Summary
- The Toyota Corolla has been a successful model, with accolades and a long history of being a best-selling car worldwide.
- Upgrades like superchargers, turbo kits, standalone ECUs, air intake kits, and full exhaust systems can significantly enhance the Corolla's performance.
- Coilover suspension, chassis braces, big brake kits, aftermarket wheels, and high-performance tires can improve handling, control, and overall driving experience.
Currently, in its twelfth generation, the Toyota Corolla has had several accolades throughout the years. Produced by Toyota from 1966 up to this very day, the Corolla is one of the best-selling cars worldwide. Surpassing the Volkswagen Beetle in 1997 as the best-selling nameplate in the world and reaching a milestone of selling 50 million Corollas as of 2021. Built as an affordable subcompact sedan, the Corolla has had a tough life. Serving in a wide range of roles from a company fleet vehicle in many Asian countries, a first car for a teenager, or a family car for a small brood.
Occasionally, the Corolla has served as a platform for racing and in many cases a speed-demon's entry point into modifying cars; even competing as a full-fledged World Rally Championship contender back in 1997 and as a Japanese touring car in 2000. More recently, even as a drift car! Spanning more than ten generations and millions of units built and sold, it is no surprise that the aftermarket support for the brand is just as successful. From basic accessories to track-tested and dyno-proven upgrades the aftermarket has the Corolla covered, and here are some of the best upgrades for the legendary sub-compact Toyota sedan.
We have researched and compiled the best upgrades for the Toyota Corolla from various forms of online media, but we do not claim any proven power gains or legal certifications other than what the aftermarket manufacturers provide in their product information.
10 Supercharger
Bolt-on upgrades are popular for their ease of installation and in many cases instant discernible improvements in performance. When it comes to big bolt-on power, superchargers have to be one of the best modifications for any vehicle. The TRD superchargers that were available for the 1ZZ-FE 1.8-liter engine produced up to 40 horsepower in some of the fast Corollas and Celicas over the years. From one bolt-on part, a 40-horsepower gain is significant and hard to achieve as easily with any other upgrade.
The unmistakable supercharger whine is surprising since turbocharging has long been the norm in making high horsepower Japanese engines. Many aftermarket superchargers come sold as a bolt-on kit that includes many of the other ancillary parts needed to make the supercharger work with your application that take care of a lot of the guesswork during installation.
9 Turbo kit
Arguably the more popular yet more complicated route to making big power in a Corolla, because it was never designed with a turbo from the factory. Horsepower gains from turbocharging though make up for the added complication, sometimes even adding upwards of 50 horsepower. Because of its complexity and assortment of ancillary parts, a turbo kit will require an ECU tune for it to work properly and be maximized for your application.
With turbo specifications, intercooler sizing, fuel injector sizing and the ECU tuning all requiring the skills and knowledge of a tuner a well, a turbo kit is not a weekend bolt-on upgrade for the Corolla that you can do in your garage. Unless your name is Freddie Tavarish or you work at the Skid Factory with Turbo Yoda, the installation on this one is better left to the experts.
8 Standalone ECU
This is a must unless you drive a Toyota 86/GR86 or a GR Yaris. The ECU being the brains of the operation when it comes to making power, is also upgradable. Toyota is notoriously selfish about accessing the data on the original computers that come in their vehicles, so a completely standalone ECU is required if you’re planning to make big power or drastic engine upgrades to your Corolla.
Capable of the same functions as the original ECU that comes stock, a standalone ECU allows customized programming and adjustment of the air-fuel mixture as well as engine timing to maximize the rest of the engine upgrades while keep your Corolla’s engine as happy and safe. A standalone ECU will allow you to monitor and manage any aspect of your engine’s operation in real time if that’s something you require.
7 Air Intake Kit
Definitely, the most common performance upgrade in any car, an air intake kit is also where most people start when modifying their cars. Including Corollas. With multiple options and types for any generation of Corolla it is no surprise this affordable upgrade is as common as it is. Popular more for the intoxicating intake sound that comes with a better-flowing intake filter, high-performance air intakes do give additional horsepower, albeit not as much as a supercharger or turbocharger.
High-performance air intakes also last longer than the paper-element air filter that cars are sold with and are lifetime upgrades as well, not needing replacement during service intervals. With many brands and types to choose from, research for your application is important to find the right one.
6 Full Exhaust System
Another common performance upgrade for any car is an exhaust upgrade, but unlike the previous three upgrades, more often than not your Corolla will only benefit from a full exhaust system upgrade. That usually consists of a high-flow catalytic converter, a resonator and a muffler/silencer all beautifully welded with a nice set of polished exhaust tips.
An exhaust system may look simple, but it takes a lot of science to efficiently flow spent combustion gases from the engine to the rear of the car while complying with EPA laws and still make more power and sound better, which is the most popular reason why exhaust systems are upgraded anyway. Depending on whether your Corolla is still naturally aspirated or already force-fed its intake air, a full exhaust system will have different specifications so do your research before settling on which to purchase.
5 Coilover Suspension
Another crowd favorite when it comes to suspension upgrades for Corollas is coil overs. Popular because of the adjustability it provides, a car can be set up to ride and react to driver inputs nearly however you want with coilovers. Capable of setting the stance of your car however high or low you may want, is the primary reason many enthusiasts upgrade to coilover suspension, but benefits go beyond that.
Depending on the brand and coilover model, this upgrade lets you adjust the right height, shock compression speed, and rebound rates. In many cases, coilover manufacturers will let you specify the spring rates that can make or break your suspension setup. All this adjustability improves your car’s handling and control, which also means increased safety.
4 Chassis Braces
Also known as strut bars or strut braces, these simple steel tubes actually do offer handling improvements with the front strut brace being the most common, there are other chassis braces that reinforce the car and increase chassis rigidity which in turn, allows your suspension to better do its job. These braces also strengthen sections of the car they are installed in, may it be the strut towers via a fender brace or a rear member brace.
From braces for major chassis components like front and rear sub-frame braces that reduce flex, to smaller ones like a brake maser cylinder brace that improve brake pedal feel under hard braking, these upgrades benefit the Corolla in more ways than one. Usually made from high-strength steel tubing, many also install them for the aggressive look they can give the underchassis or engine bay.
3 Big Brake Kit
With all that added power from a supercharger or a turbo kit, better braking performance is usually the next reasonable upgrade. Although they are the best way to improve stopping power is a big brake kit. Usually composed of brake calipers with either bigger or more brake pistons, and brake rotors discs that provide better cooling and heat dissipation properties, big brake kits are always worth the money.
With aftermarket parts manufacturers now producing anywhere from four- to twelve-piston calipers, there’s a kit that will definitely suit your Corolla’s needs. Usually offered with different rotor disc treatments to reduce brake fade due to high heat and improve the lifespan of brake pads, upgrading your Corolla’s brakes is more than just for the race car looks but also the race car braking performance.
2 Aftermarket Wheels
Probably even more popular than a high-performance air intake, aftermarket wheels are another one that is always on top of everyone’s mind. It is the easiest way to change up the look of your Corolla from its aggressive race-inspired wheel design to something more mature and classy. As they say, wheels make or break the look of the car.
Also one of the biggest car aftermarket sub-industries, there’s an almost endless number of wheel designs, sizes and colors available giving you a wide variety of wheels to personalize the look of your Corolla. Interestingly, there are also aftermarket wheels designed for a specific from of driving like off-road wheels that need to be tough enough to take impacts from rock obstacles to lightweight wheels that are designed to help a car reduce unsprung weight.
1 High-Performance Tires
Last, but most definitely not the least, tires are the most overlooked and underrated upgrade that one does. Known as the best upgrade to reduce lap times by huge margins, a car with a good set of tires can possibly outrun a more powerful car with worn ones. Another very big industry with a lot of science and technology in recent years, tires are an integral factor to maximizing the performance and safety of your Corolla.
Engineered to either a specific season or type of driving, a lot of factors go into selecting the right tire for your needs. From tire width to speed rating and treadwear, performance tires benefit a car in more than just the looks. Cornering, braking, stability, and ride comfort are all aspects to consider so choose wisely.