Toyota Corolla Used Buying Guide

When this generation hit the market, it was the first Corolla to offer a hybrid engine for the US. Being that a hybrid wasn’t available in generations prior, if you’re wanting one, then you’re in luck as it will also come with some of the most modern features on the market.

If you’re wanting a hybrid, you'll need a saloon model that hit the roads as 2020 year models. The EPA estimates that you can go nearly 600 miles, getting 52 MPG combined. This will make for a great cross country vehicle and an even better city vehicle.

If the saloon variants aren’t your thing, then the hatchback may be what you want. Given that this is a sportier look, it comes with sporty trim levels. These are the SE, and XSE. These trims are powered by a 2.0L I4 engine that pairs to a six-speed manual, or a CVT.

No matter which trim you find from this generation, you will be able to find an Engine 3.0 touchscreen that comes with Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, and starting with 2021 models, Android Auto.

For the upper trim levels, you can find steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters, SofTex seats, and an upgraded 7-inch multi-information display in the cluster. This is an upgrade from the 4.2-inch equipped on other models.

For the 2021 models, a limited edition joined the lineup. This is the Apex. If you manage to find an Apex, you’ll be sure to turn some heads. This comes with stiffer and lower springs, a larger anti-roll bar, and 18-inch black alloy wheels.

With only 6,000 built, this gives you something to hunt for, and if you want something a bit more rare, you can look for a manual Apex. Out of the 6,000, only 120 manuals were made. This makes it an amazing find for car enthusiasts who want a hit of adrenaline.

This generation first hit the roads in 2014, and with it came 4 trims. These trims are the L, LE, LE Eco, and S. Being that the L is the base model, it didn’t offer the CVT, but it did offer a four-speed automatic, or a six-speed manual. The S also offered a manual option. The rest of the lineup offered the CVT. This helped with overall fuel efficiency.

For model year 2015, the Special Edition Corolla was introduced. This was based on the S trim, and came with an even more sporty look. This added 17-inch wheels, red stitching on the steering wheel, shift knob, door trim, and seats.

For model year 2017, the Corolla was updated. While the updates were mainly to the styling of the vehicle, the interior saw a few worthwhile updates. This came with a new seven-inch touch screen, and a four-inch information display.

This generation only offered two engines, but they were mostly the same. If you want the most mileage possible, then you can look for the LE Eco trim. This came with a unique 1.8L I4 engine that gets 34 MPG combined, as tested by the EPA in 2015.