When it comes time for you to buy a new or new-to-you sedan or hatchback, you look beyond the purchase price. Many consumers want to know the car they’re buying will last and be reliable over the duration of ownership. To best determine a vehicle’s reliability, you might consider past ownership experiences, major repairs, and the annual cost of ownership. The Toyota Corolla has always been held in high regard when it comes to reliability. But just how reliable is it?

Buying a brand-new Toyota Corolla?

For anyone with their car-buying sights set on a 2020 Toyota Corolla, you can expect a complete redesign this year. Based on reviews so far, this car gets amazing gas mileage, comes equipped with tons of standard driver assistance features, and is predicted to have stellar reliability.

In fact, Consumer Reports gives the Corolla a five out of possible five rating in predicted reliability. There isn’t a crystal ball, however, to help you see into your future ownership timeline. So how can you tell how reliable a Toyota Corolla will be?

What RepairPal.com rates this sedan’s reliability

RepairPal.com is a great resource to help evaluate a vehicle’s potential reliability. They mull over data from past ownership repairs, maintenance, and costs and assign ratings based on the car’s ability to hold up over time with minimal cost of ownership.

The experts give the Toyota Corolla a 4.5 out of five rating, positioning it at the top of its evaluation of 36 compact cars. The annual repair cost average, according to their consumer-based data, is $362. The Corolla also has fewer instances of issues as well. And, for those cases of reported issues, hardly any of them were ranked as severe.

Looking back over the years

Predictions aren’t reality, and great reliability ratings don’t necessarily imply the Toyota Corolla doesn’t have past mechanical issues. In researching the reports featured on CarComplaints.com, we uncovered a few hiccups over several model years that show higher numbers of problems.

The 2009 model year for the Corolla shows customer concerns regarding excessive oil usage. The 2012 model Corolla also recorded similar oil-burning reports. Some of these complaints resulted in big-time repair bills up to $3,000.

Preparing for the worst

In addition to relying on expert reviews and past vehicle history, you may also want to review your available vehicle’s warranty coverage. You may not be able to predict problems with your Toyota Corolla, but you can certainly make sure you are prepared to handle the worst by having warranties from the manufacturer.

Every 2020 Toyota comes with a three year/36,000-mile basic warranty. Powertrains are covered over five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first.

In addition, Toyota is offering rust coverage to help with any steel components corroding over five years. They also provide emissions backup, based on federal and California regulations. Buying a 2020 Corolla will come with peace of mind knowing that if something significant does go wrong, there are plenty of coverages in place to help.

The last thing you want is to buy a car that ends up costing thousands in repairs or leaves you stranded on the side of the road. You don’t want to be making regular visits to the repair shop either. Take advantage of some of the car-buying tools and opinions available to help you learn more about the vehicle before you buy it.

If you have an eye on the Toyota Corolla, you’re definitely on the right track. It’s a car that, over the years and currently, continues to rank high with those who know a thing or two about reliability.