Toyota Corolla Cross : “Corolla” is a name that’s stood for years for reliability, comfort and value.
Now Toyota enters the SUV fray with that well-regarded badge on an elevated crossover that captures the same comfortable sensibilities of the Corolla with the convenience and road presence of an SUV.
It’s squarely aimed at urban dwellers who want just a bit more space and flexibility without giving up too much in fuel efficiency or Toyota’s fabled reliability.
So, what does the Toyota Corolla Cross have to offer? Let’s break it down.
Design: Subtle and Confident
At a quick glance, the Corolla Cross doesn’t have a loud voice — but neither does it disappear into the wallpaper. Its design is clean, it’s mature and it’s just edgy enough to make it desirable to the modern buyer.
The front grille is big, but not in-your-face big, and is paired with a set of streamlined, LED headlamps.
The flared wheel arches and sculpted sides give it a confident SUV stance, without overdoing the muscularity.
Out back, you have wrap-around tail lamps and a compact tailgate design. In general, it’s more elegant than aggressive — not a bad thing if you have no interest in a vehicle that’s been muscled up to a ridiculous degree.
Inside: First, Comfort; Then, Flash
Get in and you’re met with a cabin that’s all business, full of space, and extremely Corolla-Esque in the best way. It might not be dripping in leather or fancy lights, but everything seems built like a solid cage.
Touches of soft-touch materials are used in most key places and the dashboard is both clean and functional.
The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system is snappy and comes with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Seats are comfortable even on longer drives, and there is enough room for five passengers. Rear-seat leg room is decent and you’re not lacking in boot space with about 487 litres.
Performance: Smooth and Sensible The 1.3-liter engine delivers plenty of smooth and sensible power.
With the bonnet closed, and the Toyota Corolla Cross is generally available with a 1.8-litre petrol engine or a hybrid that features the same engine and an electric motor.
The petrol-only version comes mated to a CVT gearbox, which is well suited for relaxed city driving. It’s not a hot rod on wheels, but gets the job done comfortably and silently.
With the hybrid model, though, the throttle response is much improved, and it’s just a smoother, better response while delivering better fuel mileage—somewhere in the neighborhood of 18-20 km/l in the real world.
Power output isn’t mind-blowing, but it’s sufficient for daily commutes, occasional highway stints and everything in between.
The suspension is set for comfort, and the steering is light, so the Corolla Cross is a breeze to maneuver through congested urban streets.
You’re not carving corners in this car, but you will enjoy the trouble-free ride quality.
Safety and Features: Solid around the board
Toyota didn’t skimp on the safety features. As standard, the Corolla Cross gets 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, stability control, hill start assist, and a reverse camera.
Top trims may also be available with adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring depending on region.
The feature list doesn’t scream luxury but it ticks most of the boxes you’d want from a practical urban SUV.
Pros: What Makes It Shine
Hybrid Engine That Saves With Every Trip
Toyota Quality and of mind
Family friendly interior that’s great a road trips as well as for daily use
Smooth Ride Quality- Great for city driving
Balanced Look with Mature buyer appeal
Cons: Where It Could Improve
Doesn’t Really Thrill for die hards
No AWD Option in some markets
Interior Design Feels Conservative in comparison to rivals
CVT Transmission Isn’t Sporty
Infotainment Features Could Be More Contemporary
The Charge: A Smart SUV for the Prudent Buyer
Toyota Corolla Cross:
The Toyota Corolla Cross is not going to try to pass itself off as a wild, high-performance SUV.
It’s not: It’s a calm, cool, collected crossover that packages together all the best of what Toyota does — reliability, efficiency, long-term comfort, to name a few.
For the buyer who wants their daily driver to be smooth and easy to live with, who doesn’t want any surprises, this might actually be the safest bet in the segment.