Toyota Corolla Cross coming to Aus next year

Toyota’s venerable Corolla will, like its Yaris sibling, gain a Cross variant in the Australian market next year; the new Corolla Cross will be launched in our market during the second half of 2022.

However, whereas the Yaris Cross and its boutique C-HR sibling are light SUVs that appeal to young urbanites without offspring, who have small children only, or mature buyers who are scaling down, the upcoming model promises to be a more practical proposition and, therefore, quite family-oriented.    

Billed by Toyota as an “SUV version of the world's most popular passenger car”, the Corolla Cross will be offered with a choice of front-wheel drive (2WD) petrol and petrol-electric hybrid drivetrains…

But, compared with its siblings, the newcomer will be headlined by an all-wheel-drive derivative that’s powered by a 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain “for the first time in a Toyota vehicle”, the brand said. 

The Corolla Cross is built on the same TNGA-C platform as the hatch and sedan variants, but it offers a comparatively higher ground clearance and suitable crossover cues (such as chunky bumpers, black body cladding and roof rails), plus the new model’s dimensions – including a wheelbase of 2 640 mm and an overall length of just under 4 500 mm – make it one of the largest offerings in its segment.

Those proportions mean the new model is comparatively spacious inside, with commendable rear legroom, as well as a capacious load bay. For buyers who cannot quite afford the wildly popular RAV4 medium SUV, the Corolla Cross may provide a more affordable – but not much smaller – alternative.

The version of the Corolla Cross that’s destined for Australia will be quite upmarket. Inside, the model will include, inter alia, the latest multimedia system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. All versions will also be equipped with raft of improved Toyota Safety Sense features.

The standard petrol engine will likely be a normally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit, good for 125kW/200Nm and driving the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission.

As for the new 2.0-litre petrol-electric power unit, in the European market it has a combined output of 146 kW, while the AWD-i flagship comes with an extra rear electric motor producing about 30 kW. 

"We know Australians love their SUVs and Toyota is continuing to meet that demand by offering an ever-growing range of models, all of which are introducing our fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain and advanced safety technology," Toyota Australia Vice President Sales, Marketing and Franchise Operations Sean Hanley said.

"The all-new Corolla Cross delivers the sort of style, versatile space and dynamic driving characteristics that will appeal to young families and couples alike," he added.