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2016 Toyota Corolla

Rating8.2

Ranked #3 in Compact Sedan

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Starting MSRP 

$17,300 - $23,125

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Key Spec of 2016 Toyota Corolla
fuel economy

28/31/37

fuel type

Regular unleaded

horsepower

132 hp @ 6000 rpm

basic warranty

3 yr./ 36000 mi.

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2016 Toyota Corolla Price, Review, Ratings and Pictures

Updated on: May 9, 2022

Nathan Dyer's image
Nathan Dyer 

Senior Editor

The 2016 Toyota Corolla sedan has been one of the most popular picks in the compact sedan line-up. With major automotive giants ending their sedan line-ups and shifting their focus to SUVs, the future does look bleak, and the compact sedan segment might harbor some of the last sedans that we might get. However, the Corolla still goes strong due to its utilitarian and reliable nature.

2016 Toyota Corolla Latest Updates

  • Apr' 27, 2022 : The Top 10 Cheapest Cars You Can Buy in 2022 Read More »
  • Apr' 21, 2022 : The Most Fuel Efficient Toyota Cars In 2022 Read More »
  • Apr' 13, 2022 : Most Reliable And Fuel-Efficient Cars Of 2022 Read More »
See detailed review
ProsConsWhat's New

Great styling

Base engine is not exciting

Entune audio system

Useable list of standard features

Cargo space must be improved

S Special edition

Capable ride and handling

Design silhouette is getting dated

Over All Rating

8.2

Out of 10

Pricing and Features7.50
Features9.00
Engine and Performance8.50
Fuel Economy8.50
Interior8.50
Exterior7.50
Safety8.50
Competition6.00
Notable Rankings

#3 in Compact Sedan

#4 in Sedan

Pictures & Videos

Exterior [6]Interior [5]
2016 Toyota Corolla exterior
2016 Toyota Corolla exterior
2016 Toyota Corolla exterior
2016 Toyota Corolla exterior
2016 Toyota Corolla exterior
2016 Toyota Corolla exterior

Trims

L$17,300 onwards

  • 1St row LCD monitor
  • AM/FM stereo
  • Cloth Seat trim
  • Manual front air conditioning
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LE$18,735 onwards

  • Automatic Front air conditioning
  • Premium cloth Seat trim
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LE Eco$19,135 onwards

  • Remote anti-theft alarm system
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LE Plus$19,135 onwards

  • 16-inch silver aluminum Wheels
  • Front Fog/driving lights
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S$19,365 onwards

  • Leatherette seats
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LE Eco Plus$19,835 onwards

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S Plus$20,065 onwards

  • 17-inch silver painted aluminum wheels
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Special Edition$20,635 onwards

  • 17-inch black aluminum Wheels
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LE Premium$22,195 onwards

  • Navigation system
Build Car

LE Eco Premium$22,895 onwards

Build Car

S Premium$23,125 onwards

Build Car

Colors and Styles

2016 Toyota Corolla in Black Sand Pearl color
Black Sand Pearl

Expert Review, Pricing Analysis and Buying Guide

It comes with a 1.8L four-cylinder engine that produces two different states of tune, ranging from 132 hp to 140 hp. The 2016 version is largely unchanged from the 2015 version and is a very well-equipped car even in the base trim. For this year, the prices for Toyota Corolla start at an MSRP of $17,300, and it competes against the Nissan Sentra, Kia Forte, and the Honda Civic in the segment.

Features
9.0/10

The Toyota Corolla sedan is offered in five trim levels, all five of which are reviewed here. It starts with the L trim level, which comes with the manual transmission and is pitched at a price point much lesser than any of its rivals. However, its features only include 15-inch steel wheels, LED headlights, adjustable steering wheel, power accessories, air-conditioning, six-way adjustable driver seat, 6.1-inch touchscreen, and so on. The complete distribution of features across the five trims is given in the table below.

Trim

L

LE

LE Eco

S

Special Edition

MSRP

$17,300

$18,735

$19,135

$19,365

$20,635

Key Features

Tires - Front & Rear All-Season

Tires - Front & Rear Performance

Tires - Front & Rear All-Season

Compact Spare Tire

Tire Pressure Monitoring System
 

Steel Wheels

Wheel Covers

Back-Up Camera

Cruise Control

Aluminum Wheels
 

Adjustable Steering Wheel

Steering Wheel Controls

Remote Trunk Release

Keyless Entry

Heated Mirrors
 

Trip Computer

Variable Speed Intermittent Wipers

Satellite Radio

Vehicle Anti-Theft System

Rear Spoiler

 

Intermittent Wipers

Power Door Locks

Wireless Cell Phone Hookup

Pass-Through Rear Seat

Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel

 

Power Mirrors

Bucket Seats

 

 

 

 

Driver Vanity Mirror

 

 

 

 

 

Auxiliary Audio Input

 

 

 

 

Which trim should you buy?

The base trim is rather well-equipped, even though it is generally one that does not get too much attention. However, the definite highlight of the line-up is the S trim which comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, firmer suspension tuning, rear disc brakes, sport instrumentation and trip computer, and more. For all these reasons, at the price point of just $19,365, the S is definitely our pick.

Engine and Performance
8.5/10

Powering the Toyota Corolla sedan is a 1.8L Inline four-cylinder engine that generates 132 hp and 128 lb-ft of torque. On the LE Eco trim level, however, it generates 140 hp and 126 lb-ft of torque while also being a little more efficient. Even though this should be good enough for most people in a car that is as light as the Corolla sedan, some people do have complaints about the power.

The transmission choices include a six-speed manual and a CVT automatic transmission. There is also a four-speed automatic available as an option. When it comes to acceleration figures, the base engine has the lethargic 8.5 seconds 0 to 60 mph time as well as a 16.6-second quarter-mile time. This does not improve much no matter what transmission you get.

Model

2016 Toyota Corolla

2016 Honda Civic

2016 Nissan Sentra

2016 Kia Forte

MSRP

$17,300

$18,640

$16,780

$15,990

Engine

1.8L inline four-cylinder

2.0L inline four-cylinder

1.8L inline four-cylinder

1.8L inline four-cylinder

Drivetrain

FWD

FWD

FWD

FWD

Transmission

6-speed Manual

6-speed Manual

6-speed Manual

6-speed Manual

Power

132hp@6000rpm

158hp@6500rpm

130hp@6000rpm

145 hp @ 6,500 rpm

Torque

128lb-ft@4400rpm

138lb-ft@4200rpm

128lb-ft@3600rpm

130 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm

0-60 mph (seconds)

8.5

7.8

10.0

9.5

Quarter-mile (mph)

16.6

15.9

17.9

16.3

Top Speed (mph)

120

125

124

129

One can see that the Kia and the Nissan Sentra definitely undercut the prices of the Honda Civic and the Toyota Corolla, and that is very important in the segment. However, when you look at the performance of all the cars, you begin to understand that Honda and Toyota provide much more well-rounded options. The Honda Civic is definitely the fastest car in the segment and also the most fun to drive. 

Fuel Economy
8.5/10

It is hard to escape the fact that small light cars with small engines are very fuel-efficient. The uninspiring motor inside the Toyota Corolla returns 27 MPG in the city, 14 MPG on the highway, and 31 MPG combined. The fuel tank capacity is 12.4 gallons, which is a bit small even in this class, however, it is good enough for a range of 334 miles in the city and 496 miles on the highway.

Model

2016 Toyota Corolla

2016 Honda Civic

2016 Nissan Sentra

2016 Kia Forte

MPG (City) (mpg)

27

29

28

25

MPG (Highway) (mpg)

40

41

37

37

MPG (Combined) (mpg)

31

32

31

30

Fuel Capacity (gallon)

12.4

13.2

13.2

13.2

Range (City/Highway/Combined; Miles)

334.8/496/384.1

382.8/541.2/422.4

369.6/488.4/409.2

330/488.4/396

When it comes to fuel efficiency, we can see that the Honda Civic is the most impressive as it delivers 29 MPG in the city, 41 MPG on the highway, and 32 MPG combined, which is slightly better than the Toyota Corolla. It also has a bigger fuel tank, and hence, offers a class-leading range. However, one can see that the Kia Forte and Nissan Sentra also offer the same level of competitiveness here.

Interior
8.5/10

The interior of the 2016 Corolla is the most stylish one that has ever appeared in the car. The controls are very easy to use and the material quality is also definitely okay. There are few hard plastics, but the material quality is generally very nice and the aesthetic inside the cabin is pleasant. It also performs decently in terms of cargo capacity with 13 cu-ft of storage. It also offers excellent features right from the base trim level. The car is also very pleasant for people with a larger frame due to the space inside.

Model

2016 Toyota Corolla

2016 Honda Civic

2016 Nissan Sentra

2016 Kia Forte

Seating Capacity

5

5

5

5

Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

38.3/54.8/42.3

39.3/57.0/42.3

39.4/54.7/42.5

39.1/56.1/42.2

Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in)

37.1/54.8/41.4

37.1/55.0/37.4

36.7/53.9/37.4

37.3/54.9/35.9

Cargo Capacity (cu-ft)

13.0

15.1

15.1

14.9

The interior space of all the cars in this category is pretty much on par, but the Corolla is the one with the most spacious rear legroom. However, all the other cars in this category can seat five people with ease, and the interior design is also very nice in all of them. When comparing the cargo capacity, both Honda and Nissan stand at the very top with 15.1 cubic feet of space. Some standard interior features include:

  • Leather-wrapped steering wheel
  • Heated Front Seats
  • Adjustable steering wheel column
  • Optional Heated steering wheel
  • Ambient interior lighting
  • Steering Wheel Controls

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The Toyota Corolla has a 6.1-inch touchscreen interface but does not come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. It is nice and well-integrated into the dashboard and comes with a decent number of features. The optional features list is also pleasantly populated with excellent options. There is the Entune app which integrates smartphone-connected services as well as social media. Some features of the infotainment system include: 

  • 6.1-inch infotainment screen
  • AM/FM Stereo
  • Auxiliary Audio Input
  • MP3 Player
  • Wireless Cell Phone Hookup
  • USB port
  • Bluetooth
Exterior
7.5/10

In terms of looks, the Corolla is not a car that is designed to look dramatic or very pleasant. However, it has to suit the tastes of many people and hence has very non-controversial styling. This is not a bad thing as the car does manage to look fairly modern and neat overall. It has LED headlights right from the base trim and looks a bit premium because of that.

Model

2016 Toyota Corolla

2016 Honda Civic

2016 Nissan Sentra

2016 Kia Forte

Curb Weight (lbs)

2800

2751

2848

2804

Length (in.)

182.6

182.3

182.1

179.5

Width (in.)

69.6

70.8

69.3

70.1

Height (in.)

57.3

55.7

58.9

56.3

Ground clearance (in.)

5.3

6.1

6.0

5.3

Wheelbase (in.)

106.3

106.3

106.3

106.3

Both in terms of weight as well as size, all these cars are exactly on par with each other. With the wheelbase of the Corolla being extended for the current generation, all the sedans have the exact same wheelbase as well at 106.3 inches. The Corolla offers 5.3 inches of ground clearance, which is on par with the Kia and is the lowest in the segment. Some standout exterior features include:

  • LED low-beam headlights
  • LED daytime running lights
  • Color-keyed outside door handles and mirrors
  • Alloy wheels
  • Fog Lamps (optional)
  • Sunroof/moonroof (optional)
Safety
8.5/10

The 2016 version of the Toyota Corolla has good ratings by the IIHS, which is a testament to how safe the car is. It has also earned a five-star safety rating from NHTSA, which is the governmental organization responsible for crash testing. We are very much impressed with the car offering lots of safety features like airbags, rearview camera, whiplash protection, and so on. Some of the standout safety features include: 

  • Rear-view camera
  • Brake Assist
  • Electronic Stability Control
  • Daytime Running Lights
  • Child Safety Locks
  • Traction Control
Final Verdict

The 2016 Toyota Corolla sedan is a great buy for the price it is offered at. It has slightly uninspiring styling and performance but is a great car for mundane everyday situations. It is also an extremely reliable car and one that is available with a lot of aftermarket support and serviceability. Overall it is not a car you can ever go wrong with and hence makes for a good buy.

Features

vehicle bio
base price

$17300

body style

4dr Sedan

engine type
displacement

110 cu in

horse power

132 hp @ 6000 rpm

torque

128 lb.-ft. @ 4400 rpm

transmission

6-Speed Manual

dimensions
length

182.6 in

wheelbase

106.3 in

width

69.9 in

curb weight

2800 lbs

Height

57.3 in

Ground Clearance

5.5 lbs

capacity
passenger volume

97.5 cu ft

cargo volume

13 cu ft

passenger capacity

5 Seats

fuel economy
city/combined/highway

28/31/37 mpg

highway range

458.2 mi

warranty
basic warranty

3 yr./ 36000 mi.

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2016 Toyota Corolla User Reviews

3.2

[41 Reviews]

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1

[5.0%] [2 Reviews]

2

[22.0%] [9 Reviews]

3

[22.0%] [9 Reviews]

4

[49.0%] [20 Reviews]

5

[2.0%] [1 Reviews]

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Travon Crist

2016 Toyota Corolla

LE Premium 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl CVT)

7

User Overall Rating

Posted On: January 24, 2022

Compact sedan with roomy interior

Pros - Spacious cabin, user friendly infotainment system and offers a comfortable ride.

Cons - Slow acceleration, tight rear headroom and dull handling

Reliable and inexpensive mode of transportation. After putting 47000 miles on my Corolla over the last two years, I am fully aware of all of its problems and benefits. The 4 cylinder engine is very fuel efficient returning me an average of around 28mpg on busy urban streets and 36 mpg on highways. Getting this sedan upto normal highway speeds is quite painful and whenever I am in need of more pow...

7/10
Features
7/10
Interior
7/10
Design
7/10
Safety
8/10
Reliability
7/10
Deal Value
8/10
Dealer Review
Read more »
NN

Norman Nichols

2016 Toyota Corolla

LE Eco Premium 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl CVT)

7

User Overall Rating

Posted On: January 19, 2022

affordable and economical compact sedan

Pros - Spacious cabin, smooth and comfortable ride and a straightforward infotainment system.

Cons - Lackluster acceleration, dull handling and very few driver assistance features.

compact sedan with weak acceleration and dull driving dynamics My two-year-old Corolla still does its job well and gets great gas mileage, yet its lacklustre acceleration and unappealing driving qualities are difficult to overlook. Acceleration is sufficient, but nothing more. Despite the fact that my LE Eco version receives minor upgrades that boost a few horsepower, not enough to make any signi...

7/10
Features
8/10
Interior
7/10
Design
7/10
Safety
7/10
Reliability
8/10
Deal Value
8/10
Dealer Review
Read more »
SM

Stephen Miller

2016 Toyota Corolla

S Plus 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6M)

7

User Overall Rating

Posted On: January 6, 2022

No worries about spending extra cash for this car

Pros - Refined engine, Easy to maintain, Ample space.

Cons - Low grade build quality, Headlights failed, Heavy steering.

Great and affordable car Had to replace the headlamps on my Corolla as they stopped working and they also looked pretty aged with a lot of yellowing on its surface. The cabin isn't that great as it feels pretty low grade but the Corolla is one of the easiest car to live with as theres parts for this car available at all times. The car even though is old has an engine that feels very smooth and li...

6/10
Features
6/10
Interior
8/10
Design
7/10
Safety
6/10
Reliability
8/10
Deal Value
8/10
Dealer Review
Read more »
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Toyota Corolla 5 year Cost To Own

Cash Price(MSRP)
$22,666
5 Year Cost To Own
$35,849
Total 5 year Cost To Own -  $35,849
Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5total
Depreciation$5,262$1,034$982$1,227$1,171$9,676
Insurance$1,377$1,378$1,413$1,549$1,560$7,277
Fuel$1,463$1,446$1,497$1,585$1,582$7,573
Maintenance$47$580$442$1,129$1,810$4,008
Repairs$36$-36$65$285$350$700
Financing Interest$1,422$1,124$814$517$163$4,040
Taxes and Fees$1,969$193$114$135$164$2,575
Total Cost-To-Own$11,576$5,719$5,327$6,427$6,800$35,849
Read more about Cost-To-Own »

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