Toyota Corolla Cross SUV revealed

The all-new Toyota Corolla Cross mid-sized SUV will be coming to Australia in 2022, it has been confirmed.

The new Corolla Cross SUV will be offered with petrol and petrol-electric hybrid powertrains when it gets here and by leveraging the Corolla name it will delivers massive mainstream cut-through.

Revealed in Thailand today, the new Toyota Corolla Cross SUV will take on vehicles such as the Mazda CX-30 and Ford Focus Active.

In Toyota’s product range, the jacked-up Corolla SUV slots in between the upcoming Yaris Cross and RAV4 models. It the Corolla Cross is sourced from Thailand, it could undercut (and possibly cannibalise) the $29K Toyota C-HR with a circa-$25,000 price tag.

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Thai models are equipped with a 1.8-litre petrol engine, using a CVT to shunt power to the front wheels. There is also a hybrid version that links the 1.8-litre engine to an electric motor.

It’s not yet clear what powertrains will be offered in Australia, such as the Corolla's current 2.0-litre petrol engine (125kW/200Nm), nor whether the Aussie-delivered Corolla Cross vehicles will be built in Thailand or Japan.

Toyota’s SUV range continues to expand with the Yaris Cross small SUV coming here later in 2020 and new-generation versions of the Toyota LandCruiser and Toyota Kluger coming in 2021.

“We know that SUVs are very popular at the moment,” stated Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia sales and marketing vice president.

“Corolla Cross is not only stylish and versatile, it delivers the superior practicality demanded by customers in this segment including the high driving position, great visibility, spacious interior and ample head clearance.”

The new Corolla Cross SUV was first confirmed when details from a dealer conference in the USA leaked, suggesting it will be a global model like the Corolla passenger car.

“As you know we’re always studying vehicles from our global line-up that we believe make sense in Australia,” stated Hanley, hinting that there could be more new models to come – including the recently-confirmed Toyota Corolla GR hot hatch.

As well a higher ride height via extra ground clearance, expect to see decent equipment levels on the new Toyota SUV when it arrives in Australia in the second half of 2022.

Tipped to get all the good stuff from the Corolla, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking, automatic climate control and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto via a touchscreen infotainment system, the new SUV will be a strong-selling new model for the brand.

Top-spec versions of the mid-sized SUV will likely include a head-up display, glass sunroof, self-dimming rear-view mirror and a beefed-up JBL sound system.

Toyota Australia says its newest model has a unique design philosophy of “Corolla meets SUV” that “balances a dynamic, powerful, sleek and sophisticated design with high levels of SUV practicality”.

The new Toyota SUV is based on the same TNGA-C platform that underpins the Corolla hatch and sedan and also the Toyota C-HR small SUV.

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Thai versions of the Corolla Cross have the same wheelbase as the C-HR (2640mm) but are longer by 70mm at 4460mm in length and wider (1825mm) and taller (1620mm) too, which will ensure interior space is more generous.

Halfway through 2020, one in five of new SUVs sold in Australia are Toyota cars, with almost 20 per cent market share, up from around 16 per cent in the first six months of 2019.

The Toyota RAV4 has lead the sales charge Down Under but the Prado, LandCruiser and Kluger have also contributed.

Despite the economic turmoil caused by six months of a global pandemic, Toyota is firing on all cylinders, pushing ahead with several new model launches, including the new Corolla Cross and Yaris Cross SUVs, plus the Yaris GR hot hatch and updated HiLux ute.