Toyota Corolla Common Faults in the UK
E210, 2019+ — compact hybrid hatch and saloon. Updated 6 October 2026.
This guide covers the E210, 2019+ only. Older Corolla generations have different engines and faults — for one of those, see how to check any car for known faults.
The E210 Toyota Corolla Hybrid (2019+) has a strong reliability record in the UK. Owner-reported concerns are minor: rear shock corrosion in coastal areas and Touch 2 infotainment lag. Two DVSA safety recalls cover some 2019–2022 builds, so check by registration. Best-buy: any year. Worst: none.
Largest DVSA recall for the Corolla: R/2024/463, 31,809 vehicles — Brake actuator Skid control ECU reprogram on Certain Toyota Corolla 24SD-146. See the 7 DVSA recalls listed for this model.
93.4% of Toyota Corollas registered 2019–2022 pass the MOT on the day (cars fixed during the test included), 4.1 points above all cars registered in those years (89.3%). These are the cars this guide covers that were 3 to 12 years old when DVSA tested them in 2025, counted from 7,616 DVSA tests; a pass with rectification at the station counts as a pass here, and as a failure in DVSA's own initial-test measure.
Counting every registration year DVSA holds for the Toyota Corolla (2002–2023), which includes generations this guide does not cover, 84.6% pass on the day (cars fixed during the test included), from 13,129 tests.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0), a sample of the 2025 file (about one test in ten, from nine months). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a pass here (passed on the day); DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Compared against cars of the same registration years, because pass rates otherwise mostly measure how old a model's surviving fleet is.
See it by registration year and by mileage ↓The asking-price figures above are the middle 80% and the median of what sellers were asking on Autoza on 29 October 2026 — not what buyers pay — for Toyota Corolla cars registered from 2019. They are worked out from the cars on sale when this page is generated, and none is shown when fewer than 10 cars qualify. The road tax line comes from GOV.UK's vehicle tax rate tables (2026/27 rates). The fuel economy figures are the manufacturer's official WLTP ranges, and the insurance note is an indicative editorial estimate. We do not publish a UK price index, and no figure here should be quoted as one.
Best and worst years to buy
We name a year as a best or worst buy only where the DVSA MOT table further down does not rate it the other way.
Toyota's fourth-generation hybrid drivetrain is fundamentally well-sorted. All years offer the same drivetrain reliability.
2023 and 2024 cars are too new for the DVSA table below, so there is no MOT record behind them yet.
No standout problem year — the most cited owner-reported issues are surface-level (infotainment, body corrosion in coastal areas) rather than mechanical. The safety recalls below cover particular build windows rather than a whole year, so check the car you are looking at by registration.
Known faults — Toyota Corolla E210, 2019+
How to read this list. Items marked Safety recall are DVSA safety recalls, shown with DVSA’s own reference. Whether a particular car is affected depends on when it was built: check it by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check. Everything else in this list is owner-reported: patterns that come up repeatedly with workshops, owner forums and reliability surveys. Those are worth checking on a viewing, but we hold no count of how many cars have each one, other than any survey share a card itself quotes. Treat an owner-reported item as a question to ask, not a fault this car has.
Brake pedal bracket bolt (safety recall)
- Symptoms
- DVSA recall wording: a bolt of the brake pedal bracket may not have been torqued correctly
- Years affected
- Corolla built 15 June 2019 to 20 May 2020 (9,751 cars across Corolla and C-HR)
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under the recall at a Toyota dealer
- What to check before buying
- Check the registration on GOV.UK’s recall check and ask for the Toyota dealer record showing R/2020/337 was done.
High-pressure fuel pump (safety recall)
- Symptoms
- DVSA recall wording: the high-pressure fuel pump could develop a crack over time, leading to a fuel leak and a risk of a vehicle fire. A fuel smell is the warning sign
- Years affected
- Certain Corollas built 18 June 2018 to 10 November 2022 (5,440 cars across Corolla, C-HR and Auris)
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Free under the recall at a Toyota dealer
- What to check before buying
- Check the registration on GOV.UK’s recall check. Cars that had the pump replaced may also be due a follow-up check under R/2024/514 to confirm the correct pump was fitted.
DVSA’s counts, recall by recall: R/2023/298 5,440 (every model in the recall); R/2024/514 180.
Rear shock corrosion (coastal areas)
- Symptoms
- Rust around shock mount; advisory on MOT
- Years affected
- All E210 in coastal areas (e.g. the west coast, Scotland, the South West) — Time-driven, typically 5+ years
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £200–£350
- What to check before buying
- Underbody inspection at viewing — bring a torch.
Touch 2 infotainment lag
- Symptoms
- Slow response to taps; CarPlay reconnect needed
- Years affected
- 2019–2022 (Touch 2)
- Indicative repair (UK)
- No fix — software limitation. Toyota Smart Connect (post-2023) is significantly better.
- What to check before buying
- Use infotainment for 10+ minutes during test drive — assess if you can live with the lag.
Hybrid 12V auxiliary battery
- Symptoms
- Cars not used regularly may struggle to wake the hybrid system
- Years affected
- All E210 — Battery age, typically 4–5 years
- Indicative repair (UK)
- £220–£350 battery replacement
- What to check before buying
- Toyota battery health test at Toyota dealer (£20–£30 if not free).
Brake squeak (specific to hybrid regen)
- Symptoms
- Squeak at low speeds; goes away at speed
- Years affected
- All E210 hybrid
- Indicative repair (UK)
- Cosmetic — usually no fix needed
- What to check before buying
- Low-speed brake test during inspection. Common, not a fault.
More DVSA safety recalls for the Toyota Corolla, largest first
These are the recalls DVSA lists for this model and its build years that the cards above do not already describe: every one of 10,000 or more vehicles, largest first, with DVSA’s own reference and figures. A recall covers only cars built in its dates and within its VIN range — check a particular car by registration through GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check. “Critical” here means DVSA’s own notice tells owners not to drive the car until it is fixed. It is never a size: “Large” means DVSA lists 10,000 or more vehicles in the recall.
- Safety recall · R/2024/463Large recall — 31,809 vehicles
Brake actuator Skid control ECU reprogram on Certain Toyota Corolla 24SD-146
For certain vehicles there is an issue involving the skid control software of the skid control Electronic Control Unit (ECU) where a hard brake pedal feel cannot be ruled out.
31,809 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 16 January 2023 and 5 November 2024 · recall launched 17 January 2025
- Safety recall · R/2025/270Large recall — 30,141 vehicles
Combination Meter Reprogramming on Multiple Models
For certain vehicles equipped with the combination meter system (where various information is displayed) that due to an improper programming of the combination meter unnecessarily repetitive data is written to a memory device.
30,141 vehicles of this model (DVSA’s figures added up) · built between 19 August 2022 and 6 May 2025 · recall launched 24 November 2025
- Safety recall · R/2023/279Large recall — 27,327 vehicles
On affected vehicles there is a possibility that the DCM may not complete the shutdown process within a specific period of time when the ignition is turned off causing the DCM to not restart at the next ignition cycle and making the e-Call function unavailable.
27,327 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 14 December 2020 and 4 August 2023 · recall launched 12 October 2023
- Safety recall · R/2021/315Large recall — 26,575 vehicles
The emergency calling system (ECALL) may not function when required
26,575 vehicles in the whole recall (DVSA’s figure for every model it covers) · built between 5 October 2020 and 23 February 2021 · recall launched 15 November 2021
Source: DVSA vehicle recalls file (every recall since 1992), published under the Open Government Licence. Where DVSA gives one figure for a recall that covers several models, it is shown as the whole recall’s total.
Toyota Corolla MOT results by year and mileage
Measured from DVSA’s own MOT test records for tests carried out in 2025, not from owner reports.
By registration year
Against all cars registered in the same year, the MOT pass rate for the Corolla was higher in every one of the 4 registration years from 2019 to 2022 with enough tests to measure. The widest gap above is 2020 registrations: 93.2% against 88.7%.
Pass rate here: passed on the day, cars fixed during the test included. Rows: every Toyota Corolla DVSA tested in 2025, by registration year (2019–2022), all engines and fuels together.
| Registered | Corolla | All cars that year | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20221,893 tests | 95.0% | 91.2% | +3.8 higher |
| 20212,009 tests | 93.7% | 90.1% | +3.6 higher |
| 20202,023 tests | 93.2% | 88.7% | +4.5 higher |
| 20191,691 tests | 91.4% | 86.9% | +4.5 higher |
By mileage at the test
Against cars of the same age on the same mileage, the pass rate for the Corolla was higher in every one of the 2 mileage bands with enough tests. How other models compare at the same mileage.
Show the table by mileage (2 bands)
| Mileage | Corolla | Same age and mileage | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20k–40k2,568 tests | 93.5% | 89.9% | +3.6 higher |
| 40k–60k2,105 tests | 90.7% | 84.3% | +6.4 higher |
Only a major or dangerous defect fails an MOT. A minor defect is recorded on the certificate and the car still passes, and an advisory is not a failure at all.
We don’t give a recall count for the Toyota Corolla: whether a recall applies depends on the individual car. Check the one you are looking at by entering its registration on GOV.UK’s vehicle recall checker, and see how to check a car for known faults for the other free checks.
Source: DVSA MOT Anonymised Data 2025 (Open Government Licence v3.0), a sample of the 2025 file (about one test in ten, from nine months) (3,459,000 tests). Class 4 tests in Great Britain, test type NT (a normal annual test), retests excluded. A pass, or a pass with rectification at the station, counts as a pass here (passed on the day); DVSA's own initial-test measure counts a rectified pass as a failure and so reports a lower figure. Odometer readings below 100 or above 400,000 miles are discarded as misreadings, and cars under three years old are excluded because no MOT is yet due. Sampled from nine months of 2025 (January, February, April, May, July, August, September, October and November). Testing in Northern Ireland is run separately by the DVA under its own rules. Registration years shown are cars 3 to 12 years old when tested; the smallest rests on 1,691 tests. A gap is called level when it is under one percentage point or inside the 95% sampling margin for that number of tests. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Who this car suits — and who should look elsewhere
Anyone prioritising reliability, lowest running costs, and fuss-free ownership. Ideal for new drivers and high-mileage commuters.
Buyers wanting performance or premium-cabin feel.
Alternatives to consider
If the Toyota Corolla doesn't suit, these comparable models are worth a look in the UK market:
- →Honda Civic Hybrid
- →Hyundai Ioniq
- →Kia Niro Hybrid common faults
Toyota Corolla: questions buyers ask
What are the most common faults on a used Toyota Corolla in the UK?
The E210 Toyota Corolla Hybrid (2019+) has a strong reliability record in the UK. Owner-reported concerns are minor: rear shock corrosion in coastal areas and Touch 2 infotainment lag. Two DVSA safety recalls cover some 2019–2022 builds, so check by registration. Best-buy: any year. Worst: none.
What is the best year to buy a used Toyota Corolla in the UK?
Best-buy years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. Toyota's fourth-generation hybrid drivetrain is fundamentally well-sorted. All years offer the same drivetrain reliability.
What years of Toyota Corolla should I avoid in the UK?
No specific year of the E210, 2019+ Toyota Corolla is generally avoided. No standout problem year — the most cited owner-reported issues are surface-level (infotainment, body corrosion in coastal areas) rather than mechanical. The safety recalls below cover particular build windows rather than a whole year, so check the car you are looking at by registration.
How much does a used Toyota Corolla cost in the UK in 2026?
What sellers were asking on Autoza on 29 October 2026, for Toyota Corolla cars registered from 2019: £9,995–£15,995, median £13,850 — the range is the middle 80% of asking prices. Those are asking prices, not what buyers paid, and not a UK price index. Prices vary by mileage, region and trim, so compare several adverts of the same year and mileage band before negotiating.
What is the road tax (VED) on a Toyota Corolla in the UK?
Annual road tax (VED): £200/year standard rate from the second year, hybrids included — the alternative-fuel discount ended on 1 April 2025 (2026/27 rates). A car registered from April 2017 that listed at over £40,000 new (options included) also pays the £440/year Expensive Car Supplement in years 2–6 — it is the price when new that counts, not what you pay for it used.
What fuel economy does a Toyota Corolla achieve?
Official WLTP combined figure: 55–63 mpg official WLTP combined for the 1.8 Hybrid, 50–58 mpg for the 2.0 Hybrid (Toyota UK specification sheet, hatchback). WLTP is a laboratory test: the Vehicle Certification Agency says its figures serve to compare similar models, and that driving style, accessories and extra weight change what you achieve on the road.
How does a Toyota Corolla compare to its rivals?
Strong alternatives in the UK: Honda Civic Hybrid, Hyundai Ioniq, Kia Niro Hybrid. Choose based on dealer network in your area, parts availability, and your priorities (running cost vs. cabin quality vs. badge).
Who is the Toyota Corolla most suitable for?
Anyone prioritising reliability, lowest running costs, and fuss-free ownership. Ideal for new drivers and high-mileage commuters.
Who should NOT buy a Toyota Corolla?
Buyers wanting performance or premium-cabin feel.
Are there safety recalls on the Toyota Corolla?
DVSA lists 7 safety recalls for the Toyota Corolla that this guide shows or names, the largest first: R/2024/463 (31,809 vehicles, built between 16 January 2023 and 5 November 2024): Brake actuator Skid control ECU reprogram on Certain Toyota Corolla 24SD-146; R/2025/270 (30,141 vehicles, built between 19 August 2022 and 6 May 2025): Combination Meter Reprogramming on Multiple Models; R/2023/279 (27,327 vehicles in the whole recall, built between 14 December 2020 and 4 August 2023): On affected vehicles there is a possibility that the DCM may not complete the shutdown process within a specific period of time when the ignition is turned off causing the DCM to not restart at the next ignition cycle and making the e-Call function unavailable. Whether a particular car is affected depends on its build date and VIN, so check its registration on GOV.UK (gov.uk/check-vehicle-recall) before you buy.
Check these next
The guide above is about the Toyota Corolla as a model. These are about the car in front of you.
- Browse Toyota Corolla listings on AutozaEvery one listed now.
- Check any car by its registrationFree: its MOT history, tax status and any open recall, from a number plate.
- Work out the road tax for the CorollaVehicle tax (VED) by registration date, CO2 and list price.
- Work out the monthly payment on a £13,850 CorollaThe median asking price on Autoza on 29 October 2026, not what buyers pay: change it to the car you are looking at.
- What is your Corolla worth?A price range from dealers' asking prices for comparable cars.
Looking to buy a Toyota Corolla in the UK?
Search Autoza listings filtered by year, mileage, and region. Every dealer page shows the business name, address and contact details, so you can check the business before you enquire.