We like
Great size and price, compliant ride, thoughtful cabin packaging, easy manoeuvrability, very good outward vision, both petrol and hybrid engines are worth considering and are smooth and economical

Room for improvement
Cabin too narrow for three adults, limited console storage, optioning AWD and hybrid can get expensive, JBL stereo isn’t available on GX or GXL grades, evident tyre thrum, brake pedal feel in hybrid models

Overview

 

TOYOTA has launched its small SUV segment Corolla Cross in Australia this week, the model arriving with the availability of front- and all-wheel drive, and with the choice of petrol or petrol-electric hybrid power.

 

The model – which is the very latest from the big T – also features the brand’s latest infotainment and safety technologies. Not bad considering its kicks off from $33,000 plus on-road costs.

 

Built on the same TNGA-C platform as Corolla hatch and sedan, the Cross benefits drivers with a 130mm eye point increase, 25mm of additional ground clearance and cargo capacity ranging from 436 to 1359 litres.

 

The larger cabin also means the Corolla Cross offers improved access and interior space with larger door openings, 81mm of additional rear seat headroom and 43mm more front seat headroom than Corolla sedan.

 

The Corolla Cross is 45mm wider and 185mm higher than its 12th-generation sedan sibling, and rides on a 2640mm wheelbase with a front track that is 20mm wider and a rear track that is 25mm wider than the standard sedan.

 

It also introduces new (fifth-generation) connectivity and (third-generation) safety technologies that are firsts for the Toyota brand. Toyota says the Corolla Cross is the “most connected Toyota yet”.

 

Available in three variants, the Corolla Cross is priced from $33,000 in entry-grade GX format, $36,750 in mid-tier GXL trim, and $43,550 for the top-shelf Atmos variant.

 

The petrol-electric hybrid driveline adds $2500 to the price tag, while Toyota’s E-Four all-wheel drive system adds an additional $3000 (to GXL and Atmos variants only). The Corolla Cross is the first Corolla-branded variant to offer all-wheel drive in Australia since the Corolla Tercel of the early-to-mid 1980s.

 

Petrol-powered Corolla Cross models feature a 2.0-litre Otto cycle four-cylinder unit developing 126kW at 6600rpm and 202Nm from 4400-4900rpm, driving the front wheels via a ten-step continuously variable transmission (CVT). Fuel consumption is rated at 6.0 litres per 100km on the ADR Combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 136 grams per kilometre.

 

Hybrid versions employ a 2.0-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder developing 112kW/190Nm paired with an 83kW/206Nm electric motor on the front axle providing combined maximum power of 146kW. All-wheel drive models incorporate an additional 30kW electric drive motor on the rear axle.

 

The battery pack is located beneath the rear seat and takes only 11 litres from the model’s previously quoted cargo capacity. Toyota did not offer battery capacity figures at launch.

 

Front-wheel drive Corolla Cross models are suspended by a MacPherson strut (front) and torsion beam (rear) arrangement while AWD models benefit from a multilink rear end. All variants are arrested by four-wheel disc brakes and offer up to 750kg of braked towing capacity.

 

The Corolla Cross is available in eight exterior colours including: Glacier White, Frosted White, Stunning Silver, Eclipse Black, Atomic Rush (red), Lunar Blue, Moondust Grey and Jungle Khaki.

 

The model is backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with seven years’ engine and driveline coverage plus capped-price servicing for the first five years of 75,000km. Each 12-month/15,000km service interval costs $230.

 

More information on the Corolla Cross including full specifications and equipment for each variant is available here or via the links below this article.

Drive Impressions

 

You don’t have to be in the Corolla Cross for too long to get an appreciation for how well-proportioned this ‘small’ SUV is. Sitting beneath the RAV4 but considerably larger than the C-HR or Yaris Cross, it really is the Goldilocks of the Toyota SUV fleet and is certain to appeal to a wide range of buyers.

 

The back seats of the Corolla Cross are well thought-out with good legroom – and importantly, good headroom. As the rear of the vehicle doesn’t slope down as steeply as many in this class, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by just how spacious the back seat is. We sure were, though we doubt you’d seat three adults comfortably across the back row for very long.

 

Another big positive is the amount of cargo space that is available (436-1359 litres). It’s very nearly as spacious as SUVs in the next category up, and in some cases matches them. The boot floor is flat and at an ergonomically acceptable height for young and not-so-young alike, making this the ideal car for upsizers, downsizers, and almost anyone in between.

 

Equally important to the modern SUV buyer – especially those in the younger demographic – is the level of technology offered inside the cabin. On the safety front and on the connectivity side of things, the Corolla Cross is about as good as it gets on the market right now, the high-grade Atmos variant and its JBL-sourced audio system a particularly complete package in our eyes.

 

The infotainment system is easy to understand and comes with a range of Connected Services that allow you to interact with your car via your mobile phone. It might sound naff at first, but the more you use it, the more you enjoy it – the ability to start and cool the vehicle before getting in a particular highlight for those hot Aussie summers.

 

From the hot seat, the Corolla Cross is quite an easy car to see out of. Toyota says the eye point of the car is around 130mm higher than that of the Corolla sedan, which not only helps to maintain a clear view of the road ahead, but also laterally when negotiating intersections and roundabouts.

 

To the rear, the Corolla Cross does feature thicker C pillars that can obstruct vision when parking and reversing, but with an exceptionally clear camera – and with 360-degree monitor technology on higher models – it really isn’t that big of a deal.

 

We found the seating of the Corolla Cross both comfortable and supportive, particularly as you work your way down the model range to the cloth-trimmed base model. In this reviewer’s opinion, the cloth seats are softer and have a deeper cushion than the high-grade model, but of course omit electric adjustment and heating.

 

That said, the lower-tier variants really don’t miss out on much and are priced very well considering the quality and level of safety equipment that arrives as standard – it’s even a decent car to drive!

 

It might sound like an odd thing to say, but increasingly we’re finding that too many car-makers are focused on filling a car with equipment and little else. So, when you hop behind the wheel of a small-segment SUV that’s enjoyable to live with, you tend to make a mental note of it.

 

The steering of the Corolla Cross is light enough for easy manoeuvrability around town but not so light that it feels unpredictable at highway speeds. It’s accurate enough and loads consistently through corners which should mean the car is manageable for those moving in from other segments.

 

On the slower speed roads encountered on the launch drive there was little to separate the torsion beam rear-end from the more complicated multi-link arrangement, but we dare say this may become more evident on challenging roads. Otherwise, the ride quality in either is exceptional, Toyota resisting the urge to tie the Corolla Cross down too tightly in the way many rival manufacturers have done.

 

Under the bonnet, the petrol and hybrid offerings each have a lot to like. While many may thumb their nose at the base engine, we’d urge a test drive before making your mind up.

 

Yes, the petrol unit is only offered in two-wheel drive and yes, it’s mated exclusively to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). But you know what? It doesn’t matter one bit. The transmission does an exceptional job of utilising engine torque and is very refined – not something you’ll hear us say about many CVTs.

 

Admittedly, the hybrid offering does make lighter work of steep grades and is more economical. But you pay for the privilege, and unless you’re planning on keeping the car for a very long time, we reckon that $3000 premium would sure buy a lot of petrol.

 

But don’t let that put you off buying a hybrid model. This latest generation petrol-electric offering from Toyota is buttery smooth and impressively responsive. There’s no obvious step between petrol and electric running and none of the vibration of coarseness earlier hybrid drivelines were known for. In many ways, the driveline of the Corolla Cross feels Lexus smooth, and GoAuto wasn’t the only publication at the launch to say the same.

 

Neither were we Robinson Crusoe in noting the tyre thrum for the Bridgestone rubber. Granted it isn’t the quietest tyre on the market, but the drone evident over serrated and coarse surfaces was borderline annoying, even if not totally unexpected from a car at this price point.

 

On the plus side, aerodynamic noise is fine and there’s really no mechanical noise to speak of – unless of course you sink the throttle to the carpet.

 

The only other real downsides evident in the Corolla Cross are from the hard, monotone plastics of the interior – especially in the base-grade GX – the skinny console, and, importantly, the wooden feel of the brake pedal.

 

That last point is one that’s kind of disappointing as, by and large, most manufacturers have now worked to level the brake feel of hybrid models with those of their petrol siblings. But the Corolla Cross is different here. The brake pedal stroke of the hybrid is short, which can lead to over-application of the brakes.

 

It takes a slight foot to modulate pressure accurately, but to be fair, is something we only really noticed when stepping between the petrol and hybrid models. We dare say that with some familiarity, owners won’t notice it at all.

 

Otherwise, there’s very little not to like about this car. In fact, we reckon it’s an honest and quite charming little SUV for the price that will suit a huge range of people. This could be the car that topples the Corolla as Toyota’s “most popular” globally and will definitely plug a gap for owners wanting to right-size their Toyota SUV purchase.

In short, we believe the Corolla Cross is going to be a very popular seller for Toyota in the year ahead. Watch this space.