Corolla Cross Review: Toyota’s First Corolla SUV is Taking the Market by Storm
Toyota’s All-New Corolla Cross is About to Rewrite the Entry SUV Rulebook. Here’s why.
Toyota’s all-new Corolla Cross is a most interesting addition to the entry SUV-cum-crossover market. Bold looking, if you morph a Corolla Hatch into a RAV4, Corolla Cross sits in the middle frame of that clip. It’s a handsome car with many a cool styling accent.
Launched in both gasoline as it is available in the US, and, for the first time as a gas-electric Hybrid in the South African market this week, Cross carries the geneses of both those great Corolla and RAV4 badges into a car that’s set to change the South African motoring landscape for good. For very good reason too, as we discovered this week. And judging by its US positioning, the Corolla Cross should thrive there, too.
Cross Shifts Corolla Badge Into SUV Territory
The Toyota Corolla Cross is a fresh new face in the US market. It is still only available as a petrol-only model there, but the Hybrid will follow in 2022. Slotting in below the RAV4 and above the Corolla Hatch, Cross finally shifts the Corolla badge squarely into SUV territory.
It embraces all those SUV merits of a versatile, modern and capable car into the world’s most popular car badge. Corolla has of course racked up over 50 million global sales over 12 generations. But hold on to your hat — this is where it really starts to get interesting. Corolla Cross trumps its obvious rivals in just about every vital SUV statistic.
But Corolla Cross beats them to death on price in its local market and is also super-competitive in the US. Where it undercuts everything from Taos (or T-Cross as it is known elsewhere), to Eclipse Cross, CX-30, Sportage, CR-V and Tucson. And then the Toyota wraps it all up in that greatly loved and highly desirable quality, dependability and reliability.
Sound Like a Winner? Sure it Does!
Sound like a winner? Sure it does! But wait, there’s more! The manner in which Toyota South Africa has embraced hybrid technology through Corolla Cross as a no-compromise, no-nonsense green driving solution, is a splendid response to a huge green car conundrum in that presently power-challenged market. Says company boss Andrew Kirby: “We could have just brought in another electric car that has no infrastructure around it and sold a few and made virtually no difference.
“But Hybrid is different — we plan to sell twelve thousand Corolla Cross Hybrids a year. “The Hybrid saves a third on fuel, so in effect, every third Corolla Cross Hybrid is equivalent to one zero-emissions sale. “So, with a little luck, that way we’ll sell 4,000 zero-emissions cars a year. “Compared to the under 400 green cars of any nature — battery electric or hybrid sold in SA in the last year, it all makes so much more sense. “For now, Hybrid is the only real green car solution in SA.”
It’s a plan that carries South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s personal endorsement as the backbone of his even more recently acquired green grant. To move sustainable motoring forward against all odds in his country. Carmakers trying to bring full-electric cars into that market are faced with a huge credibility issue in the country’s Eskom power utility’s inability to reliably provide the electricity to charge them. But Toyota’s Hybrid is not charged by a wall socket in your garage.
Hybrid Harvests its Own Green Power
See, this fine system, borne out of Prius and of which well over a million have been sold over the past 20 years, generates its own electricity while driving. It harvests electric power while braking, coasting and free-wheeling. And stores that energy in a small but effective battery. The motor can drive the car under full battery power. And also boosts its petrol engine performance like a turbocharger. All while improving economy too.
And while it would make little difference to first-world areas like California or Norway, that same African electricity conundrum also applies to many less advanced areas in the US and elsewhere, which may likewise be compromised by antiquated power grids and interrupted electricity supply. And that of course poses a headache for charging up a BEV.
Best of all, however, is that a Corolla Cross Hybrid weighs in at a fraction of, and also costs a fraction of a conventional battery-electric vehicle to buy. In fact, you will pay the $1,500 premium a Corolla Cross Hybrid carries over a regular petrol version in the SA market off in just 18 months of normal driving. After that, you’ll pocket the third saving in gasoline for the rest of your Corolla Cross’ driving life. At these new $3.50 per gallon gas prices. Think about that for a second!
Smooth, Immediate Power, Near Silent Driving
Getting down to brass tacks, refined and quiet in operation, the Corolla Cross Hybrid has a 96 HP 105 lb.-ft 1.8L 2ZR-FXE Atkinson cycle petrol engine. It’s joined at the hip with a 71 HP 47 lb.-ft electric motor in Toyota’s more compact yet more efficient latest generation Hybrid powertrain. With 121 HP total system output on tap, the Corolla Cross Hybrid delivers smooth and immediate acceleration response and near-silent driving in full-electric mode.
It sips an average of 55 mpg of gasoline at a most impressive 98 g/km CO2, with improved performance too. That compares to the 33 mpg at 154 g/km CO that the torquey and refined 169 HP 151 lb.-ft. 2-litre petrol-only version returns. The petrol Corolla Cross also drives its front wheels via a 7-step CVT transmission. A low center of gravity. A beefed-up McPherson front and Torsion beam rear suspension make for an engaging drive.
Although it is a little heavier than the gasoline-only Corolla Cross, the Hybrid carries a fraction of an electric vehicle’s battery storage. So, it adopts none of the feel and handling ills associated with those BEVs’ excessive weight. Handling is in fact quite precise and confidence-inspiring and there’s very little body roll either. It’s no rocket ship, but then neither are any of Corolla Cross’ rivals particularly quick. And the Hybrid is far and away the cleanest and economical of the lot.
Cross Rides on Toyota’s New Global Architecture
Like its hatchback and sedan siblings, Corolla Cross is built on Toyota’s acclaimed New Global Architecture to ensure that same fine ride quality. Agile and quiet on the road, Cross has an ergonomic and spacious cabin, class-leading luggage capacity and excellent visibility out. Step aboard and Cross’ cab echoes its Corolla Hatch and Sedan siblings’ elegant design and ergonomic style.
Soft-touch materials, pleasant surfaces and double-stitched detail abounds around the central infotainment system. Exceptionally equipped from the bottom of the range, Corolla Cross comes in a 3-grade strategy. In the SA market, Toyota’s entry-level Xi spec is aimed at core-value customers, while mid-tier Xs adds comfort and convenience and the flagship Xr gains exec spec, larger alloys and added features. The same grade steps are called L, LE and XLE in the US.
Already color-coded in Xi spec, the SA range also kicks off with keyless entry, power-retractable wing mirrors, 17″ alloys in 215/60/R17 rubber, automatic light control and LED tai lamps. There are four cupholders, stowage binnacles, a 12-volt power outlet and 60/40 fold-down rear seats, one-touch power windows, air-conditioning and a multifunction steering wheel. To help control the cruise, the, infotainment, Multi-Information Display, Toyota Connect and more.
Corolla Cross is Well Stacked Across the Board
US L models pack Apple CarPlay and Android AutoAudio with 7-inch touchscreen and six speakers, SiriusXM with 3-month Platinum Plan trial subscription. There are Automatic High Beam LED projector low and high-beam headlights and rear-seat vents. All Corolla Cross models get driver, passenger and side airbags across the board, ISOFIX child seat anchors, an anti-theft system and auto door-locking. Add Vehicle Stability Control, ABS and EBD brakes and Hill Assist Control.
Back in Africa, Xs spec adds fog lamps and LED headlamps, Park Distance Control and rain-sensing wipers. A black leather interior packs dual-zone air-conditioning and a TFT-type MID. Add Apple CarPlay and Android Auto touchscreen audio with two more USB ports, a reverse camera and Toyota Connect. XR adds 18″ alloys shod with 225/50/R18 tyres, a black and grey radiator grille, full Toyota Safety Sense. And a choice of LED interior lit Black or Terra Rossa red leather trim.
The Xs equivalent US LE spec has Qi wireless charging, an 8-inch touchscreen and six-speaker audio. Upgradable to a nine-speaker JBL system. Add a Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, 17-inch silver alloy wheels, the Smart Key System with Push Button Start and Roof rails. A moonroof is optional.
Top Spec Corolla Cross Has it All
Top-spec models get 18″ alloys shod with 225/50/R18 tires, a black and grey radiator grille and full Toyota Safety Sense. There’s a choice of LED interior lit Black or Terra Rossa red leather trim. The US XLE spec includes the same 18-inch alloys, on/off LED Daytime Running Lights with an optional auto-leveling Adaptive feature. XLE Cabin upgrades include SofTex trim seating, the ambient lighting and a 7-inch Multi-Information Display.
XLE optional extras include nine-speaker JBL audio, a moonroof and a power liftgate. All-wheel-drive is also available as an option across the initial US gasoline range. Interestingly, AWD is not available on the South African cars. All top models’ Toyota Safety Sense adds Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Trace Assist and a Pre-Collision System.
The South African Corolla Cross is built in Toyota’s Durban plant. And therein is another great story of tenacity though adversity. Toyota SA had to quite literally jump through hoops to get this car into local production. On time, through the severe lockdown. That is an achievement that the company is justifiably most proud of. As much it likes to gloat that it got its Hybrid models on the road well before the US gasoline-electric model will roll out of the Alabama factory.
Corolla Cross is a Bargain SUV Attraction
Judging by our first impressions on its South African launch, the Toyota Corolla Cross is expected to make a huge impression on that market. Super-keen pricing in a viable green alternative make it a no-brainer. Its US pricing between $22,195 and $27,625 appears just as sharp versus its natural rivals there.
And while that is only what the gasoline-only models cost n the US, South African hybrid versions add the equivalent of just a $1,500 premium to their price. That factors in an anticipated future green government discount. So there’s no reason it should not fly off US shelves too. All of which makes the US Toyota Corolla Cross just as mouthwatering a bargain SUV attraction as its African sibling.
Images: Toyota
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