Used 2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback Consumer Reviews
Used Corolla Hatchback for sale
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2021 Corolla Hatchback, so we've included reviews for other years of the Corolla Hatchback since its last redesign.
Fun, effficient and high quality car
J Favour, 07/28/2021
2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
14 of 15 people found this review helpful
I was needing an addition vehicle in the summer of the chip shortage, when used car prices were skyrocketing to ridiculous heights and many new cars were hard to find on dealer lots locally, with those arriving being pre-sold. I stumbled on a listing at a Toyota dealer 100 miles away for a new Corolla Hatchback SE. The car had few options, but fit exactly what I needed - good fuel efficiency, good safety features, strong reputation for reliability, and a good driving experience. I found a used 2019 model locally to drive and was convinced. I really like the small size and maneuverability of this car. It turns sharply, with little body lean as you drive around curves. The ride is smooth and comparable to my 2015 Camry SE. The engine provides usable power but it does not feel quick, only adequate. The trade off is excellent mpg with the cvt transmission. The first drive was back from the dealership located 100 miles away on two lane highways mainly. Indicated mpg for the trip was 47 mpg! Due to break-in recommendations, I did not use cruise control at all and was varying my speeds somewhat. I hope this efficiency remains. It is a bit loud, especially at higher speeds, but for the $ I did not expect luxury. Many reviews say the backseat is tight. This is true in one respect. Leg room is tight. Depending on how long the driver's legs are, the back seat leg room may become severely restricted. I am 5'10" with short legs. I can sit in the back with no problem with the driver's seat set to my liking. Headroom and hip room are excellent. The hatch cargo area is smallish, but, again, it is a small car. We fit a standard grocery run in there just fine (4 bags upright, case of beverages, and on gallon of milk, plus had some extra room. If you need more space put down one side of the 60/40 split backseat. I have other cars, including an SUV, so cargo space is not a huge problem. This car reminds me a lot of a 1995 Acura Integra that I owned. That former car has a 140 hp engine with low torque and a hatchback. This Corolla feels similar, has more power, better mpg, and two people car sit in the back easily. The Integra's steering was better, but not too much. This Corolla is a high value car You get a lot for your $. It has all this safety stuff, including the fact it reads traffic signs and projects the speed limit on your dash as you drive. It has pedestrian and bicycle detection, etc. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 is great. Plus, surprisingly, it has remote start. It is not mentioned anywhere, but our sales person showed us how to use it. Push lock button three times, holding the button on the third press and it will start the engine and run for up to ten minutes. That can be a godsend in my northern climate. I really like this car so far. Great everyday vehicle.
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Too early to tell!
Johnnyb1, 03/04/2019
updated 03/05/2020
2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
51 of 59 people found this review helpful
I have owned this car for the last two months. I love the looks -- it looks more sporty than it actually is. I love the car except for one issue...... Full disclosure: This winter has been colder than heck and I have short commutes to work. About a month ago, with only 600+ miles on the car, I had to get it towed back to the dealership. On my way home at lunch, the "low oil pressure" light came on. The vehicle reduced power and I limped home the rest of the way. I called the dealership and had it towed. The dealership diagnosed it as condensation in the oil. The oil was frothy white. They changed the oil twice and gave the car back to me. This last weekend with about 1000 miles on the car now, I checked the dipstick again. Guess what? Frothy white. I changed the oil again -- the old oil looked like a chocolate milkshake. What the heck? The dealer says that I should take longer trips to burn off the condensation. I am beginning to wonder if something else is going on here -- a gasket issue??? Whatever.....I am beginning to question Toyota dependability. And isn't the Corolla known as a commuter car? If it doesn't do commuting well then why buy it? Mine's a manual, but I also see that the CVT has been recalled. Toyota.....what gives? 03/2020 update. Ok, I have now owned my 2019 Corolla XSE Hatch 6MT for over a year. I love it. Tight vehicle. Absolutely no rattles. Fit and finish is awesome. Ergonomics very good.....I am 5'7". Peppy, with the 6MT. Responsive steering. Very good in snow. Other observations include: The throws of the 6MT take some getting used to, but after a year+ of ownership, it's familiar and comfortable. I get the complaints about space, compared to peer vehicles. The back hatch area is very small and the back seat is cramped. I am good with that -- it's my commuter vehicle and I don't plan group trips with this car. The mileage is good. I do a lot of short commutes. Not spectacular, but respectable. Still getting used to the 0W16 oil. I do the oil changes myself. Boy, that oil is thin. In our frigid winters with short commutes, I still feel that there is a condensation - oil contamination issue with this engine. When I change the oil in the winter, the oil looks like chocolate milk. I am cautious and change the oil more frequently than recommended. Perhaps it is just a matter of getting used to the characteristics of this vastly thinner 0W16 oil. Overall, everything that I expected. I own my vehicles for a very long time, so I am looking forward to experiencing that Toyota reliability and longevity.
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It’s Great, but not for family
selenasci, 10/09/2020
2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I got my vehicle back in aug 2019, got a really great deal on it. I think I was overly excited and didn’t realize how small the trunk space would be and as my son got older he started getting cramped in the backseat with his car seat. I’m fairly short 5’1” so in order to see out the right window the passenger seat has to be brought back in clearance of the window. It does have more blind spots than what I’m used to (owned a 08 civic Si coupe) and I’m missing the pick up from my civic. The features are incredible though so it was a lot more technology and safety features than what I’ve been used to and they all worked great especially since I had a 2 year old in the car and that was one reason why I wanted to get another car. Overall it was fun to drive, and I had the smoked paprika color so it wasn’t a car most people see in the city or highway. Overall the Corolla Hatchback is a great car for people who will not carry too many passengers, or solo ride themselves. The phantom seats as mentioned before are real so you’ll have to plug in the seatbelts in order to get that annoying beep out of the way. But if you’re looking to get a case of water and other grocery items without having to put your backseats down just forget it. I couldn’t even put our stroller in the trunk. This made me trade the car in to get a sedan. I miss the hatchback but in terms of space I needed something bigger. So I traded for a 2020 corolla sedan.
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nice car, nice value and quality
4th time toyota owner, 10/11/2020
2021 Toyota Corolla Hatchback SE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6M)
33 of 38 people found this review helpful
Let's face it all these cars are pretty damm similar. Toyota has quality, reputation, dependably and value. Nice touch screen up front, nice ride, decent leg room up front.
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I’m a New Toyota Fan!
Adam S., 07/17/2020
updated 01/21/2021
2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback XSE 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I love my Corolla Hatchback, that I purchased new in April 2019. Of course, minor niggles are present, but they don’t reduce my appreciation for the car. The first thing I noticed when comparing it to rivals was how much better value for money it was. I live in Canada, so trim levels and available equipment is different to what’s offered in the US, but a similarly (but not identically) equipped Volkswagen Golf or Honda Civic Hatchback was around 4000$ more expensive, taxes included. The other vehicle I considered was a Mazda3 in hatchback form that was a couple hundred dollars less expensive, but it wasn’t a match for the Corolla at the same price, in my opinion. Despite having the biggest wheels available on the model, the ride is comfortable, even in my pothole-plagued city and long trips aren’t tiresome. The cabin is very quiet, and Toyota Safety Sense equipment works very well, contrarily to what one user claimed. Blind-spot warning, lane-keeping, lane-centering, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking (that I luckily only needed once) all work very well. The three distance settings for the ACC are well judged and it works well in traffic and on the highway. I’ll never go back to a vehicle without these! The interior is well-built with good quality materials, and all the controls are intuitive and user-friendly. The heated seats, steering wheel and windshield are all major pluses in winter, and with good winter tires (I have Bridgestone Blizzaks), I didn’t feel the need to go for the keys to my household’s AWD SUV. A feature that I didn’t know it had but now really appreciate is Auto Hold, and the LED headlights, that I didn’t really care for when shopping around, are absolutely fantastic. I have the CVT automatic transmission, and while I was sceptical about the way it would behave itself, any doubt I had quickly dissipated. Car reviewers say that it’s one of the more competent ones out there, and I believe them. It may also be the cause for its fantastic fuel economy. On the highway, the car always returns more than (the equivalent of) 40 MPG, and my combined average since I’ve had the car, including a lot of city and winter driving has been of a little more than 30 MPG, which is equally good. The way it looks is another thing I love about it. In Canada, there’s a trim level between SE and XSE called SE Upgrade, that’s visually identical to the XSE. It comes with the XSE’s wheels and rear spoiler, and in my car’s Blue Flame paint, it looks superb. I get several compliments, thumbs up and glances. Another positive is the Toyota badge and reputation : I haven’t had any problems with it whatsoever, maintenance costs are low and the resale value will be fantastic. Now, the minor niggles : Sometimes, as another reviewer stated, if you’re in the right lane with the adaptive cruise control on and lane-keeping activated, it’ll think you’re going to exit. It doesn’t happen all the time, and when I just hold my steering wheel firmly, it usually doesn’t pull me to the exit. As another reviewer (Glenn H) also stated, the rear center seat’s seatbelt sensor is possessed. With two people seated in the back, it’ll think someone’s sitting in the middle seat and relentlessly remind us to buckle the seatbelt. This doesn’t only happen to the Corolla Hatchback, as a friend’s Corolla Hybrid sedan also does this. Considering that just buckling the seatbelt fixes this, it’s not a big deal. My Toyota dealership is also aware of this. CarPlay connects every time, but it sometimes does take a few seconds. The phone “spot” is adequately sized, but sometimes when I accelerate or take a turn a bit abruptly, my phone goes dangling off it, only held by the Apple CarPlay wire. It’s happened a dozen times in 15 months, so again, no big deal. I knew that the rear seats were cramped and the trunk was very small, so for me, it wasn’t a deal-breaker, although it could be for some. One reason for the small trunk is the spare wheel located under it, something that’s rare nowadays in any segment, but very useful. I’m a younger car owner, and before this car came around, I never thought I’d own a Toyota, because they were so boring. Now, they may have a new loyal client! Update, six months later : My opinion of this vehicle hasn’t changed!
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