by Anthony Fongaro - photos via Toyota- 07/24/2023
What is the first thing you think of when I say “Toyota?” If you answered “hybrid”, then congratulations we thought the correct word! Their lineup consists of a plethora of segments, but they were missing one. Since they already had the Corolla, why not create a Corolla SUV? Toyota made the Corolla Cross, later bringing it a hybrid engine. I was curious to know how many similarities it shared with the Corolla.
When you look at the front of the Corolla Cross, you’ll see a large black grill and a black Toyota badge. No surprise, the front looks similar to the regular Corolla. My test car was painted in Acidic Blast, aka mustard. While I’m not a fan of the color, the two-tone black helps to tone it down. You’ll notice some black body cladding along with surprisingly cool-looking 18-inch wheels. I did find it funny there is a silver strip, at the rear end, says Corolla Cross. The rear is a typical Toyota design. Utilizing black for the logo and different words was a nice touch.
Stepping inside, I noticed there was some scratchy plastic in the black cabin. I’ll forgive the Corolla Cross since that’s the norm of its class. The steering wheel has your typical buttons for media and adaptive-cruise control. The display itself is nice with a large digital speedometer, along with a dial that shows how much power you’re consuming and regenerating. Information for your safety systems, time, temperature, and other alerts are small icons on the sides. The push-button start is on an angle that feels different. There’s an eight-inch infotainment system that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The graphics aren’t the slickest, and I found myself primarily using Apple CarPlay.
Bucking the norm, the Corolla Cross has physical buttons and knobs for climate control! The buttons are a little small, but you get used to the functions. XSE trim gets heated seats and a heated steering wheel. They were supportive enough. The Corolla Cross also came with an auto-hold feature that applies the brakes in Drive when you push the brake pedal all the way down. Being based on the Corolla, the Corolla Cross had a decent amount of room in the back. I like that Toyota put cupholders in the rear doors. I tried using the wireless charger, but my phone kept sliding around. This also came with an optional electric tailgate and a 9-speaker JBL sound system, which sounded well.
As the name implies, this Corolla Cross Hybrid has a hybrid engine. It is a 2.0-liter hybrid engine mated to a CVT. This engine makes a combined 196 horsepower/144 kW and 152 lb-ft/206 Nm. Along with AWD, the Corolla Cross Hybrid gets from 0-60 MPH in 7.3 seconds. At full throttle, the engine is quite noisy. Thankfully, there are times when you can go into EV mode. Driving the Corolla Cross Hybrid, I found it was pretty easy to use the adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. It does tend to understeer, but this wasn’t meant to corner.
The reason to get the Corolla Cross Hybrid is the fuel economy. This is where it excelled. It received 38 MPG. Highly impressive for a small SUV. When it comes to pricing, this is the top-of-the-line XSE. This starts at $31,000, along with a few options. The Convenience Package, which includes the panoramic roof and powered tailgate, is $1,250. The JBL Premium Audio package comes in at $800. Along with adaptive headlights and other options, this Corolla Cross Hybrid was $36,000. I may go towards the SE with the aptly named “Moonroof and options” package. You get most of the features of this XSE, out $5,000 cheaper.
Still, I would say that the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid was a good little crossover. I like little details on the exterior such as the silver Corolla Cross badge, but would not get the same color. Although the interior does feel cheap, it has easy-to-use climate buttons. There’s plenty of power, and can still get close to 40 MPG. If you’re looking for an efficient small hybrid crossover, take a look at the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.
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