The Importance of the USB Port in Your Toyota Corolla: A Guide to Connectivity

Toyota is a well-known car manufacturing company and the Corolla model is one of its best products. The Toyota Corolla car is known for its high performance, great interior design, and sleek exterior design, however, several users of this vehicle seem to have a hard time locating the USB port.

This article provides a complete guide on locating a Toyota Corolla USB port. We also explore the importance of having one in your car and the reason why it may be hidden in some parts of your car.

How to locate the USB port of a Toyota Corolla?

A USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a technology that connects two devices or electronics. In most cars, a USB port can be accessed directly or you will have to use a cigarette lighter socket charger that sits just beneath your car’s dashboard. The older models of Toyota Corolla, from below 2012 do not have a USB port installed in them, however, models from 2012-2023 have USB ports installed in them.

2012 and 2013 model

For some models of this car, the USB port may be directly visible around the dashboard region, while for others, it may be concealed. The location of this port depends on the design and build of each model, this means that for each year or each model, the position or location of the USB port changes.

For the 2012 model, the USB port is located beside the clock. It is sealed with a covering that reads “USB port” you can directly plug in your USB cord and connect whatever device you want. For the 2013 model, beneath the display panel is the controls for the air conditioner, beneath these controls, you can see the USB port. 

2014 and 2015 models

The USB port for the 2014 model is also located beneath the air conditioning control, the only difference is that it's designed from the previous model. In this model, the USB port is located close to the cigarette lighter which can also be used as a USB port with the right adapter. The 2015 model has a very similar design to the 2014 model hence the location and position of the USB port remain the same. 

2016-2022 models

The 2016-2018 model of the Toyota Corolla has its USB port located on the lower part of the dashboard. In the 2019 model, the dashboard panel was shrunken which implies that the USB port no longer sits around the usual dashboard area, instead, it can be found underneath it just close to the glove compartment. 

The 2021 model has its port positioned on the right side of the shifter. As for the 2022 model, because of its new design and build, it has 2 USB ports. However, the location of these ports changes with the variants of this car model. The first variant has one positioned on the dashboard while the other lies within the center console.

For the L variant, you can find one port around the climate-controlling region while the other lies inside the armrest of your Corolla. The LE and XLE variants have one located around the dashboard area and the other located in the backseat for the passengers' use. 

The Importance of the USB Port in Your Toyota Corolla: A Guide to Connectivity

USB ports are one of the interior features of a Toyota Corolla, and if you have been clueless about what to do with them, here are some importance of having this feature in your car.

Connection to other devices

There are a lot of scenarios where you’ve wanted to enjoy music, podcasts, or any form of entertainment in your car but you weren’t. Maybe the Bluetooth feature of your car is failing or you don’t have CDs. With a Toyota Corolla USB port, you can easily connect your mobile device to your car and enjoy any form of entertainment you want. 

You can have this connection by connecting one end of your USB cord to the port and the other end to your smartphone, the connection may not be immediate and will take a few seconds to achieve. 

Charge your smartphone

A lot of people primarily use a USB port to charge their smartphones. While you can charge your phone with the USB port, it is important to know that it won’t carry out this task as fast as you expect it to. This is because the power supplied to the USB port is only sufficient to help you enjoy entertainment from your smartphone.

There are specific regions you can position your phone while charging to prevent distractions and for the passenger seat, it’s either in the center console if you have a long cord or an open space in the dashboard.

Types of USB ports

There are two types of USB ports: USB-C and USB-A. The models of Toyota Corolla usually use a type C port, but it is important to distinguish between these two types to know what type of cord you need for your port.

USB-A

This is the type of USB cord most people are familiar with as they have been frequently used for data transfer and power. It has a wide and rectangular mouth that fits when inserted correctly from one side, forcing the cord into the port the wrong way might damage it. This kind of USB has been around for decades and most devices still make use of it, this is why it is still popular. 

USB-C

This is a new type of USB that slowly came on the rise in 2014. It has a more symmetrical design that gives a tiny or slim structure. The advantage of this type of USB over type A is that it fits into the port regardless of how it’s inserted so you don’t always have to follow a specific pattern. Modern devices and electronics are slowly adopting USB-C ports and cords, and while it is not currently present in Toyota Corolla models, we can expect that future models will have it. 

Why does the Toyota Corolla have hidden USB ports?

Unlike cigarette lighters, the USB ports in Toyota Corolla models are concealed and difficult to locate. They are usually sealed with a plastic cover that can be opened using your fingers or any pointed object. These ports are usually labeled to help users identify them easily.

However, this covering and positioning are not to give users a tough time, instead, it aims to protect the port. With the cover on, dust particles and humidity can reach the port hence preventing the occurrence of corrosion which can damage it and affect the connectivity. 

Conclusion

We use USB cords and ports a lot outside our cars, but how can they benefit your car? The connectivity provided by the Toyota corolla USB port can help you change your mobile devices but not so much since the power supplied is not enough for fast charging, it can also be used to stream music and other audio files for entertainment.

You should have learned how to properly locate the USB ports on the different models of your Toyota Corolla and knowing the types of USB ports and cords, you should be able to use the right cord with your car port.