It was an open secret, but now it's official; Toyota will bring the Corolla Cross to North America this fall. The confirmation came this morning as the Japanese automaker held an event in Texas (online for us, of course) in which it presented four new or redesigned products for 2022.
Here's the gist of what you need to know about the Corolla Cross, a new product that promises to be a hit.
The Corolla Cross will be positioned below the RAV4 in the lineup. It becomes the second subcompact SUV of the group, alongside with the C-HR. Unlike that model, however, it will offer all-wheel drive, starting with the second trim in the range, which consist of three variants in all: L, LE and XLE.
The model’s structure is a slightly reworked version of the familiar Corolla platform, the TNGA-C. Under the hood, we find the engine of the sporty version of the Corolla, a 2.0L 4-cylinder offering 169 hp. Toyota didn't mention torque for the Corolla Cross, but it's 151 lb-ft with the car.
The all-wheel drive system can, if needed, send 50 percent of torque to the rear. This keeps the combined fuel consumption rating at a reasonable level; Toyota announces it at 7.4 L/100 km with the front-wheel drive model and 7.8 L/100 km with the all-wheel drive models.
The big surprise is the towing capacity, which is rated at 1,500 lb.
Aesthetically, we've already seen the model, which is designed not to stress out fans of the brand. At first glance, it looks like a RAV4 shrunken in the wash; the formula will please.
As for the equipment, it's interesting to note that from the initial offering, Toyota Canada made sure not to repeat mistakes, and so buyers get heated seats, 7-inch screen for the multimedia system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa apps, LED headlights and lights, as well as the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 safety suite as standard.
And starting with the LE model, the steering wheel becomes heated. All in all, Toyota is making sure to offer good value. That said, we still await the official pricing, so we’ll reserve final judgments regarding value. But generally speaking, that is one of the strong points of Toyota products, so we’re hopeful.
Another interesting detail is that roof rails with crossbars will be available, as well as a mount for hanging bikes in the back. With all-wheel drive, it's clear that the Subaru Crosstrek and other similar products are being targeted. The model's adventurous styling also promises to please that demographic.
We should mention that Toyota expects sales of the Corolla Cross to surpass those of the C-HR fairly quickly. We could have told them that. The formula applied to this new model is good, the format is appealing, there’s all-wheel drive is present (especially) and the Corolla name is gold, something the manufacturer is banking on.
We'll have a chance to talk more about the 2022 Corolla Cross when it's presented in person, and if all goes well, we'll have the opportunity to test drive it this fall at a real media launch.
Until then, we'll definitely get back to you with pricing and other details as they become available.
