We do a lot of research to try to answer your questions about different cars. Today we will look at what type of gas is best suited for Toyota Corolla and will look into a detailed analysis on the engine, mileage, and tank capacity of different models of Corolla by year.
All models and generations of the Toyota Corolla use high-quality unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87. Premium fuel with an octane of 91 can be used but does not have any benefits over fuel with an octane rating of 87.
However, this doesn’t tell us the whole story. In the below article, we will dive into the details of the Toyota Corolla and point you the information about the types of gasoline and which gas is good or bad for your car. We will also discuss the tank size and the price needed to fuel the tank in different states.
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Fuel Requirement Based on Engine Type
Here, we will give you a detailed analysis of the type of engine available in different models of the Corolla and what kind of gas is best suited for it.
2020-Present
The 2021 Toyota Corolla comes with a base engine of a 1.8L 4-cylinder engine. This engine has a high fuel economy rating as well as a high engine performance output. The 1.8L engine produces 139 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque, with fuel economy ratings of 30 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.
This engine choice is standard for the 2021 Toyota Corolla L, LE, and XLE trim levels.
While Toyota also prefers using unleaded “regular” gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or higher in the 2021 Corolla.
Also read: The Expected Mileage Of A Toyota Corolla
2014-2019
The 2015 Toyota Corolla comes with a 132-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, a six-speed manual transmission, or a 140-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with a continuously variable automatic transmission in the LE Eco model.
Front-wheel drive is standard on all Corolla models. All Corolla models between 2014-2109, including hatchback and hybrid, prefer unleaded “regular” gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or higher.
2009-2013
The standard engine in the 2010 Toyota Corolla has a 1.8-liter four-cylinder with 132 horsepower, which is enough for drivers who are more concerned about gas mileage than power but not as enthralling to drive as the 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 148 horsepower.
The Corolla’s owner’s manuals state to use only unleaded gasoline with an octane number 87(Research Octane number 91) or higher. According to the EPA, the Corolla scores 26/33 mpg city/highway with the base engine and manual transmission.
Does The Toyota Corolla Require Premium Fuel?
The Toyota Corolla does not require premium fuel. According to Toyota, the Corolla is engineered to run efficiently on regular unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or higher. This holds true across all Corolla models, regardless of the model year or engine type.
The Toyota Corolla are designed with regular unleaded gasoline in mind. They are tuned to offer a good balance of performance and efficiency using this type of fuel. While using premium fuel in a Corolla won’t harm the engine, it won’t provide any noticeable benefits in terms of performance or fuel economy either. It’s essentially an unnecessary expense.
What Type of Gas Does the Toyota Corolla Hybrid Use?
The Toyota Corolla Hybrid is designed to run efficiently on regular unleaded gasoline. This fuel type, typically rated at 87 octane, provides the right balance between performance and economy for this hybrid model. So whether you’re driving the hybrid version or not, 87 octane is all you need.
This is true of most other Toyota hybrids from the Prius (which can also use 91 octane but runs 87 just fine) to the RAV4 and Sequoia.
What Type Of Gasoline Can And Can’t Be Used?
The use of proper fuel is essential. You may not know, but the fuel you are using for your car may be deteriorating your car’s engine in the longer run. This could cost you a lot of money if not been taken care of in the starting.
Below we will see that which type of fuel is preferable or not for your Toyota Corolla.
Leaded Gasoline
Leaded Gasoline can cause severe damage to your car’s three-way vehicle catalytic converters causing the emission control system to malfunction. That is why Toyota also recommends using Unleaded Gasoline and to avoid Leaded Gasoline in your Corolla.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), leaded gasoline is linked to not only causing health issues such as heart diseases, high blood pressure, strokes, kidney disease, and reduced fertility, but also it pollutes the environment.
Thus, it is not recommended to use leaded gasoline at all for your vehicle.
No need to worry though, the last reserve of leaded gasoline in Algeria has been emptied on July 2021. Also, Corolla has a fuel tank hole that only accepts the specific nozzle used on unleaded fuel pumps to avoid incorrect fuelling.
Gasoline with MMT
Methylcyclopentadienyl Manganese Tricarbonyl (MMT) is an octane enhancer that forms manganese particles when burned as a gasoline additive. These manganese particles can be emitted into the atmosphere or deposited on engine and vehicle components, causing concern in either case.
Manganese particles are highly harmful to the human body, cancerous, and adversely affect Corolla’s emission control system.
Thus, MMT is not at all recommended to use in your vehicle at all.
The malfunction lamp on the instrument cluster may light up if you have used such gasoline. At this time, you should contact Toyota customer care.
Addition of Detergents
Toyota recommends the addition of a cleaning agent in gasoline for your Toyota Corolla.
Detergents are required because they maintain parts of the fuel system clean and avoid excessive carbon buildup in injectors, feed valves, and fire chambers. They can restrict proper airflow, change the fuel/air balance, impair fuel economy, offer less fuel economy, and increase vehicle emissions.
Note: That all gasoline sold in the United States contains a minimum level of cleaning agent additives.
Ethanol In Gasoline
According to the owner’s manual, gasoline with an ethanol content of not more than 15 percent is recommended for your Toyota Corolla. Ethanol content with 85 percent is also available; these are used by flex-fuel vehicles.
If you are using ethanol content more than 15 percent in your Corolla, it may cause the computer to believe that your car is running on a “low” fuel combination (too much air and not enough fuel).
As a result, the computer responds typically by injecting too much fuel (to address a problem that doesn’t exist), reducing your car’s gas mileage and performance.
You need not worry though most of the gas pumps in the US have ethanol content of not more than 10%. One of the ways to identify is to look for the symbol of E85, E15 on the gas pump. E85 signifies 85 percent ethanol content.
What If I Hear A Knocking Noise From The Engine After Refilling?
It is stated in the owner’s manual of Toyota Corolla that hearing a minor knocking sound while accelerating or going up a hill in your car is natural. However, if the knocking sound continues and gets louder, you should visit a mechanic.
The cause of this may be primarily due to the gas you used in your car, or The fuel may have a low octane level that could harm your vehicle.
These are some more common faults that may generate a knocking sound in your vehicle:
1. You’re using the wrong fuel in your Corolla.
2. In the combustion chamber, there is a carbon deposit.
Also read: 4 Common Problems Of A Toyota Corolla Hybrid
Does The Toyota Corolla Have A Good Gas Mileage?
2020-Present
Corolla Hybrid, as always, gives the highest mileage of 54/52 MPG in highway/city, respectively, compared to other models. The hatchback model of Corolla provides an average mileage of 37/28 MPG in highway/city. While the base model and rest XLE/XSE all give a combined mileage of around 33 – 34 MPG in city or highway.
| Engine | Highway | City | Combined |
| 1.8 L | 38MPG | 30MPG | 33MPG |
| 2l AV-S10 | 40MPG | 31MPG | 34MPG |
| 2L COROLLA APEX | 38MPG | 31MPG | 34MPG |
| HATCHBACK/XSE | 37MPG | 28MPG | 32MPG |
| Hybrid | 53MPG | 52MPG | 52MPG |
| XLE/XSE | 38MPG | 31MPG | 33MPG |
You can see a video breaking down the fuel efficiency of the 2023 Corolla here:
2014-2019
The 2014 – 2019 Corolla hatchback gives a combined mileage on the city and highway of 31 MPG, while the Corolla LE ECO provides around 40MPG on the city or highway.
| Engine | Highway | City | Combined |
| HATCHBACK 2.0L | 37MPG | 28MPG | 31MPG |
| HATCHBACK AV-S10/XSE | 42MPG | 32MPG | 36MPG |
| 2.0L COROLLA APEX | 38MPG | 31MPG | 34MPG |
| 1.8L AV-S7 | 35MPG | 28MPG | 31MPG |
| 1.8L LE Eco | 40MPG | 30MPG | 34MPG |
2009-2013
According to the EPA, the Corolla 2009-13 models get an average mileage of around 33 mpg on highways and 26 or 27 MPG in the city, depending on whether it has a manual or automatic transmission.
| Engine | Highway | City | Combined |
| 1.8L | 33MPG | 26MPG | 29MPG |
Also read: Toyota Corolla Transmissions: Overview, Problems, Fluids
What Is The Gas Tank Size Of Toyota Corolla?
2021 Hybrid has a tank size of 11.4 gallons, while other Corolla models 1.8L, AV-S7, Apex, AV-S10, XSE, have around 13.2 gallons. While the hatchback also has a tank size of 13.2 gallons.
At the same time, the Toyota Corolla 2WD version has a tank size of 12.4 gallons. Overall, these are relatively standard gas tank sizes but still quite small to smaller SUVs like Toyota’s Highlander (which uses the same 87 octane) or the much larger fuel tank of the Toyota 4Runner.
How Much Does It Cost To Fill Up Toyota Corolla?
It takes approximately 37.88$ to fill up the tank of Toyota Corolla completely in Mississippi, the state with the cheapest fuel price in the US. At the same time, it would somewhere cost you around 58.33 $ in California, the state with the most expensive gasoline in the US.
If you have a hybrid Corolla, it would cost less to fill its gasoline tank once, around $32.7 in Mississippi and 51$ in California.
Closing Thoughts
Understanding the types of gasoline suitable for your Corolla can significantly impact both the vehicle’s performance and longevity, along with the cost associated with its operation. Of course, it’s just the start and you want to learn as much about your Corolla as possible from common problems to proper fuel and everything in between.
The cost of fueling the tank may vary from state to state due to differing gasoline prices, but the Corolla’s impressive fuel economy generally ensures a cost-effective ride regardless of your location.
In the end, the key to maximizing your Toyota Corolla’s potential lies in knowing these intricate details, which can truly optimize your ownership experience.
Sources
- Gas Mileage of Corolla
- State Gas Price Average
- 2017 Toyota Corolla Owner’s manual
- 2021 Toyota Corolla Owner’s manual
- 2019 Toyota Corolla Owner’s manual
Hi! My name is Stefan; I’m the owner and lead writer at TheDriverAdviser.com.
I’m an active writer on this blog myself, as well as a novice car mechanic. For the really technical stuff, I find writers with experience as a mechanic or who have studied mechanical engineering.
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