine, as is the glovebox. The audio system is straightforward, though I would recommend familiarizing yourself with it while parked. Thanks for reading!The sound system is decent, but there may be some road noise. I haven't used Android Auto much yet, but I do enjoy listening to podcasts on my phone through Bluetooth or from a thumb drive plugged into the dashboard USB port. With Bluetooth, you can also make hands-free phone calls as if you were talking to a passenger. The seat comfort could be improved, especially the lumbar support, as I find myself adjusting it regularly. Other great features include optional blind spot monitoring and cross traffic detection when backing out of busy parking lots. For those of us who can parallel park, the backup camera with its wide view and guide lines will help protect those expensive wheel covers from road damage.
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Vehicle year: 2022
I reviewed the Insight, Ioniq and Prius before purchasing the Corolla Hybrid with the upgraded and heated seats, BSM etc. I found it to be the most comfortable ride and the one with the least road noise out of the four. The upgrade was definitely worth the extra money. It has a good size trunk and the fuel economy averages about 4.4L per 100 km over 4000km of city and highway driving. I am very happy with this vehicle.
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Vehicle year: 2024
I just purchased a new car this week. Due to Covid cutbacks, I had to downgrade from my Camry Hybrid SE. Although I gave up some power and room, and the heated seats, I'm happy to say that the car feels more refined than its price point would suggest. It has a push-button start, a decent basic stereo, reasonably comfortable seats, and little touches like automatic high beams, lighted vanity mirrors, heated outside mirrors, and decent connectivity including Android Auto. The car is also very maneuverable, with a tight turning radius and a responsive steering wheel. The ride is comfortable but not floaty, and the big plus is the mileage. So far, it looks like the mileage is going to match my husband's Prius LE Eco. Overall, I'm very satisfied with my purchase.
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Vehicle year: 2024
The car is great! I traded my 2021 Corolla Hybrid for it. My previous car was getting 64.3 MPG AVG for over 26,000 miles. I think Toyota should make a lot of commercials about the Hybrids they build. They are better than all electric cars by far.
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Vehicle year: 2022
I got my Corolla Hybrid at the end of December and have had the chance to drive it in Northeast winter, spring, and summer. Overall, I'm very happy with the car. However, I do have one pet peeve: Toyota's misguided belief that Corolla Hybrids don't need a spare tire. In my opinion, there's enough room for a full-size spare and flat fix kit if you remove the molded foam flat fix kit holder. That goop kit is useless for a large tread puncture or any sidewall puncture. But, putting that aside, I've been tracking my fuel efficiency on Fuelly.com and have averaged 53 mpg with a high of 66 mpg. Even on periodic road trips through hilly NJ and PA with luggage, an astronomical telescope, and a bike on a trunk-mounted carrier, I've never seen less than 46 mpg in cold temps. One of those trips was into 40 mph west winds. My most recent trip delivered 55 mpg. I keep the hybrid system in ECO mode and make regular use of dynamic radar cruise control. And, no, I don't hyper-mile. This is just regular 65+ highway driving on interstates. With the supplied Yokohama tires, the handling is excellent and nicely grippy when going around curves. Hybrid recharging often obviates the need for braking when taking exits. Drive your hybrid sensibly and you can go 100,000 miles or more between brake jobs. The engine groan is noticeable when accelerating but greatly quiets when engine RPM drops to normal cruise. My prior ride was an '07 Corolla CE manual. Highway RPM was typically 3000 at 65 mph compared with under 2000 for this ride at the same speed. Road noise is generally surface-dependent but not bad for this size sedan. Some pro-reviewers have complained of wind noise at highway speeds, an annoyance I have not experienced. Toyota could have put more thought into storage space design. The door storage is more stylish than functional. Otherwise, the front armrest storage is fine, as is the glovebox. The audio system is straightforward, though I would recommend familiarizing yourself with it while parked. Overall, I think the Corolla Hybrid is a great car and I'm happy with my purchase.The sound system is decent, but there may be some road noise. I haven't used Android Auto much yet, but I do enjoy listening to podcasts on my phone through Bluetooth or from a thumb drive plugged into the dashboard USB port. With Bluetooth, you can also make hands-free phone calls as if you were talking to a passenger. The seat comfort could be improved, especially the lumbar support, as I find myself adjusting the seat regularly. Other great features include optional blind spot monitoring and cross traffic detection when backing out of busy parking lots. For those of us who can parallel park, the backup camera with its wide view and guide lines will help protect those expensive wheel covers from road damage.
Are you having problems with your Toyota Corolla hybrid?
Keaton Heller 2025-03-22
Vehicle year: 2024
Hi there! I just wanted to share my experience with my new 2023 Toyota Corolla Hybrid. Unfortunately, I did encounter an issue with the Electronic Brake System Malfunction error displaying within the first 200 miles. However, the dealer has been very helpful and provided me with a loaner vehicle while they work on replacing the Brake Booster System, which is currently not available from the manufacturer. I will definitely update my review once this safety issue is resolved. It's been two weeks so far, but I'm confident that everything will be taken care of soon!
Nikko Hagenes 2025-01-20
Vehicle year: 2024
I purchased my 2021 Toyota Corolla hybrid on January 21, 2021, and have driven 3k miles so far. The car runs perfectly and I absolutely love it. However, I have noticed some paint chipping on various parts of the car, including the back doors. As a result, I would rate it 3 stars. I bought the car from Dick Hannah in Kelso, Washington, and would recommend getting the extra layer of protection if you decide to purchase this car. It seems like I may need to get a new paint job for my car.
Murray Moore 2025-01-07
Vehicle year: 2022
I purchased my 2021 Toyota Corolla hybrid on January 21, 2021, and have driven 3k miles so far. The car runs perfectly and I absolutely love it. However, I have noticed some paint chipping on various parts of the car, including the back doors. As a result, I would rate it 3 stars. I bought the car from Dick Hannah in Kelso, Washington, and would recommend getting the extra layer of protection if you decide to purchase this car. It seems like I may need to get a new paint job for my car.
Timmothy Gorczany 2024-11-21
Vehicle year: 2022
I'm so sorry to hear about the issues you're experiencing with your 2021 Corolla hybrid. It's frustrating when you make an informed purchase and encounter problems like dark shadows in the headlights and a vibrating passenger seat. These issues can be safety concerns, especially when they affect your visibility and distract you from the road. Have you tried contacting the dealership again to see if they can offer any solutions? I hope you're able to find a resolution soon so you can fully enjoy your car.
Emilio Nikolaus 2024-09-24
Vehicle year: 2024
Our 2021 Corolla is capable of achieving up to 50/51 mpg, however, it is important to note that actual mileage may vary depending on various factors such as driving conditions and habits. While we understand your disappointment with the current average of 41 mpg during your long trip, we assure you that our vehicle is designed to deliver exceptional fuel efficiency. We recommend consulting the owner's manual for tips on how to optimize fuel economy. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.