2021 Toyota Corolla

The 2021 Corolla comes in 8 trim lines with two available engine options and two transmission options. All variants of the Corolla are front-wheel-drive. The 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan competes with the very usual competition in the segment which includes the Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Hyundai Elantra. We have assembled the very basic base trims of each car equipped with the smallest standard engines for comparison so that we know how good they are for the least price paid. 

The Toyota Corolla is available in eight trims in total among which three are special edition trims and two of them are new for 2021. The main five trims are the base L followed by LE, SE, XLE, and the top-end XSE trim. The SE trim gets two special edition sub-trims which are the SE NIghtshade edition and the SE Apex Edition. The XSE trim also gets an Apex Edition which is the most expensive trim in the Corolla lineup. 

There are two engines on offer with the 2021 Corolla Sedan which includes a 1.8 L Inline-4 which is the standard base engine in the L, LE, and XLE trims and comes mated to a CVT transmission. Whereas the SE and XSE trims and their special editions get a stronger 2.0 L Inline-4 engine mated to a more advanced Dynamic-Shift Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) transmission as standard. The following table shows the detailed list of features and pricing of each trim of the 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan-

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The 2021 Toyota Corolla SE Apex Edition would be the best trim to choose. It comes with a superior set of features along with the stronger 2.0 L engine and a sport-tuned suspension. It also comes bundled with the better Dynamic-Shift Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) while a 6-speed intelligent Manual Transmission (iMT) is also an available option. The trim also gets superior sporty styling inside as well as outside and for its $25,170 price tag, it is a superb option delivering an impressive package.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan is offered with two engine options which are a 1.8L 4-cylinder engine in the L, LE, and XLE trim and a 2.0L 4-cylinder Dynamic Force engine in the SE, SE Nightshade Edition, SE Apex Edition, XSE, and XSE Apex Edition models. The base engine is mated to a normal CVT transmission and puts out 139 hp and 126 lb-ft of maximum power and torque. The stronger 2.0 L engine is mated to a Dynamic-Shift Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) and produces 169 hp and 151 lb-ft. 

All of the Corolla trims are FWD models and AWD is not available with any trims. All trims of the Corolla from the XLE trim and upwards get two driving modes which are Normal and Sport while from the SE trim and upwards, the trims which are equipped with the stronger engine, also get steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. The performance of the Corolla Sedan with either engine does not give out surprising or even appreciable performance. The engines lack power and the base engine attains a speed of 60mph in 8.8 seconds and crosses the quarter-mile mark in 17.5 seconds. 

The Mazda 3 is the best performer and produces the most torque while the Honda Civic outputs the most power. The Corolla is the slowest among all of these machines when equipped with the base engine. But the thing is all other cars when opted with their stronger available engines perform significantly better while Corolla’s stronger engine is not particularly a better performer. On the performance side, the 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan is a disappointment.

How well does the 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan Drive and Handle?

The 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan is definitely not the best handling machine in the segment. It doesn’t tackle corners aggressively or provide a properly engaging driving experience. The tires also fail to provide enough grip and traction in the lower-spec trims. The SE and XSE trim adds larger 18-inch wheels which enhance the overall driving experience while also improving the handling a little bit. Other than that there are no significant improvements from these so-called ‘sporty’ trims. 

The Apex Edition trims come equipped with a sport-tuned suspension with increased stabilizer bar and coil spring rates which do bring more stability and increase the cornering traction coupled with the 18-inch wheels. These make a difference, but still don’t drastically improve the handling and driving dynamics of the 2021 Corolla. The ride quality is good and the suspension socks up undulation of the road fairly well. Overall, this is not a machine that is aimed at delivering an enthusiastic or engaging driving experience like the Mazda3. 

How efficient is the braking performance of the 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan? 

The braking performance of the 2021 Toyota Corolla can be termed impressive. The sedan is equipped with 10.8-inch brake rotors in the front and 10.2-inch ones in the rear bringing the vehicle to a stop effectively. The Corolla sedan stops from a distance of 60mph at a distance of 115 ft. which is really good. The brakes are progressive with good bite and hence Toyota has managed to keep the weight of this sedan below 3,000lbs, which also contributes to stopping the machine in a short period of time. 

The 2021 Honda Civic is the absolute best performer in the braking department. Under hard braking, it comes to a stop from 60mph at a distance of just 112 ft. which is extremely short in the segment. The Corolla also follows very closely with an impressive braking distance. The Mazda comes next and being the most sporty one among these cars, its braking capability is not as impressive as expected whereas the Elantra has the least powerful brakes among all of them. 

The 2021 Toyota Corolla performs in the mid terrain in terms of fuel efficiency. The base, least powerful engine obviously provides the most fuel efficiency. And those figures for such an underpowered engine are not exceptionally high, but just respectable. The Corolla delivers a fuel economy of 30 mpg in the city, 38 on the highway, and a combined efficiency of 33 mpg. Along with a comparatively bigger fuel tank of 13.2 gallons, the Corolla can travel up to a distance of around 435 miles in the combined road and driving conditions. 

The Hyundai Elantra is the standout performer in the fuel economy segment providing the best mpg figures and range. The Corolla and Civic are on the same turf delivering an above-average combined fuel economy of 33mpg. The Mazda which is the sportiest also is the least efficient among the competitors. The Corolla doesn’t perform at a top-class level, but the economy figures are definitely good. 

The 2021 Corolla sedan features a spacious front row which is adequately enough, while the second row is not spacious enough. The seats are fabric trimmed in lower trims L and LE trim while the XLE trim features SofTex trimmed seats with heating functionality. The SE and XLE trim upgrades the seats to Premium sport seats with sport fabric inserts while the Apex Editions get a bronze interior trim stitching. The driver seat is also 8-way adjustable while the front passenger seat is 4-way adjustable with a seatback pocket. 

The interior of the Corolla is upscale and the materials are of good quality. The seats are comfortable and won’t tire you on long journeys while larger occupants in the rear row would feel cramped and uncomfortable. The shoulder room, as well as legroom in the rear row, is tight and that makes three people seated in the back very uncomfortable. The cargo capacity of the Corolla is also not really good. It comes with a cargo capacity of 13.1 cu-ft which is sufficient enough for carrying enough luggage for a long trip. 

The Elantra is the most spacious among all of these cars and provides the most spacious travel experience. The rear row space is extremely good and the legroom is exceptional. The cargo capacity is the most in the Honda Civic which is second to the Elantra in terms of interior passenger space. The Toyota happens to be the least spacious among these cars which makes it a disappointing offering. The following are some of the most important interior features in the Toyota Corolla-

• Premium sport seats with sport fabric insert with 6-way adjustable driver’s and 4-way adjustable front passenger seat with seatback pocket
• Automatic climate control with dust and pollen filter and push-button controls
• SofTex-trimmed heated front seats with sport fabric inserts
• Leather-trimmed tilt/telescopic 3-spoke steering wheel 
• Metallic interior trim with chrome interior door handles
• Driver and front passenger heated seats
• Ambient lighting

How intuitive is the 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan’s infotainment unit?

The 2021 Toyota Corolla comes equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit in the base variant and it gets upgraded to an 8-inch unit in the higher trims. The touchscreen system is easy to use and comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard features along with Amazon Alexa compatibility. An audio system is a 6-speaker unit as standard while the available Audio Plus system features a JBL 9-speakers unit with a subwoofer and amplifier.

The following are some of the most important infotainment features-

• Premium instrumentation cluster with speedometer and tachometer, 
• 8-inch touchscreen
• Six speakers, 
• Android Auto & Apple CarPlay
• Amazon Alexa compatible
• Bluetooth wireless technology, 
• SiriusXM with 3-month All Access trial subscription

The Corolla looks impressive and beautiful from the outside. The sportier-looking XSE, the blacked-out Nightshade Edition, and the Apex editions with extended styling are extremely beautiful with distinct design touches unique to each trim. Even the base trim is pretty good-looking, but they are just plain and simple compared to the higher, more stylish-looking trims. All of the trims feature LED headlights in the front while the higher trims feature high-grade LED headlights and accent lighting.

The front grille differs slightly according to the trim chosen. The L, LE, and XLE trims come with a black front grille with a sport mesh insert whereas the SE trims come with a Sport mesh grille in different finishes according to the ‘Edition’ chosen while the Apex Edition trims further come with a black front spoiler and C-shaped accents. The base trim of the Corolla comes with 15 and 16-inch steel wheels in the base L and LE trims while the XLE trim comes with alloy wheels which get upgraded to 18-inch alloys from the SE trims and upwards. Overall the 2021 Corolla is a very good-looking machine.

All cars in this comparison are good-looking but in their own distinct ways. The Mazda is definitely the most sporty machine with some stealthy styling and a curvy and aerodynamic design language. The Elantra and the Corolla are the more beautiful and elegant-looking machines that come with a classy vibe. The Civic, however, looks the most basic and outdated and is not a looker among these competitors. The Mazda is the heaviest while the Elantra is the lightest and the Civic is the most practical one with a ground clearance of 6.7-inches. The following are some of the most important exterior features of the Toyota Corolla-

• 18-inch alloy wheels of different styles 
• Single exhaust with dual chrome tips 
• Sport-tuned exhaust with conical-shaped tip
• Gray metallic sport side rocker panels and color-keyed rear spoiler
• Adaptive Front-Lighting System (AFS)
• LED Daytime Running Lights (DRL) accent lighting
• Black front grille with sport mesh insert
• Sport mesh dark gray metallic front grille

The standard set of safety features in the Toyota Corolla is super impressive. It comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 (TSS 2.0) that consists of a set of high-tech safety features. And this results in very good safety ratings from both agencies that tested the Corolla. NHTSA has tested and rated the 2021 Corolla and it gets an overall 5-star rating and the same perfect score in all individual parameters except for rollover rating for which it gets a 4-star rating. IIHS has selected the Toyota Corolla as its Top Safety Pick which further concretes that the Toyota Corolla is a super-safe car. The following are its standard safety features-

• Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection (PCS w/PD) 
• Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist (LDA w/SA)
• Automatic High Beams (AHB)
• Road Sign Assist (RSA)
• Lane Tracing Assist (LTA)
• Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)
• Hill Start Assist Control (HAC)
• Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA)

2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan vs 2021 Honda Civic

The Honda Civic is sportier than the Corolla and also has stronger brakes. It also features a slightly more spacious interior while in terms of fuel efficiency both are on par with each other. The Corolla, however, is the more updated car with a better-looking exterior and interior. The Corolla is also a significantly safer sedan than the Honda. All of this makes Corolla a better option among these two.

2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan vs 2021 Mazda Mazda3

The Mazda Mazda3 is the most sporty option among all of these cars. It is more engaging to drive and handles better in corners as well as faster in a straight line. The Mazda is also the more spacious option with a more spacious second-row space. Based on exterior looks, both of these machines are good looking while the Mazda is the more sporty-looking one. The Corolla is only slightly more efficient than the Mazda. All of this makes the Mazda3 the better choice among these two.

2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan vs 2021 Hyundai Elantra

The Hyundai Elantra is a beautiful-looking sedan that is the most spacious among all of these cars. It also provides the most fuel efficiency which adds to the package significantly. Compared to the Corolla, the Elantra is also the faster and more powerful option. The Toyota Corolla has stronger brakes and is the safer option among these two cars. However, the Elantra is surely the better package for the price paid.

The Toyota Corolla is a good option in this segment. But is it really good enough? The Corolla is definitely the safest option among the competition while it lacks some other significant features. The Corolla lacks the punch to be driven enthusiastically and even the higher and sportier models also lack engaging handling and driving dynamics. The interior is upscale and of good quality, but the space on the inside is really low in the second row compared to the rivals. Overall in this segment, the Corolla is not the best option as the Mazda3 delivers a more sporty and engaging driving experience while the Elantra is more spacious and fuel-efficient.