12th Gen Corolla: Common Issues, Weak Units, and Great Advantages

The twelfth-generation Toyota Corolla is about to move to history and let the 13th-gen model come into power. But this is now the legendary vehicle and more than a million cars have been sold in the US. Since 2018, this car has been selling well over 200,000 models a year, and in pre-COVID times, even more than 300,000 units a year.

The 12th-gen Toyota Corolla is a living legend and today we'll tell you more about its common problems and possible drawbacks in use. Nothing is perfect and the new Corolla also comes with some issues that you will hate in it. Although it's overall a very good and practical vehicle, some of its hidden sides will bother you much.

Here's what we are going to talk about:

• The 12th-gen Corolla - what do you need to know about it?
• What are some of the most common problems with the new Corolla?
• How many miles will the 12th-generation Corolla survive?
• What engine and trim should and shouldn't you buy?

Let's get started!

Some key facts about the 12th-generation Corolla

This model was launched in 2018 and was immediately brought to the top of the market by Toyota fans. It sold like crazy and keeps selling now even though it's not a high-tech car anymore. Fresh design, a lot of cool features, new safety options, great engines, and also wonderful comfort for a compact sedan car made lots of people buy this model.

The vehicle comes in three available trims, the cheapest one is available for less than $23,000. The most expensive trim starts at almost $28,000. The design is still pretty fresh and cool, we even don't know if Toyota needs to change something in the nearest years. Though the new 13th generation is now planned and is going to appear in 2024 or 2025.

Here's what you should know about the 12th-gen Corolla:

• the vehicle is sold in three trims: LE, SE, and XSE - the LE is the most popular option with everything you need for comfort and safety;
• the only available engine is the 2-liter naturally aspirated powerplant with 169 horsepower, but there is also a hybrid version;
• also, the vehicle was available with the 1.8-liter engine paired with the CVT while the 2-liter version was available with iMT transmission type, not only CVT;
• all trim levels are cool, so many buyers just don't see any reason to pay more for higher trims;
• all engines are good and reliable but we'll return to this question a little later when we'll be wrapping up the article;
• when it comes to transmissions, both iMT and CVT are not perfect at all and will obviously be the weakest link in the powertrain;
• the new Corolla is made with an understanding of what its owner needs, so if this car is right for you, you will love it;
• we've seen these vehicles as fleet cars and taxis and they were quite OK after they got huge mileage on them, which proves the quality.

So, the Corolla seems to be a decent vehicle. But it obviously has some issues and common problems that will take money out of your pockets. We are talking not only about the issues with engines but overall, about the problems with the entire vehicle.

So, let's see which aspects of the new Corolla can be positive for you and which of them will inevitably spoil your mood.

How many miles will the 12th generation Toyota Corolla last?

The 12th-gen Toyota Corolla doesn't seem like a bad car in terms of durability. It has some problems and you will obviously need to repair it sometimes and invest some money in it. But still, we should say that the Corolla will not bother you a lot with its problems and breakdowns.

The average 12th-generation Corolla will be able to survive at least 220,000 miles with only one major repair. Also, you will be able to prolong its life by providing it with TLC - just love your vehicle and have it maintained by professionals every year or every 10K miles. This will help you get rid of the majority of issues and eventually drive your vehicle longer.

We've still seen some new Corollas with just 30K miles on them already having some severe issues. Mechanics say this is rather an exceptional case but sometimes bad driving habits may kill new Toyotas much faster than you may think. Also, you should regularly check for recalls and have the vehicle repaired if needed.

What are the common problems with the 12th-gen Toyota Corolla?

The new Toyota is always a reliable choice. If you compare the Corolla with other compact sedan cars, you will see that the Japanese offer is much more durable and causes fewer problems than other competitors on the market. But it doesn't mean that you will not have any problems with your Corolla at all.

Here are some of the most annoying common issues that may happen with your 12-th generation Corolla:

1. Transmission problems

Although the Toyota CVT is one of the most reliable CVTs we've ever seen, it's not without its share of problems. The CVT usually won't live longer than 150,000 miles and in most Corollas, it will fail at about 100K miles. Repairing the CVT doesn't make much sense, in most cases, so it's almost always about the replacement of the transmission.

Unfortunately, it will cost you some money. And if in some other cars this procedure Is very doubtful because after the CVT fails, a lot of other parts will also fail, in Toyota it makes sense. After you replace the CVT, you have another 100,000 miles of driving without many problems.

2. Oil consumption in both engines

Both the 1.8 and 2.0 engines can burn some oil. This will also affect catalytic converters and some other emission systems after some time. When these vehicles reach 50K miles, you may notice some changes in oil level after you drive on highways. Higher RPM will always make oil consumption worse.

It basically means that the engine has problems with valve seals and/or piston rings and some oil gets into the combustion chambers. In some cases, the changes in oil level may be because of the leaks. Anyway, you should check the level sometimes to avoid driving your engine with a low oil level.

3. Windshield cracks

We've found surprisingly many reports about the Corolla's windshield cracking. This is unusual for this brand, so we asked mechanics about the possible issues and most of them weren't very helpful just giving us some theories of why this may happen.

One of our experts though said that Toyota started making its cars with thinner metal in order to reduce weight, ensure better fuel consumption, and also spend less money on metal. This leads to the worse stability of the car body. Even if you go into a big road pit and your car shakes too much, the windshield may crack in the 12th-gen Corolla. And this is a surprisingly shocking fact about this vehicle.

4. Electrical failures

This problem has always been one of the major issues in Corollas but in the latest generation, it also became one of the hardest issues to solve. The problem may lead to random dash lights going on and off, random issues with cruise control, lights, a trip computer, etc. If you experience some of these issues, it's important to go to a specialist.

Dealers are the best guys who may help you with this because some other repair shops usually don't have the needed equipment for good diagnosis and repair. Electrical issues are very common and very annoying in the new Corollas, so keep an eye on them.

Best engine and trim for the 12th-gen Corolla

If you buy a new vehicle, you may now choose the 2-liter engine or the hybrid powerplant. Both options are pretty durable and reliable. Both come with CVT transmissions which is bad news for you.

If you want to buy a used 12th-gen Corolla, you may go with the 2-liter, 1.8-liter, or hybrid options. We wouldn't recommend the used hybrid Corolla because it may have some very annoying electrical failures that are surprisingly expensive to repair. If choosing between the 1.8L and 2.0L, it's not clear which we would choose. Both engines are pretty good and durable.

When it comes to trims, we don't see any reason why you should pay more to get any other trim but the LE. It costs about $5K less (when new) than the top trim but it offers more or less the same level of comfort and safety.

To wrap up, we would consider a used 12th-generation Toyota Corolla with up to 70,000 miles on it only. Pay attention to the CVT when buying a used vehicle. If you are about to buy the new Corolla, don't hesitate - it's a great car with a lot of life in it.