Corolla 2020 niggles

[Luke717]

I absolutely love my 2020 Corolla Excel 1.8 HB, a delight to drive. Since I took delivery at the end of June, I have thoroughly enjoyed this car on the 4,000 miles I've covered so far.

There are a couple of niggles, though. Nowhere near show-stoppers for me, mostly in the area of "Toyota, what were you thinking?" -

1. The USB port on the front dash down from the left of the steering wheel is a pain to connect a cable to in the dark. Why on earth didn't you illuminate this, Toyota? Maybe make it part of the ambient lighting with a little illumination in the surround. I use a USB cable nearly every time I use the car to connect my phone and Android Auto so a bit of illumination would be helpful.
2. Speaking of USB, I can't believe there are no USB ports in the back. But there aren't!
3. When I get into the driver's seat and reach around to grab the seat belt to connect it, it's a very awkward procedure. I'm pretty tall, 6' 2", and the reach around with my left arm over the right shoulder to grab the belt is quite a contortion.
4. Blind-spot monitoring would be very nice to have. Yes, I know, there's lot of chat about this elsewhere in this Forum. If you rely only on the door mirror to keep an eye on what's there over your right shoulder, sooner or later you will very likely have a nasty experience, hopefully no more than a near miss. My workaround is a round convex mini-mirror that I've stuck with its adhesive pad onto the lower right of the door mirror glass. Not very elegant but it does the job. No nasty experiences so far!
5. The light in the boot is pathetic, Toyota! About the dimmest bulb I've yet seen in a car. And only one, on the right side. Pretty useless. At least include two dim bulbs, one either side, maybe together they'd let me see anything in the boot.

So five niggles for now. Glad I got that off my chest 😄 If I think of any more , I'll add them. Overall, as I mentioned earlier, I am extremely satisfied with this car. Nice job, Toyota!

Anyone care to share their niggles?

[AndrueC]

(1) and (2) I agree. Either/both could be addressed by giving us more USB ports in the arm rest. I'd suggest two on the back for rear passengers and two inside that support data. I'd much prefer to keep my iPod Touch inside the arm rest like I did with my last car. Unfortunately that USB socket is power only (which is seems a pretty odd decision) so I'm forced to leave it more or less in the open all the time.

(4)I've done the same as you with a convex mirror.

(5)Yup - maybe look at replacing it with an LED. The light in my last car wasn't brilliant..until I fitted an LED bulb.

[Sonic_D]

The front USB position is quite awkward and the lack of rear ones is not ideal.  It would be nice if the arm rest one could be used for data too.

Any convex mini-mirror recommendations?  I tried using one on a previous car but wasn't happy with the item I bought.

[AndrueC]

54 minutes ago, Sonic_D said:

The front USB position is quite awkward and the lack of rear ones is not ideal.  It would be nice if the arm rest one could be used for data too.

Any convex mini-mirror recommendations?  I tried using one on a previous car but wasn't happy with the item I bought.

I bought these fitted the first to my previous car then the second to my current car:

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071G7TT7W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They've never shown any inclination to unstick although I've not taken the car through a car wash. Come to that I almost never clean me car anyway so can only say that they seem to survive normal driving conditions :)

[Rosgoe]

Yes I would also agree to 1 and 2 although the auris did not have usb in the back although it did have a 12 volt socket.

as regards blind spot monitoring yes it is good but I don’t feel a need for it I put the offside mirror right out until I can just see the side of my car and I find you can then see the overtaking vehicle when it is almost alongside but haveing said that I am now a retired bus and coach driver who is used to useing mirrors.

I put an led bulb in boot light makes a difference.

[Luke717]

2 hours ago, AndrueC said:

The light in my last car wasn't brilliant..until I fitted an LED bulb.

Page 560 in the manual for my 2020 Corolla says only the number plate bulb is user replaceable. No mention anywhere of the boot light. Was it a simple matter of buying the appropriate LED bulb and just swapping out the existing bulb?

[Luke717]

1 hour ago, Sonic_D said:

The front USB position is quite awkward and the lack of rear ones is not ideal.  It would be nice if the arm rest one could be used for data too.

Any convex mini-mirror recommendations?  I tried using one on a previous car but wasn't happy with the item I bought.

I bought mine from Halfords - https://www.halfords.com/motoring/car-accessories/interior-car-accessories/summit-blind-spot-car-mirror-607119.html

[Rosgoe]

1 hour ago, Luke717 said:

Page 560 in the manual for my 2020 Corolla says only the number plate bulb is user replaceable. No mention anywhere of the boot light. Was it a simple matter of buying the appropriate LED bulb and just swapping out the existing bulb?

Got mine on eBay 9 led ones they are called 501’s error free. prize the lens out from the moulding the end towards the rear of car I used a trim tool but you could use a small screwdriver push it in to release the clip if you are going to use a screwdriver I would recommend you wrap a bit of rag round the shank or kitchen towel so as to not damage the plastic trim then gently lever it down there is a black plastic cover over the bulb which just pulls off disconnect the light from the cable as the bulb gets hot then pull the bulb out it’s quite stiff.

[AndrueC]

3 hours ago, Luke717 said:

Page 560 in the manual for my 2020 Corolla says only the number plate bulb is user replaceable. No mention anywhere of the boot light. Was it a simple matter of buying the appropriate LED bulb and just swapping out the existing bulb?

That was my previous car. I haven't looked at doing it with the Toyota. I did think about replacing the interior lights but then saw a video posted here that implied it required a degree in engineering.

[Rickrsh]

In the Uk you don't have BSM in any trim level?

[frizzbee30]

There is BSM on some trim models, certainly the TS, however I got the excel (which has BSM), but with the JBL/Panroof (Which doesn't have BSM)

Very confusing at times!

[Luke717]

15 hours ago, Rickrsh said:

In the Uk you don't have BSM in any trim level?

No, not on the Excel 2020 MY.

[Luke717]

An additional niggle, making it number 6:

When it's been raining and the car is wet, I open the rear hatch and water dribbles from the edge below the 'hybrid' Badge, right into the boot. It misses dribbling outside the boot by an inch or so.

🙄

[TonyHSD]

Hahah I like how when there is no major problems with brand new cars owners get bored and start sharing some niggles experiences , well  nothing wrong with it and be happy that you complain about these things and not something big that cost time and money, . If you want to be sure that you had made the right choice, just rent another make and model from something similar to Toyota and you will see how your cars are much better than anything else. 👍

[Rambler56]

25 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Hahah I like how when there is no major problems with brand new cars owners get bored and start sharing some niggles experiences , well  nothing wrong with it and be happy that you complain about these things and not something big that cost time and money, . If you want to be sure that you had made the right choice, just rent another make and model from something similar to Toyota and you will see how your cars are much better than anything else. 👍

My last car was a Landrover Discovery Sport (could't wait to get rid of it whilst still in warranty).  Issues, and not limited to the just my car, included:

Major oil dilution/EGR problems - oil services required every 6000 miles instead of the advertised 22000 between services - all transverse 2.0 diesel Ingenium engines effected

Drainage holes in tailgate blocked on numerous vehicles, poured water into the boot when opening after a downpour - regular warranty job at the dealers

Outside temp sensor faulty (built into NS wing mirror), would read -23 degrees randomly, forcing heating to go full pelt until it returned to ambient outside temp, a right pain on hot summer days - regular warranty job at the dealers

Power tailgate foot sensor worked at handover and never again

Parking sensors did not like heavy rain, usually went off at inappropriate times e.g. going through passport and security control for North Sea Ferries they could not be turned off

I was actually one of the luckier owners, no B pillar ticking, no crank bearing failures, no corroded disks

The Corolla ownership, by comparison, is a breath of fresh air.  No major (or minor) issues, oil still nice and clear at 5000 miles, everything works as it should.  If I was being picky, the only thing that has crossed my mind (and maybe I've missed something in the manual) is the headlights are either set to Auto or On. 

 

[AndrueC]

My last car was a Honda Jazz (the third I've owned). Although it never let me down it did suffer from a number of issues:

* When I first got it the infotainment unit used to crash on start up fairly often then took five minutes to reboot. During this time the only thing that kept working (if already turned on) would be the analogue radio. It took six months for a fix to appear and even then I had to apply the firmware myself because the dealer was incapable of it (and kept me waiting two hours to find that out).

* During the first two winters the car would sometimes struggle to start. It was push button and the engine if it caught first time would stumble along for half a second at 700 rpm before picking up. Occasionally it fail to start and took a second attempt. Oddly it only did it in the mornings in my garage. Never after having been parked outside the office all day. The dealer was unable to do anything about it as they couldn't replicate it. Oddly the courtesy car they lent me did the same thing after sitting on my drive all day. The last winter the car was fine and that winter I was running a dehumidifier all the time in the house so our guess is a humidity issue. Although that doesn't explain the courtesy car.

* Atkinson mode almost ruined the CVT. At low RPMs the Jazz runs in Atkinson mode and they hadn't got the CVT programming quite right. If you didn't learn how to 'half kick down' it could be very sluggish pulling away from roundabouts. Going up hills it would sometimes 'change down' part way up. All in all it tarnished the 'just drive' reputation of the CVT. They improved it a lot with the facelift.

* Toward the end my door mirrors started folding in and out while driving along some times. The dealer said there was nothing they could do until/unless they failed completely.

 

I've always blamed the car's woes on it being the first Jazz I owned not built in the UK. It never let me down but it was an unacceptable standard for Honda and the dealer was very unhelpful. On the plus side it pushed me to the Toyota marque so it wasn't all bad 🙂

[Rambler56]

35 minutes ago, AndrueC said:

* Toward the end my door mirrors started folding in and out while driving along some times. The dealer said there was nothing they could do until/unless they failed completely.

Did it happen during sluggish acceleration by any chance? Maybe they were trying to help the car along😀

[Timmon]

3 hours ago, Rambler56 said:

 If I was being picky, the only thing that has crossed my mind (and maybe I've missed something in the manual) is the headlights are either set to Auto or On. 

 

Like you I love the Corolla. Maybe coming from a 17 year old car to a new one, helped, everything was new, and to be honest, I still only use a fraction of the add on's, as I don't find a need for them. The headlight thing you are spot on. I am very nervous at this time of year, as the light outside is not good, and without the ability to turn off the auto headlight facility, the lights flash on and off these dark November days. Unlike last year, I have not had anyone pull out i front of me, thinking I am flashing them on, maybe because of the lock down, less traffic. But I can hear the lights clicking on and off regularly, if the radio is off. The only safe way is to just switch your headlights on, or switch to side lights. Switching to sidelights seems to cancel the auto headlight facility. It is a shame there is no off setting for the headlights.

[Luke717]

5 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

owners get bored and start sharing some niggles experiences

I suppose that's one way you can look at it. For me, this is just thinking out loud about little things about the car. Like I said in my first post in this thread, these are not show stoppers, just niggles. Take them at face value. Still love my Corolla every single time I drive it. I could do without the dribbling water, though.

[Teaboy]

Does anyone else think that the audible warnings are not loud enough. 2020 Corolla hybrid estate.

[Sidrat]

8 hours ago, Teaboy said:

Does anyone else think that the audible warnings are not loud enough. 2020 Corolla hybrid estate.

The rear parking sensor beep is not loud enough in my opinion, I have increased the volume for it but it is still too quiet, the front ones are fine.

[Teaboy]

12 hours ago, Sidrat said:

The rear parking sensor beep is not loud enough in my opinion, I have increased the volume for it but it is still too quiet, the front ones are fine.

I previously owned the Auris Touring Sports and the rear parking sensors were louder than the front sensors. 
Do you have Sat Nav? I find the speed camera warning is almost inaudible if you have a lot of cabin noise.

[dannyboy413]

On 11/24/2020 at 10:03 PM, Teaboy said:

Does anyone else think that the audible warnings are not loud enough. 2020 Corolla hybrid estate.

Most definitely! I do not always hear the warnings and then I see something on the display that gives me a warning. I have the 2020 Sol saloon, (Ireland).

[Luke717]

On 11/24/2020 at 8:22 PM, Timmon said:

...The only safe way is to just switch your headlights on, or switch to side lights. Switching to sidelights seems to cancel the auto headlight facility. It is a shame there is no off setting for the headlights.

I think you're right, TIM - sidelights is the only way to not have the headlights on. There is no 'off' switch.

[Luke717]

On 11/24/2020 at 10:03 PM, Teaboy said:

Does anyone else think that the audible warnings are not loud enough. 2020 Corolla hybrid estate.

Heh, maybe the only one in this thread thinking this, but I find the audible warning volume just right. Ditto with the parking sensor beeps front and rear. The good news with the beeps is that you can temporarily mute them, eg, if you're in a queue and you stop too close to the driver in front that sets off the front sensor, you can hit 'OK' to mute the noise. Handy feature!