The 2015 Toyota Corolla resides in the bottom third of our compact car rankings because it has a mediocre four-cylinder engine, clumsy handling, and a cabin that’s not as upscale as some rivals.
The 2015 Toyota Corolla's #14 ranking is based on its score within the 2015 Compact Cars category. Currently the Toyota Corolla has a score of 7.7 out of 10, which is based on our evaluation of 28 pieces of research and data elements using various sources.
The 2015 Corolla is an average used car that fails to distinguish itself in the competitive compact car segment. It has good fuel economy and easy-to-use tech feature, but other cars in the class stand out far more. The Corolla's reliability rating, operating costs, and crash test scores are average for the segment. It's not a bad car, but it will neither thrill you nor disappoint you.
We do not base our used car rankings and reviews on our personal opinions. Instead, we collect information like safety and reliability reports, total cost of ownership estimates, and the views of the automotive press. We analyzed 28 professional evaluations for this 2015 Toyota Corolla review to help you make an informed buying decision.
Our experienced team of writers, editors, and analysts has been ranking and reviewing the best cars, trucks, crossovers, and SUVs since 2007. We remain unbiased by refusing pricey gifts and trips from auto manufacturers, and employing an independent agency to manage the advertising on our site.
Based on almost 2,800 listings on our site, the 2015 Toyota Corolla ranges in price from about $11,200 to roughly $17,000. The average list price is about $14,400. Prices vary depending on the vehicle's condition, mileage, features, and location.
Five-year costs for gas, insurance, maintenance, and repairs for the 2015 Toyota Corolla are estimated at around $22,455. That’s about average for a compact sedan.
The 2019 Corolla starts at $18,700, the all-new hatchback version of the Corolla starts at $19,900, and the top trim starts at about $23,000. Though that's much more expensive than a 2015 Corolla, the higher price is worth it, especially for the hatchback. The Corolla hatchback is brand-new for 2019 and features more tech features (including Apple CarPlay), more advanced standard safety features, a more powerful engine, and more cargo space than the sedan.
The 2019 Corolla sedan has different exterior and interior styling than the 2015 model, along with a lengthy list of active safety features, including pedestrian detection, pre-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The newer Corolla also boasts improved fuel efficiency thanks to a standard continuously variable automatic transmission. If there’s room in your budget, choose the 2019 Corolla hatchback.
Read about the new Toyota Corolla »
For a less-expensive new compact car, you might consider the 2019 Kia Soul. It's $16,490 starting price is within the range of a 2015 Corolla, and its hatchback design offers up to 61.3 cubic feet of cargo space compared with the 13 cubic feet of trunk space in the Corolla sedan. With a starting price of $17,790, the highly rated 2019 Kia Forte is a little more expensive than the 2015 Corolla, but it has a stronger engine and a larger trunk by 2.3 cubic feet.
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The 2015 Corolla is part of a generation that began with the 2014 model year and includes the 2019 Corolla. There were no major changes between the 2014 and 2016 model years (though a Special Edition trim was added for 2016). For 2017, Toyota updated the Corolla's interior and exterior styling, made the continuously variable automatic transmission standard, and added several standard driver assistance features, including a rearview camera, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning. You'll save money by going with an older model, but you'll miss the updates that came with the 2017 refresh.
Compare the 2014, 2015, and 2017 Corolla »
J.D. Power gives the 2015 Toyota Corolla a reliability rating of three out of five, which is about average.
Read more about Corolla reliability »
As of this writing, the 2015 Corolla has no recalls.
See more information on Toyota Corolla safety recalls »
The 2015 Corolla is available in four trim levels: L, LE, LE Eco, and S. Because the base L trim is sparsely equipped, most buyers should step up to the LE, which adds an infotainment system, automatic climate control, and a rearview camera. Some LE models may also have heated and power-adjustable front seats. LE Eco models get a bump in fuel economy thanks to some aerodynamic add-ons. The S model adds sport front seats, navigation, HD Radio, and satellite radio.
See 2015 Toyota Corolla trims and specs »
Toyota offers a certified pre-owned program for vehicles six years old or less and with fewer than 85,000 miles. Eligibility is determined by the vehicle’s initial sale date. Toyota provides a one-year/12,000-mile limited warranty on all its certified pre-owned vehicles, and it extends the original new-car powertrain warranty to seven years from the initial sale date or 100,000 miles. Each CPO Toyota must pass a 160-point inspection. Additional benefits like a CarFax vehicle history report, towing, and roadside assistance may be available, so read the Toyota warranty page carefully.
Toyota’s CPO program is about average for an affordable carmaker, according to our research. Hyundai and Kia both have better programs.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave the Corolla a five-out-of-five-star overall rating, with five stars in the frontal and side crash test categories and four stars in the rollover test. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Corolla a Good score (the best possible) in the moderate overlap front, side impact, roof strength, and rear crash protection tests. The Corolla earned the second-lowest rating of Marginal in the small overlap front driver test.
A rearview camera is the only available advanced safety feature in the Corolla. Some rivals offer significantly more advanced-safety systems, like blind spot monitoring and lane keep assist.
The 2015 Honda Civic and the Corolla are similar in many ways, but we recommend the Civic. The Honda has a nicer cabin, as well as a standard rearview camera, cruise control, and keyless entry. The Civic really differentiates itself on the road, with peppy power from its engine and balanced handling, unlike the Corolla's dull driving dynamics.
The 2015 Mazda3 is a better car than the Corolla. The Mazda3 is easily one of the most fun compact cars to drive, yet it still provides a comfortable ride for daily driving. Additionally, the Mazda3's cabin has high-end materials that wouldn't look out of place in a more expensive car.
If you can afford to step up to the 2015 Toyota Camry, you should, but it will cost about $2,500 more to do so. The Camry is more spacious inside and has higher-quality materials than the Corolla. It has more standard features, too, including an infotainment system in every trim. On the performance front, the Camry has an adequate base engine and a punchy available V6, along with a good balance between ride comfort and composed cornering. Fuel economy, however, is a bit worse in the Camry.
Compare the Corolla, Civic, and Mazda3 »
You won't get many thrills driving the Corolla, but its comfortable ride makes it great for daily commuting. The 2015 Corolla is powered by a 132-horsepower four-cylinder engine that has sufficient power for around-town jaunts and merging on the highway, but it doesn't feel as sprightly as some competing compact cars.
A manual transmission is standard; an automatic and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) are available. The CVT makes the best use of the engine's power and helps to deliver better fuel economy.
With a CVT, the Corolla gets an EPA-estimated 29 mpg in the city and 37 mpg on the highway, which are good estimates for the class. The LE Eco trim has a 140-horsepower four-cylinder engine and gets up to 30/40 mpg city/highway. The base engine with manual transmission is rated at 28/36 mpg.
Read more about Corolla performance »
The 2015 Corolla seats five and is available with synthetic leather seats, a power-adjustable driver's seat, and heated front seats. The Corolla S has cloth sport seats with more side bolstering. The Corolla's front seats are comfortable, and the rear seats have an impressive amount of legroom. Rear headroom could be better, though.
For installing child safety seats there's a full set of LATCH connectors on the rear outboard seats, along with an additional upper tether on the rear middle seat. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety rated the Corolla’s LATCH system as Marginal for ease of use, the second-lowest rating. According to the IIHS, the lower anchors are buried too deep in the seats and are difficult to maneuver around.
The 2015 Corolla's base trim doesn't have many standard features. Only a basic audio system, Bluetooth, and a USB port come standard. Higher trims add more features, including one of the most user-friendly infotainment systems in the segment: a 6.1-inch touch-screen infotainment system that has excellent graphics and straightforward menus. Other available features include automatic climate control, navigation, and a moonroof.
See 2015 Toyota Corolla specs »
Read more about Corolla interior »
The 2015 Toyota Corolla has 13 cubic feet of trunk space, which is about average for the class.
The 2015 Corolla measures up to 15.3 feet long. Its curb weight ranges from 2,800 to 2,875 pounds, depending on how it is equipped.
Toyota manufactured the 2015 Corolla in Mississippi and Canada.
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