Used Toyota Corolla for sale: everything you need to know
The ever-popular Toyota Corolla continues to improve with each successive incarnation and it’s still a great alternative to the likes of the Volkswagen Golf, especially if you prefer your saloons to be Japanese. In fact, alongside the similarly popular Honda Civic, the Toyota Corolla is everything you'd expect from this manufacturer, with comfort, style and reliability all acting as key factors in its evergreen appeal.
Toyota has worked hard to revitalise the Corolla and recent incarnations look more relevant than ever. It’s a decent car to drive too, with plenty of comfort supplied inside later examples thanks to a refreshed interior. If you’re doing longer jounreys the Toyota Corolla is a no-hassle car to drive, with a suspension setup that encourages you to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Used Toyota Corolla’s are popular in both the 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre hybrid formats, with newer cars feeling zesty and much more fun to drive than Toyota’s old Auris. The power is more than enough to make the Toyota Corolla fun through the bedns, but the hybrid engines also make it a frugal option too. Combined with a spruced up interior on later cars, the overall package is a strong one.
Other options for used car buyers who want something along the lines of the Toyota Corolla include the also very popular Ford Focus, as well as the aforementioned ikes of the Honda Civic and Volkswagen Golf.
Should you buy a Toyota Corolla?
There are plenty of used Toyota Corolla’s out there to choose from thanks to its enduring popularity, which also means you should be able to get a good example for not a huge amount of money.
You’ll also get the benefit of Toyota’s high-scoring reliability while the hybrid range is much more enjoyable to drive than older models too. Adding to the appeal, especially if you’ve got a family to move around, is the roomy interior, which is nicely equipped and oozes a decent level of quality.
This is further boosted by the solid levels of equipment, even if you’re making do with the base level trim edition. The Toyota Corolla also boasts a five star Euro NCAP safety rating, which provides another good reason why it continues to be so popular with used car buyers.
When it comes to alternatives, try taking a look at the likes of the Honda Civic, the Volkswagen Golf, Ford’s ever-popular Focus as well as less obvious options including the Skoda Octavia and Mazda 3.
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What’s the best used Toyota Corolla model to buy?
The 1.8-litre hybrid is the best choice in the Toyota Corolla range. While the 2.0-litre has more performance, the 1.8 never feels slow. In fact, it’s surprisingly quick - especially post-2023 models with the more powerful engine. The 1.8 hybrid is also cheaper to run and insure and there are far more around on the used market.
Even the entry-level Toyota Corolla Icon is well-equipped, but we'd stretch to a Corolla Design if you can find one within budget. It looks a bit smarter with its 17-inch alloy wheels and rear privacy glass, while the power tailgate, folding door mirrors and rain-sensing wipers all make everyday life that little bit easier.
Used Toyota Corolla fuel economy and performance
While the original Toyota Corolla came with a 1.2-litre petrol engine option, more recent examples offer you a 1.8-litre hybrid or 2.0-litre hybrid. The more efficient powertrain options are mated to a CVT gearbox however, which can tend to make your car sound rather revvy if you’re heavy on accelerator pedal.
Overall, though, expect a decent level of refinement while performance is more than acceptable for a saloon, no matter which engine you plump for.
Toyota Corolla 1.8L petrol: this engine has been boosted to 140PS on newer examples, which means a 0 to 62mph time of 10.9 seconds – a 2 second improvement on older examples. The hybrids are frugal too, with an official figure of 63mpg.
Toyota Corolla 2.0L petrol: This engine also got spruced up for the newer Corolla range in 2023, which means power has been uprated from 180PS to 196PS. You’ll get 0 to 60mph in just 7.9 seconds, with 54mpg too.
What used Toyota Corolla trim levels are available?
More recent models of the Toyota Corolla have arrived in one of four trim levels, with Icon, Design, GR Sport and Excel grades offering something for any type of owner.
Even in its most basic guise, the Icon trim of the Toyota Corolla offers up a decent level of specification and home comforts. If you fancy something a little racier, then head for the GR Sport edition, which takes things up a notch on the looks perspective.
The Toyota Corolla Icon is the opening trim level on recent cars and it’s not bad at all for an everyday saloon. There’s a neat new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster in front of the steering wheel while this is supplemented by a 10.5-inch satellite navigation system. Heated front seats and a reversing camera also feature as do 16-inch alloys and LED headlights.
The Toyota Corolla Design takes this up a notch or two, with eye-catching ambient lighting helping to add a touch of class to the interior. An auto-dimming rear-view mirror is a neat practical addition too. It’s topped with 17-inch black alloy wheels, LED dual-beam headlights as well as rear privacy glass.
The Toyota GR Sport is the model to go for if you like to make a style statement as the interior feels very sporty thanks to its part-leather seats, which is supplemented by red stitching. On the outside, there’s 18-inch dark grey/machine alloy wheels, a dark chrome lower grille and black door mirror casings. Bi-tone paint is an option too.
The Toyota Corolla Excel sits at the top end of the range. If you can find a good used example you’ll get all of the features above along with an altogether plusher feel inside that includes a head-up display. Toyota has beefed up its Safety Sense system in newer cars too, which features a pre-collision system, automatic high beam, lane departure alert, lane trace assist, sway warning and road sign assist. Exterior treats include 18-inch dark grey/machined alloy wheels, adaptive high-beam headlights and multi-beam LED headlights with bi-tone paint and panoramic sunroof as options.
Used Toyota Corolla dimensions and boot size
The Toyota Corolla hatchback (2019 onwards) has the following dimensions:
Boot capacity depends on the engine:
1.8-litre hybrid: 361 litres, increasing to 1,052 litres with the rear seats folded
2.0-litre hybrid: 313 litres, increasing to 1,004 litres with the rear seats folded
The Corolla Touring Sports estate is longer at 4,650mm and offers considerably more luggage space, with approximately 581–598 litres depending on the engine.
These figures apply to the modern Corolla hatchback and Touring Sports. Older Corolla models and the Saloon have different dimensions and boot capacities.
Used Toyota Corolla road tax
Road tax for a used Toyota Corolla depends on when it was first registered and its original list price. Corolla models registered from 1 April 2017 generally cost £200 a year to tax under the current Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rules. This includes the popular 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre hybrid versions, as the previous £10 annual discount for hybrids has been removed.
Higher-specification Corollas that cost more than £40,000 when new, including factory-fitted options, attract an additional £440 a year for five years, starting in the second year of registration. This brings the annual road tax bill to £640 during that period.
Older Toyota Corollas registered before 1 April 2017 are taxed according to their CO2 emissions, so costs vary depending on the engine. For more information, read our guide to car road tax.
How much is it to insure a Toyota Corolla?
Hybrid systems like those found in recent used examples of the Toyota Corolla can be pricier to fix. As a result, it's ranked in slightly higher insurance groups, which starts from group 18 for a 1.8-litre Excel model and rising to group 22 for the 2.0-litre.
A more affordable option would be to head for an older Toyota Corolla with the 1.2-litre petrol engine. There’s less power output, but should be slightly cheaper to insure.
Read our full Toyota Corolla review
