Test: Toyota Corolla Cross – For when a C-HR is too exciting

At Toyota they were certainly not shy about another SUV, you would think …

From the Land Cruiser to the Yaris Cross, and with a little goodwill even the Aygo X below: in every segment you have a raised Toyota. However, consumers can’t get enough of high cars, so Toyota crams another tough-looking SUV between the C-HR and the RAV4: the Corolla Cross.

With the Corolla Cross, Toyota is well behind in the C-SUV segment, where compact models such as the Nissan Qashqai, Volkswagen Tiguan and Kia Sportage have successfully ruled the roost for years. Models that look less boring than an ordinary hatchback or station wagon, and that prove that a higher seating position is very comfortable and gives a good overview of the traffic.

Of course you are a lot more spacious in the Corolla Cross than in the C-HR.

But such an SUV also has some important disadvantages.

Beats. A crossover or SUV generates more air resistance than a hatchback or station wagon of comparable length, and is also usually somewhat heavier. Not good for consumption. This is not a problem for Toyota’s raised models, because they have a hybrid powertrain (with the exception of the Land Cruiser). Because you make frequent use of the electrical energy source, the fuel consumption is still neat. The Corolla Cross is certainly no exception to that rule.

What does the Corolla Cross have to offer more than, for example, the Toyota C-HR?

Funny you bring up the C-HR, because the Corolla Cross is on exactly the same TNGA platform. In fact, both models have an identical wheelbase. The Corolla Cross only has a different body, with a less expressive design and more practical use thanks to the longer overhang at the right rear.

In the Corolla Cross, this has resulted in a luggage compartment of 417 liters (C-HR: 377 litres). A volume that, however, is not a groundbreaking value in this segment. The same applies to the freedom of movement in the back seat. If you were to move up from the C-HR, the Corolla Cross seems to offer an ocean of headroom, but there are competitors – such as the Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Tiguan – that certainly do better. The hybrid powertrain also makes the Corolla Cross unsuitable for caravan campers. Its maximum towing weight is a paltry 750 kilos.

Considerably more space compared to the C-HR.

Now the Toyota C-HR is known as a very nice driving car.

There you have a point. But of all the dynamics that characterize the C-HR, little is left in the Corolla Cross. Safety is clearly paramount, and that will of course be very much appreciated by the intended buyer group. However, don’t get us wrong: compared to, for example, the (150 kilo heavier) Nissan Qashqai E-Power, the Corolla Cross is easier to steer into a corner and it is a manoeuvrable car. On a bad road there is quite a lot of movement in the chassis. All in all, the Corolla Cross does little wrong, but unlike the C-HR it’s certainly not a car that oozes excitement.

While the Corolla Cross still has 197 horsepower …

In the case of the test car, this is indeed the case. The Corolla Cross was the first model to use Toyota’s fifth-generation hybrid powertrain. That sounds more comprehensive than it is, by the way. Actually, it is the powertrain that we know from, for example, the C-HR 2.0 High Power Hybrid, only with a little more power – 197 hp. It still consists of an atmospheric combustion engine that works together with two electric motors in a planetary gear system. The technology is designed for the lowest possible consumption, if possible you drive electrically. If you step on the accelerator a little deeper, the four-cylinder monotonously makes itself heard. You can accelerate to 100 in 8.1 seconds, the top speed is 180 km / h. Toyota promises a WLTP consumption of 1 to 19.6, we recorded an average consumption of 1 to 18.5 during the test period. A neat result, which shows that the hybrid powertrain is still current.

You can choose between this hybrid or a 1.8 hybrid.

Are there any other engine variants?

Initially, Toyota only supplied the High Power Hybrid powertrain in the Corolla Cross, but a second cheaper engine variant has recently been added. Also a hybrid, but with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder. That version has a power of 140 hp. The hundred sprint takes 10.0 seconds, its top speed is 170 km/h. The consumption difference is marginal: the brochure states a WLTP average of 1 in 20.

What about the equipment variants?

There are four levels, starting with the Active (from €37,295). You don’t have to bite a stick in that. Automatic air conditioning with two temperature zones, a digital instrument panel, smartphone integration for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 17-inch alloy wheels and a navigation system are standard. In addition, the Corolla Cross Active already has a very comprehensive package of safety and driver assistance systems, as part of Toyota Safety Sense3. Think of adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, active lane assistance, fatigue detection, pre-collision warning with recognition of cyclists and pedestrians and a range of sensors that ensure that the car safely swerves or stops for oncoming traffic in the event of an imminent collision.

The Dynamic (+ €1,900) adds 18-inch wheels, keyless entry, roof rails and privacy glass. If the version with a two-liter High Power Hybrid powertrain is preferred, the Dynamic is the basic version (from €42,995). The Style (+ €2,200) also has an electrically operated tailgate, a wireless phone charger, heated seats (the buttons of which seem to come from another car) and extra safety options such as blind spot warning, front and rear parking sensors. On the 1.8 Hybrid, black leather upholstery and electric seat adjustment are optional as a Premium Pack (€1,095). Finally, there is the Executive, exclusively for the two-litre (extra cost: €3,000). It adds heated steering wheel, perforated leather, a 360-degree camera, an extensive audio package with JBL speakers and an integrated navigation system to the total package.

The dashboard is not exciting, but nice and solid.

Anything else to say about the Corolla Cross?

Yes, because the Corolla Cross was also the first Toyota with a new infotainment system at the time of its introduction, standard from the Active version. It works easily and quickly. The same cannot be said of the digital instruments: it sometimes takes a while to find out how it works exactly and many options can only be operated when the car is stationary.

Toyota now supplies its cars with a 10-year warranty. That is to say: if you have the maintenance services carried out in accordance with the regulations at the official Toyota dealer. Otherwise, the warranty fun is over after 5 years. Maybe not a breaking point at the moment, but if you were to buy an older second-hand Corolla Cross in the future, it would certainly become a point of attention.

The choice of AutoWeek Test coordinator Marco Gorter

Given the difference in performance, the 2.0 Hybrid is recommended, with the 1.8 you regularly have to ask a lot from the powertrain to keep up with the traffic. The 2.0 does that easier and consumption is therefore almost the same in practice. In the versions, the Dynamic is certainly worth considering. Logically, it has most of what a modern motorist can expect. If you still want more luxury, then the step to a Style is worth considering, since it adds blind spot sensors and seat heating to the range, among other things.