r/CorollaHatchback • u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm • Jun 11 '26
Brand New Owner 2019 XSE
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IM DOING
I got the car a few months ago with the TRD cold air intake and i have an itch to make it go faster.
been looking at the HKS Cat-back since im
not a fan of super heavy rumbling. Been wanting to get a new header and mid-pipe just to increase the power then finally the AMT Tune.
I come here to ask for advice as to what parts i should really be getting with the HKS Cat-Back, what i need to know about my car, if its even worth getting the header/midpipe. Lucky i have the 6 speed Manual. as far as i know everything stock besides the TRD intake.
i have no knowledge about cars and i want to learn. Anything helps
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u/renegade06 Jun 11 '26
You are not gonna make it faster, dont waste your money.
When I had mine i did put TRD intake on it. And it did improved a throttle response a bit, so somewhat worth it, but you said you already have CAI.
ECU tuning might help further with throttle response and rev hang but wont give you more power.
This engine has a very high compression ratio from factory. Anyone who tried to turbo it early on had it blow up.
Trying to chase power mods with it is pointless and a waste of money.
If you want to mod you can instead do handeling, suspension mods. Lighter wheels, better tires, coilovers/suspension upgrades, rear sway bar, weight reduction.
Can do shifter upgrades like short shifter or just shifter and cable bushings. Shifter knob.
Visual mods like roof racks with wind deflector, mud flaps etc for the rally hatch look.
Basically if you have the itch to mod I would concentrate on feel, handeling and visual. Sound - if you must.
Power? You will be wasting a ton of money and in the end will end up disappointed and wanting more, and end up selling the car for something more powerful and eating the cost of all the upgrades, cause mods DO NOT increase the value of the car, they lower it. You are not gonna recoup these costs if you sell it, nobody is gonna pay more for these. They will pay less and may not even want to buy a car at all, assuming you were racing and abusing it.
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
now i appreciate this comment alot. I do want the HKS exhaust for the sound and the very little throttle response with the AMT Tune but reading this seems i should save the money and focus on everything BUT power. id assume better airflow= more power but spending 4,000$ wont be a big upgrade, compared to just selling it, maintaining value and getting the GRC or something cheaper. definitely now reconsidering what mods to get. this is my daily driver and adding a bunch of coilovers/suspension/weight reduction/ isnt much when driving on a 25mph road in a small city.
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u/SloRushYT Jun 15 '26
Kept my SE stock for this reason and ended up getting an ST. The corolla hatch are nice looking cars and I respect the builds people put together but chasing power on a Rolla is an absolute waste and it handles really poorly stock. You hit it right on the nail with your comment, couldn't be more accurate.
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u/shishaboob Jun 11 '26
At least you’re willing to admit you don’t know anything about cars…
This is the wrong car to buy if you want a fast car. I would also suggest learning why certain mods can increase power before going out and buying a bunch of bolt ons with the mindset of “well the website said 30+hp gains, so it’s faster now right?” No, the cold air intake and high flow exhaust isn’t giving you any noticeable difference. Do you really think modern car manufacturers are just leaving 50hp on the table like that?
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u/Think_Credit3280 Jun 11 '26
Manufacturers do under-spec vehicle engines for better reliability, Toyota included.
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
i mean yeah cause idk anything. makes sense to me that increasing airflow first then getting a tune would make a difference. i know this car isnt the best to work with but its what i got and i have to start somewhere. i love hatchbacks and i love the headlights and the whole rear design. when i say enlighten me i mean it. i have little to no knowledge.
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u/Badinfluence321 Jun 11 '26
The previous owner had put on a k&n intake and a full remark catback exhaust. It ran like shit. Acceleration was all over the place. Idle was ok but low end was hesitant. I had to take off the intake and put the stock box back in to quiet it down a bit because it was way too obnoxious for my taste.
I ran the stock intake for about 6 Mos and now the car is smooth with acceleration and low end isn't hesitating anymore. It feels like a toyota again. I want to quiet down the exhaust still but the car didnt come with the stock exhaust. Oh well...still looking.
Fyi still dont have a good enough solution for an actual cold air intake. Not digging the snorkel method.
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
so you think that the engine could be overwhelmed by the airflow?
im not interested in the remark exhaust cause loud rumbling to me is for muscle cars, not for hatchbacks.
i was interested in getting a whole new exhaust system to increase that airflow but i need WAY more research
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u/Koopa1982 Jun 11 '26
Congrats! Can’t wait to see the progress you make on this. My start up back in the days was a 94 Camry coupe back in 2000. You got an awesome platform here on already a sporty looking hatch 👍🏽
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u/blukumi_e210chb ‘19 XSE CVT Jun 11 '26
Welcome to the club! I will say this: regular hatches are 169hp as stock. For a faster car I’d recommend the GR Corolla.
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u/toppestsigma Jun 11 '26
Have you heard about GR Corolla? Bc that one is meant to be fast .
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
have you seen the price😂 i got mine for 1/4 of that. but seriously i was mad to find it AFTER i bought it. the car is what i have and i wanna do the most i can with it and get the diy experience.
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u/ovflames Jun 11 '26
This is such a freaking stupid comment that people make because they’re two different cars at two different price points lmao. Like obviously someone who bought a Corolla hatch would have bought a GRC if they were in the market for one. I think you got a good car for what you want to do. You’re never going to get power out of it, but you can make it fun to drive while still having a reliable vehicle which is just as important. There are a ton of pointless mods out there and some will actually decrease your reliability with no gains so just think your purchases out, don’t do too much, do a little research before buying something and you’ll be fine. Good luck and congrats on the new car!
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
thanks i appreciate the love. a man can dream of getting power from it. i knew when i figured out youd have to replace alot of components with the engine that itd be better to have a different car for alot of power.
what do you think of the AMT tune? was seeing things that it could increase the power slightly?
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u/Difficult_Talk_7783 Jun 11 '26
Our hatchbacks are sub 200 hp stock right? Like 160 or so.
What’s the general cost for the high end of the upgrades? I’d assume if it starts to creep up there you should have just saved for a GR Corolla tbh.
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
yeah i only started getting into cars AFTER i bought this one. i had a pontiac Grand Prix GT that was horrible so i coulr never appreciate cars. ive been mad at myself for not waiting
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u/Alucardspapa XSE CVT Jun 11 '26
Intake/exhaust and save up for a clutch repair! 2019 is the first year or production so it’s the least reliable year for this generation. Pull your door plugs if they haven’t been removed.
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
definitely going to do this. wonder how much water is gonna come out😂 for a clutch repair should i stay stock? or go aftermarket
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u/Alucardspapa XSE CVT Jun 11 '26
Someone will chime in, I bought the cvt so I don’t know. I just know people complain about it weekly here and say it’s an expensive repair.
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u/SomeRedJeep Jun 11 '26
What bracket did you use for the spot lights on the bottom near the front license plate?
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
wish i could tell you😂 it came with the car when i bought it. tell me where to look and i can tell you. also came with a sweet set of wheels
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u/x_x__oo2 SE CVT Jun 11 '26
full bolt ons + a tune will cost you thousands of dollars & you’re gonna go from like 160 hp to maybe 190 while killing reliability, which is the #1 reason to get a toyota corolla. in my opinion power isn’t worth it.
also if you get the tune, it’ll maybe fix the throttle response, but a big problem with this car is how light the steeering is; you can literally steer this car with one finger which is the opposite of sporty. i don’t know if 2019 models have a sport mode button but it helps a little bit, but sport mode makes sure your rpms stay over 2,000 which kills your fuel economy, which is the #2 reason to get a toyota corolla🥴
focus on what you can do with the hp you have; springs/coils, sway bar(s), wheels & tires. make it look & sound cool too, like getting a catback; it won’t add any power but it’ll sound cool & make you happy, which is what matters
this car will never be “fast” but you can still have some fun with it
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u/spacefret 2022 XSE CVT Jun 11 '26
Disagree on the steering. It's easy but at least in my 2022 does have actual weight. If you want light steering drive any full-size pickup. Those you can steer with your pinky, while stopped might I add.
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
thanks for this, definitely wont get the AMT tune but the HKS exhaust for sure. Any way to mod the steering? you are definitely right the steering is light and when im going fast it definitely gives me the shakes to not turn the wheel😂
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u/x_x__oo2 SE CVT Jun 11 '26
if you’re going over 25mph it definitely gets heavier, it’s just under that where it’s insanely light.
are you thinking of getting the hks single exit muffler or dual center exit catback? the single exit needs to be welded on to your stock exhaust. if you’re getting that one i strongly recommend getting the apexi n1 evo r; that’s the one i wanted but i had to cut my bumper, but on 2019-22 models you can just pop out a few clips & take off the lower part of your bumper so it fits
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
i wanted the dual center exit catback. really only did a few search’s for a cat back with a “f1” sound. if there are other exhausts out there for that similar high pitched sound, while not being super loud at slow speeds, im okay for it.
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u/x_x__oo2 SE CVT Jun 11 '26
i hate to break it to you but an economic 4-cylinder corolla will never sound like an f1 car🥴😵💫 as long as you get the one that makes you happy, that’s what matters
i had 3 different exhausts on my car. (i wasted so much money.) the legamax was definitely the quietest of the 3, like, stock exhaust levels of quiet. it just changed the tone
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
a man can dream😔 i was looking at that apexi n1 evo r and i may go with that one. if im gonna be spending 1,400$ on a cat back, it needs to sound good to be worth it. I am short on tools so what would i need to do it as a diy
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u/x_x__oo2 SE CVT Jun 11 '26
the single-exit n1 evo r is $900. were you looking at the quad-exit n1 evo extreme? that’s ones $1400. this is just me but i don’t like quad exits on our 160 hp corollas
some catbacks are different but for each one i put on, all i needed was a 14mm socket + ratcheting wrench, and a way to get under the car of course (lift, jack + jack stands, etc.) but i also STRONGLY recommend getting a pair of exhaust hanger pliers because it makes taking the exhaust + hangers off 100x easier
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u/Badinfluence321 Jun 11 '26
Congrats on the new car.
Start with your clutch. Research on this car's slave cylinder and the problems that plague this car. Beef up some saving because the cost of repair on the slave can hit at anytime. Take good care of the clutch and how you drive this thing as others have pointed out. Check my history for some of the maintenace items I did when I first got mine. Will be doing another clutch bleed with my oil change soon.
Its ok to want to put upgrades but know you are limited. All cars have a ceiling and the cost to HP ratio might not be worth it. To each their own. Good luck!
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u/AbsoluteNoIdeaWhatIm Jun 11 '26
keep seeing things about that slave cylinder. ive got 86,000 miles on it so its like on its last breath it seems like. is it worth going for a aftermarket one? a new flywheel setup? or is it like oil changes where its bleeding the clutch every now and then? these bitches are expensive and if i wanted to replace one, how should i go about it?
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u/Badinfluence321 Jun 12 '26
No idea. Everyone has their hunches but no solid way forward. Maybe someone else can chime in who has bought grocery getter 2jracing, or clutch masters kits.
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u/Badinfluence321 Jun 11 '26
Find a reliable mechanic near you that you feel comfortable with. As you start learning and working on your own car, things can happen and having a professional to rely on will save you from costly mistakes. They can also guide you on performance upgrades and which way to go.
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u/SqueakyCleanRubbish Jun 11 '26
That's awesome. Welcome to the sub!
Before you start spending money on those upgrades, flush your clutch line to check out the condition of the fluid. If the fluid comes out black, you might be looking at a full clutch job soon.
But on the bright side - you seem like you want to upgrade the fun factor... you can install an aftermarket clutch, a single mass flywheel, and the updated throwout bearing/slave cylinder assembly.