2016 Toyota Corolla

The Car Connection (opens in a new tab) says there are essentially no changes to the 2016 Corolla, save for a new Special Edition based on the sporty Corolla S with the CVT. MotorTrend (opens in a new tab) lists what the Special Edition adds: 17-inch alloy wheels, a Special Edition badge, keyless entry and start, seats with contrast red stitching, a moonroof and the Entune infotainment system with navigation. It also lists the available Entune Audio Plus with Connected Navigation on every trim but the base L, and a single engine, a 1.8-liter four-cylinder with 132 to 140 horsepower and 126 to 128 lb-ft of torque depending on the trim.

U.S. News (opens in a new tab) puts the 2016 in a generation that started with a full redesign for 2014 and runs through the 2018 Corolla, notes that 2014 to 2016 models have similar features and scores and that most cost less than newer ones, and says a new Corolla costs about $4,500 more than an average 2016 model. So the Special Edition is the one to look for if you want the most equipment for the money; otherwise a 2015 gives you nearly the same car.

The 2016 Corolla has the same single recall as the 2015, 20V024, for the air bag electronic control unit that may malfunction during certain crashes and disable air bag or seat belt pretensioner deployment. Consumer Reports (opens in a new tab) lists it as the one NHTSA recall, rates the 2016 more reliable than other cars from the same model year, quotes an owner calling a problem 'very common and annoying' in 2015 to 2019 Corollas, and gives Toyota's own numbers for the recall as 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.

NHTSA holds 214 owner complaints on the 2016 model year. Air bags lead with 65, then service brakes with 29, seat belts with 26, unclassified problems with 24, and power train and steering with 22 each. That order is different from the 2015 Corolla, where structure and power train problems ranked higher, so the air bag complaint stream is the constant. Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) rates a 2016 with 120,000 to 132,000 miles as a medium risk of major repair.

Kelley Blue Book (opens in a new tab) puts used 2016 Corolla prices at $11,850 for the LE Eco Plus to $13,050 for the S Premium at a dealership, and its depreciation page gives a resale value of $10,600 and a trade-in value of $8,250. U.S. News says no new compact car costs the same as an average used 2016 Corolla, which it prices at $14,100. A 2016 costs a few hundred dollars more than a 2015 at the same dealership, and it is the first Corolla year with the Special Edition and the Connected Navigation option.