Are Toyota Corollas FWD Or AWD?

The Toyota Corolla is one of the most popular cars in the world. Not only is it easy to drive and there are plenty of parts for it, but at the same time it’s also very affordable. 

These are all the ingredients for a very good purchase when it comes to beginner cars, but pretty much everyone (new or long time driver alike) loves the Toyota Corollas and their incredible feature set at such a low price. 

But you have to wonder, are the Toyota Corolla cars FWD or AWD? 

Unfortunately the Toyota Corolla does not offer all wheel drive for the time being and only has front wheel drive. 

AWD offers more robustness and power, and that can be a great thing more often than not but unfortunately you can’t have those on the Corolla. 

The truth is that the Toyota Corolla does have its fair share of benefits, and if you manage it appropriately, the results you can get from this FWD car can be quite astonishing.

It does take a bit of trial and error to figure out what you can get from your Corolla but once you do you likely won’t even miss not having AWD on it. 

The Toyota drivetrains are well known for being able to easily handle most roads without needing to have all wheel drive. That means they can easily adapt even if the road is more challenging. 

So even if it feels that there are challenges to be had with a road, you might be able to overcome that, which is something to keep in mind in a situation like this.

Since you don’t have AWD on your Corolla, you will likely need snow tires during the winter. In fact, even if you have AWD, the truth is that it won’t help you stop quickly and properly so you could still need snow tires. 

You really need to have high quality winter tires, since no drive (front or all wheel) will be able to help you stop fast and avoid any possible collisions and that alone is a crucial aspect you need to take into consideration in a situation like this.

What Toyota Cars Have AWD?

AWD is a blessing for a lot of people because it’s powerful, it gives you more control over the car, and you will find that it gives you amazing acceleration as well. It will take a bit of trial and error to get the most out of it and that’s the reason why you have to tackle and adapt to it in an appropriate manner. 

That’s what makes it well worth the investment.

I already mentioned that Corollas don’t have all wheel drive as an option but are there any Toyota cars that do? 

As of right now the Toyota vehicles that have AWD as an option are: 

• 4 Runner
• Camry
• Highlander
• Prius 
• Rav4
• Sequoia 
• Sienna
• Tacoma
• Tundra 
• Venza 

Being that virtually all of the new Toyota vehicles have all wheel drive as an option it’s likely that the Corolla will have it as an option sometime in the future as well. 

All having all wheel drive isn’t a necessity when you buy a vehicle it is nice to have that option. So although for now the Corolla is missing that option you can still choose to get any of the above Toyota models with AWD on it. 

How Does The Toyota AWD System Work? 

The Toyota AWD system is created with the idea of delivering a coupler in the rear differential. This allows the idea of pushing the torque dynamically where it needs to go. 

Most of the time, you will notice that the AWD systems are designed to conserve power so it can be used on the front wheels during normal driving conditions. This helps because it boosts the performance and fuel economy as well, things that are incredibly important. 

However, the all wheel drive system can also monitor things like the angle, throttle angle, the yaw rate, as well as steering and vehicle speed.

On top of that, the drivetrain can change where the power is going. That’s great because it gives more control over the traction and grip of the vehicle. 

The fact this is not available on the Toyota Corolla is a bit of a bummer, true, but sedans don’t always need AWD, so we can see why Toyota decided not to add it to their smallest car. 

Is FWD Good On The Toyota Corolla? 

Maybe the best thing about FWD for the Toyota Corolla is that it helps to keep the costs of the vehicle low. It’s a lot cheaper to manufacture front wheel drive vehicles and the same thing can be said about repairs here as well. 

AWD parts are typically more expensive than FWD parts are, so you are indeed saving quite a bit of money by having a front wheel drive Corolla. 

There’s also less drivetrain loss when compared to other transmission systems. What this means is that the horsepower delivered between the wheels and the engine is at a lower ratio. Performance is not hindered in any way, and that’s exactly the thing that makes it such a good option in the first place. 

You do have plenty of power no matter where you go, with a front wheel drive Corolla while still having an amazing price point. 

Extreme driving conditions also should not be a problem for FWD because you have all the power coming to the front wheels and they will be the one solving these issues for you. 

While many people prefer AWD for bad weather, FWD still does a great job of getting you around on the snow or ice. 

Conclusion

I would recommend giving the Toyota Corolla a test drive and see if you really miss it having all wheel drive. Take it and the all wheel drive Camry for a spin and see if the difference is worth spending the extra to get. 

For most people… it really isn’t worth the extra cost. 

Sure, the Toyota Corolla doesn’t have AWD, but then again it doesn’t really need it that much either. It’s a very capable, powerful vehicle with amazing features and it offers a great value as well. 

That’s what makes it a great car for those who don’t need the extra space that the Camry offers and also don’t want to spend the money on it. 

The Corolla is a solid choice even if it doesn’t have AWD!