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2019 ford Flex vs 2019 toyota Corolla

Reliability comparison based on NHTSA recall and complaint records.

Synced 2026-04-29 Source: NHTSA public records Reviewed by ASE-certified contributors
Quick verdict
2019 Ford Flex and 2019 Toyota Corolla are nearly tied on reliability data

2019 ford Flex

3.4/5
Reliability score
197 complaints
3 recalls (0 critical)
$6,700 repair exposure
vs

2019 toyota Corolla

3.2/5
Reliability score
198 complaints
5 recalls (0 critical)
$12,750 repair exposure

Stories from the shop

Look, these two are running close enough that you'd be fine either way. Reliability scores are within rounding distance (3.4 for the 2019 ford Flex, 3.2 for the 2019 toyota Corolla), and they've each got their own laundry list of weak spots. There's no clean winner here on the data alone.

If you're leaning 2019 ford Flex, know what you're getting into on body and electrical. Those categories have noticeably more complaints than what the 2019 toyota Corolla sees, and they're not cheap items when they go.

Going with the 2019 toyota Corolla? Watch the powertrain and engine. The 2019 ford Flex has fewer reports in those categories, so you'd be trading one set of weak spots for another.

On the dollars-and-cents side, total repair exposure across the top problem areas runs 1.9x higher on the 2019 toyota Corolla. That's the number to keep in mind when you're pricing the deal — a $2,000 difference in purchase price disappears the first time you're staring at a transmission rebuild.

Bottom line: pick based on use case more than the spec sheet. If you tow heavy and don't want to think about it, that's one calculation. If you're a daily driver and want the cheapest path forward, that's another. Both of these will get you down the road. We're just telling you where each one is most likely to break.

— ProblemsByVin editorial team, drawing on the NHTSA data and shop experience.

Side-by-side by problem area

Category
2019 ford Flex
2019 toyota Corolla
powertrain
No reports
52 reports
moderate · ~$2,500
body
37 reports
severe · ~$1,500
No reports
electrical
18 reports
moderate · ~$850
12 reports
severe · ~$850
engine
4 reports
moderate · ~$3,100
23 reports
moderate · ~$3,100
airbags
No reports
19 reports
severe · ~$1,100
fuel system
No reports
12 reports
moderate · ~$1,200
cruise control
No reports
10 reports
severe · ~$600
steering
No reports
8 reports
severe · ~$700
brakes
No reports
7 reports
severe · ~$450
visibility
6 reports
moderate · ~$350
No reports

Common questions

Which is more reliable, the 2019 Ford Flex or the 2019 Toyota Corolla?

It's close to a tie. Both vehicles score within 0.2 points on our reliability index (3.4 vs 3.2). At this margin, either choice is defensible — base your decision on the specific failure modes that matter to you.

What goes wrong more often on the 2019 Ford Flex?

Compared to the 2019 Toyota Corolla, the 2019 Ford Flex sees more reported issues in body and electrical. That doesn't mean it's a bad truck — it means those are the categories worth budgeting for if you go that direction.

What goes wrong more often on the 2019 Toyota Corolla?

Compared to the 2019 Ford Flex, the 2019 Toyota Corolla has more complaints in powertrain and engine. Whether that's a deal-breaker depends on the cost and severity — see the comparison table above for repair cost ranges.

Which has more recalls?

The 2019 Toyota Corolla has more active recalls (5 vs 3). Total count is less important than severity, though — a vehicle with one critical recall and zero moderate ones is generally riskier than one with five moderate recalls.

Is an extended warranty worth it on either of these?

Both vehicles are out of factory bumper-to-bumper coverage at this point. Combined repair exposure across the top problem categories runs around $12,750 on the higher-risk vehicle. A quality service contract typically costs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years, so a single major failure usually pays for the contract. The math favors warranty coverage on whichever vehicle you choose, especially if you plan to keep it past 100,000 miles.

Related comparisons

Reliability scores, complaint counts, and severity ratings derived from the NHTSA public records database. "Repair exposure" is the sum of average independent-shop repair costs across each vehicle's tracked problem categories and is intended as a relative comparison, not an exact prediction. Editorial commentary auto-generated from the data and reviewed by ASE-certified contributors. Some links on this page are affiliate links.
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