Toyota Corolla Cross 2022 Review
Toyota adds another new model to its formidable SUV line-up, bringing the famous Corolla nameplate with itHow much does the Toyota Corolla Cross cost?
As if SUV buyers weren’t already spoilt for choice Down Under, Toyota Australia has added even more complexity to the mix with its all-new 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross.
Based on the Japanese manufacturer’s top-selling Corolla small car, the compact Corolla Cross SUV brings high-riding credentials to the established nameplate, which should make it the perfect combination for SUV-hungry Aussies.
Pricing ranges from $33,000 to $49,050 (plus on-road costs), with buyers given a choice between three model grades – GX, GXL and Atmos – and two powertrains: the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol found in the Corolla hatch and sedan, or an all-new 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid for an extra $2500.
Every Corolla Cross uses an automatic transmission, however, while petrol-powered variants are exclusively front-wheel drive, the fuel-saving hybrid is available in both front- or all-wheel drive, the latter adding another $3000 to the invoice.
At the entry level, Corolla Cross sits just $2000 upstream of the most affordable C-HR (from $30,915) and is almost on par with the cheapest RAV4 (from $34,400).
Unlike the top-selling RAV4, for which buyers are continuing to battle long wait times due to high demand and global supply issues, Toyota Australia says the Corolla Cross will launch with a “healthy supply”, with the GX Hybrid 2WD tipped to account for the majority of sales.
What equipment comes with the Toyota Corolla Cross?
The most affordable GX variant in the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross line-up comes equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and daytime running lights (DRLs), and smart entry with push-button start.
Instrumentation is taken care of across the range via a 7.0-inch digital display, while the base GX employs an 8.0-inch central touch-screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, digital radio and Bluetooth.
Cloth upholstery is standard, along with a faux leather-covered steering wheel, single-zone climate control, electric park brake and eight exterior colour options.
The mid-spec GXL adds roof rails, rear tinted windows, fog lights and better LED headlights, along with a larger 10.5-inch central touch-screen with navigation, dual-zone climate control, leather/cloth upholstery and a leather-appointed steering wheel and gear selector.
Flagship Atmos grades top off the range with 18-inch alloys, a fixed panoramic moonroof, electric tailgate, leather-appointed heated seats up front with electric adjustment for the driver, a heated steering wheel and rain-sensing wipers.
An even larger 12.3-inch touch-screen also features and the Atmos is the only grade to get wireless phone charging.
Toyota covers the Corolla Cross with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, with servicing due every 12 months or 15,000km, pricing for which is fixed at $230 per service for the first five years.
How safe is the Toyota Corolla Cross?
Yet to be officially tested by ANCAP, Australia’s independent new car safety authority, the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross is expected to have no problem achieving a maximum five-star safety rating.
In part, that’s because it debuts Toyota’s latest Safety Sense 3.0 suite, with every model fitted with autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control with curve speed reduction, lane trace assist, lane departure warning with steering assist, automatic high beam, road sign assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and a reversing camera.
If that’s not enough, there’s also a new lane change assist system with deceleration assist, while a safe exit assist function warns against opening doors if a vehicle or bicycle is approaching from behind.
All those systems now work with improved camera and radar sensors, which Toyota says bring greater reach and improved obstacle detection.
Eight airbags are included throughout the cabin, along with ISOFIX child restraint points for the rear outboard seats.
The Corolla Cross GXL adds an auto-hold park brake function, as well as a 360-degree view monitor, while the top-spec Atmos Hybrid brings park assist and a smarter panoramic camera system that can take you on a 360-degree virtual tour of the exterior whilst parked.
It would be nice to be able to adjust the sensitivity of features like lane assist, but unfortunately you can only switch certain driver aids on or off – and even then, everything resets to ‘on’ every time you start the car.
Those settings are rather difficult to find too, buried in an otherwise foolproof instrument cluster.
What technology does the Toyota Corolla Cross feature?
The technology packed into the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross is what really sets it apart from what the regular ’Rolla – or any other Toyota in Australia, for that matter – has to offer, with Toyota Australia describing it as its most “technologically advanced and connected vehicle” yet.
Debuting the new myToyota Connect app, the new compact SUV also brings other clever functions including over-the-air (OTA) updates, improved natural voice recognition, ‘Hey Toyota’ voice assistant, a new multimedia system with web browser function, and stolen vehicle tracking.
Logging your vehicle into the app allows you to check the vehicle status (how much fuel is left or vehicle location, for example), get the climate control going before you get in, and even monitor guest drivers.
The latter is something Toyota says will be perfect for parents who want to be notified if their troublesome teen is up to no good, with a ping sent to the app every time the car exceeds a certain speed or is driven during a set “restricted” time period (that is, taken for a midnight Maccas run without your knowledge).
The new Connected Services features are complimentary for the first 12 months but will cost between $9.95 and $22.45 per month thereafter, depending on which options you want to keep.
Nothing about the new tech is ground-breaking and the subscription costs – although not significant – will quickly add up over the months, likely leaving the frugal to go without.
We also noticed a few little quirks with Corolla Cross tech during the national media launch.
The sat-nav in the mid-spec GXL we tested first wouldn’t calibrate properly and the maps showed us in the middle of the ocean for several kilometres, while the top-spec Atmos tested later in the day had some Apple CarPlay-related issues, where the music wouldn’t automatically mute/pause for an incoming call or while using the voice assist function.
What powers the Toyota Corolla Cross?
As mentioned, you can choose between petrol or hybrid power for the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross, with the latter tipped to account for around 70 per cent of sales, according to the car-maker.
The petrol option is a familiar 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit borrowed from the Corolla hatch and sedan, sending 126kW of power and 202Nm of torque exclusively to the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).
Meanwhile, the new Corolla Cross debuts Toyota’s fifth-gen hybrid system in Australia, which combines a 112kW/190Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with either two (2WD) or three (AWD) electric motors. Both front- and all-wheel drive variants use a CVT.
Toyota quotes a total power output of 146kW for the hybrid but doesn’t offer a maximum torque figure.
Although the Corolla Cross shares most of the same mechanical running gear as the car it’s based on, the new hybrid is promised to bring improved acceleration, while lighter lithium-ion battery packs are up to 14 per cent lighter than fourth-gen hybrids (Corolla and C-HR).
The 2.0-litre petrol has also been given minor tweaks to save weight, while the CVTs in each now offer a wider gear ratio and improved efficiency.
How fuel efficient is the Toyota Corolla Cross?
For those wanting to keep running costs as low as possible, the 2WD Hybrid is the pick of the bunch in the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross range.
Toyota claims it’ll sip just 4.3L/100km on the official combined cycle, which is only marginally better than the AWD Hybrid at 4.4L/100km and the same figure as the Toyota C-HR Hybrid, which uses a smaller 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric powertrain.
Meanwhile, the petrol-engined front-wheel drive Corolla Cross is the thirstiest of the trio, claimed to use 6.0L/100km.
On test, we weren’t able to get our average fuel consumption below 5.0L/100km in the 2WD Hybrid we spent the most time in, which was a bit disappointing given the tact with which it was driven.
What is the Toyota Corolla Cross like to drive?
Perched 25mm higher than the car it’s based on, the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross rides on the same TNGA-C underpinnings and therefore shares lots of the same mechanical components as the regular hatch and sedan.
While that extra height boosts your outward vision and improves cabin access, the compact soft-roader doesn’t feel all that different to the Corolla hatch or sedan, and it’s probably a good thing the car-maker hasn’t strayed far from its proven formula.
Neither the petrol nor hybrid is bound to deliver much driver excitement, but both get from A to B with minimal fuss.
The CVT in each is seamless on the move, and while the hybrid certainly feels like the more enthusiastic powertrain, both have a tendency to be rather noisy and gruff under hard acceleration.
Happily, the brake pedal in the hybrid doesn’t have the same spongy feeling we’ve noticed in other petrol-electric Toyota cars, with a more consistent pedal feel this time around.
Steering feel is light, if not a little doughy, while the Corolla Cross feels confident on the road and soaks up most imperfections without fuss.
Its suspension tuning is on the softer side, so doesn’t feel as sporty as a Volkswagen T-Roc, Hyundai Kona or Mazda CX-30.
In case you were wondering, you can also tow up to 750kg (braked).
From the driver’s seat, the high-riding ’Rolla brings similar vision problems as we’ve noticed in other cars from the Japanese brand’s stable, in that the infotainment unit sits high on the dash and the rear-view mirror (and the sensors/cameras behind it) take up lots of windscreen space, swallowing up a good portion of your view.
We also noticed overly sensitive stability control and driver assist systems on road. The traction control warning lights would flash in a frenzy after running over a sharp pothole or wet patch of road, and the Cross’ pre-collision safety system did the same at inappropriate times.
What is the Toyota Corolla Cross like inside?
Despite the fact it’ll go up against the brand’s very own C-HR small SUV, Toyota Australia says the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross is targeted toward a very different buyer.
The C-HR, with its quirky design and sharp lines, is more style-oriented, leaving the Corolla Cross to cater more for buyers who need something larger than the light-size Yaris Cross but don’t need something as big (and sold-out) as a RAV4.
Inside, it feels immediately more spacious than a Corolla hatch, not only thanks to loads more head space all round, but a narrow centre console and generous footwells up front.
Likewise, the second row brings plenty of legroom, but it’s still not quite wide enough to comfortably accommodate three adults.
Still, rear seat passengers get air vents, USB ports, a centre arm rest and a cup holder in each door trim.
Cargo space varies according to the model variant. With the 60/40-split folding rear seats upright, the boot holds 436 litres in the GX and GXL petrol models, 425L in the Atmos petrol and the GX/GXL 2WD Hybrid, 390L in the GXL AWD Hybrid and 380L in the Atmos AWD Hybrid.
The 2WD models have a temporary spare wheel, while AWD versions use a tyre repair kit.
Overall, it feels very Toyota in terms of materials and equipment: hard-wearing, but nothing flash.
Should I buy a Toyota Corolla Cross?
The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross blends the best parts of Australia’s most popular small car with the SUV credentials Aussie buyers love so much.
It delivers a solid combination of value and efficiency with a familiar nameplate and a more palatable (read: boring) design compared to the C-HR.
It might not steer too many buyers away from the beloved RAV4 – Australia’s top-selling SUV – but it’ll be a shock if the all-new Corolla Cross doesn’t achieve the sales success that has eluded the C-HR.
These things will practically sell themselves.
2022 Toyota Corolla Cross Petrol at a glance:
Price: From $33,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol
Output: 126kW/202Nm
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Fuel: 6.0L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 136g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested
2022 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid at a glance:
Price: From $35,500 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric
Output: 112kW/190Nm (electric motor: 83kW/206Nm)
Combined output: 146kW
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Fuel: 4.3L/100km 2WD, 4.4L/100km AWD (ADR Combined)
CO2: 97g/km 2WD, 101g/km AWD (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested
- Comfortable, simple and intuitive – get in and go
- Higher stance makes getting in and out a cinch
- Powerful hybrid powertrain is zippy around town
- Entry price only a smidge less than the larger mid-size RAV4
- Access to Connected Services is pricey under subscription model
- Forward vision is hindered by bulky mirror and touch-screen
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