There are some fashions that go down in historical past—and others… properly, not a lot. The Toyota Corolla Cross falls squarely into the second class: a subcompact crossover whose solely legendary trait is the “Corolla” a part of its title. And but, in in the present day’s automotive world, this distant descendant of the Toyota Matrix is nearly completely tailor-made for Canadians. It represents that candy spot as soon as occupied by compact automobiles—a section now largely overtaken by small crossovers.
Two Asterisks
You could possibly add a bit asterisk subsequent to the powertrain of this hybrid variant, which sports activities the acquainted “HEV” (Hybrid Electrical Car) emblem. That’s as a result of the electrified powertrain makes the Corolla Cross Hybrid even thriftier than its gas-powered sibling.
Photograph: Vincent Aubé
However there’s additionally a second, extra troubling asterisk for customers north of the forty ninth parallel. All Corolla Cross fashions—hybrid or not—are manufactured in Alabama at a manufacturing unit Toyota shares with Mazda (which builds the CX-50 there). It’s price noting that Mazda Canada will halt imports of the CX-50 on Might 12 in direct response to Canada’s counter-tariffs on American-made automobiles.
As of this writing, the Corolla Cross continues to be a part of Toyota Canada’s lineup. Nevertheless, if this commerce dispute between the U.S. and Canada drags on, it may spell bother for Toyota’s native providing.
Virtually as Environment friendly as a Prius
Now, let’s give attention to the highway take a look at that we performed this previous April in delicate spring temperatures—a small aid from the more and more grim headlines related to this escalating battle with the Trump administration.
Photograph: Vincent Aubé
At its core, the Toyota Corolla Cross is a sensible, dependable and environment friendly car. Even essentially the most fuel-thirsty mannequin posts a good common of seven.8 L/100 km, based on Pure Assets Canada. The front-wheel-drive model shaves off 0.4 L/100 km from that determine, whereas the hybrid variant performs even higher, attaining a powerful 5.6 L/100 km.
Even with a heavy proper foot, the onboard laptop in our tester displayed a good 6.1 L/100 km after a number of days behind the wheel. And since most of these kilometers have been logged on the freeway, the result’s much more spectacular.
For comparability, the Corolla Cross Hybrid consumes solely 0.8 L/100 km greater than the extremely aerodynamic Prius regardless of sharing related mechanical parts. After all, the 2 automobiles boast fully totally different inside volumes.
Photograph: Vincent Aubé
This excellent effectivity is likely one of the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s strongest property—though patrons must pay a premium. The SE mannequin, as an example, comes with a advised retail worth of $34,645, roughly $2,000 greater than a equally outfitted LE Premium AWD gasoline mannequin. For commuters, the hybrid clearly has the higher hand. Keep in mind, stop-and-go site visitors is the place hybrid methods ship the largest gasoline financial savings.
Growing old Cabin, However Not With out Advantage
The dashboard design you see right here first appeared within the 2019 Corolla Hatchback and was later transferred to the Corolla sedan and the Corolla Cross. Whereas comparatively user-friendly, it comes with just a few drawbacks. The local weather controls are small and nestled beneath the centre air vents, making them more durable to make use of. The identical criticism applies to the shortcuts positioned to the left of the infotainment display.
Photograph: Vincent Aubé
Talking of which, the infotainment system feels dated in comparison with newer Toyota fashions. The display’s measurement and responsiveness don’t fairly stay as much as trendy requirements.That mentioned, for drivers much less involved with high-tech options, the remainder of the controls are refreshingly easy—drive modes, headlights, traction management, gear shifter—all straightforward to search out and function.
SE trim sticks with material seats and handbook changes, which means you’ll must “work” a bit to search out your best driving place. Not a deal breaker, after all. Heated entrance seats are commonplace, however in the event you’re on the lookout for heated rear seats, you’ll must improve to the pricier XSE mannequin. On the plus facet, Toyota compensates with a heated steering wheel and a complete suite of driver help options.
Photograph: Vincent Aubé
On the Street
Hybrid expertise has made big strides lately, and the Corolla Cross Hybrid isn’t any exception. It shares the identical 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine discovered within the gasoline mannequin, delivering a good 150 hp (in comparison with 169 hp within the gas-only model). Add in two electrical motors—111 hp up entrance and 40 hp on the rear—and whole system output climbs to 196 horsepower.
The additional torque is instantly noticeable throughout low-speed metropolis driving, the place the gasoline engine stays off till you demand extra energy. That makes it straightforward to glide silently on electrical energy alone, serving to maintain gasoline consumption low. The transition between electrical and gasoline operation continues to be perceptible, however a far cry from the clunky hybrids of the early 2000s.
Photograph: Vincent Aubé
Driving dynamics received’t excite lovers. Even the Sport mode brings little change to the expertise. The Corolla Cross Hybrid’s main mission is to ship a frugal and cozy city journey—excellent for households or {couples} who don’t want a big SUV.
Competitors Getting Fiercer
As you already know, competitors within the small crossover section is fierce. Rivals embody the Subaru Crosstrek, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos, Volkswagen Taos and Mazda CX-30, to call just some. Nevertheless, Toyota’s Corolla Cross continues to face out for reliability, resale worth and particularly gasoline effectivity.
Let’s simply hope the continued commerce tensions don’t escalate additional—as a result of if tariffs power Toyota Canada so as to add a premium to the Corolla Cross, this competent hybrid could lose a lot of its attraction.
