By: Joshua Lee
January 6, 2023
The Toyota Corolla is well known to everyone around the world and in its current 12th generation, it comes in three body styles: sedan, hatchback, and wagon (which is not sold in North America).
If you were looking for something bigger, you can go up to the C-HR (a coupe-style SUV) or another bestseller for Toyota, the RAV4. If the RAV4 is too big and you would rather have a more conventional looking crossover than the C-HR, Toyota has got you covered with its newest subcompact crossover, the 2022 Corolla Cross.
We were given the 2022 Corolla Cross XLE AWD from Toyota Canada for the week and we fell in love with the Cypress green paint job at first glance. Slotted between the C-HR and RAV4, the Corolla Cross is 3 inches longer and 3.2 inches taller than the C-HR. Just because it’s slightly larger than your normal Corolla doesn’t mean it’s entirely different. The Corolla Cross is on the same TNGA-C platform and is powered by the same 2.0L inline-four engine and CVT transmission producing 169 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft of torque at 4,400RPM.
Current Corolla owners should be happy to note that this crossover drives pretty much the same as the sedan/hatchback counterparts. Steering response could be a little more precise, but it is very easy to drive with minimal body lean. We aren’t expecting anyone to race in this crossover, but the engine lacks power when you try to accelerate, and you’ll hear excessive droning noise inside the cabin when you do.
The design of the Corolla Cross isn’t bad either as it looks like a smaller RAV4 but doesn’t stand out compared to its competitors. Our XLE trim features 18-inch alloy wheels, power moonroof, LED headlamps, LED rear taillights, and fog lights. We like the black grille and plastic cladding for that rugged look and its strong body lines with ‘Corolla Cross’ stamped on the D pillar gives it some character.
It should come to no surprise that the interior is the same as the Corolla. It provides a minimal layout with an eight-inch touch screen that is neatly integrated in the dashboard. Our XLE trim comes with heated front seats, heated steering wheel, seven-inch colour driver’s display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and a reasonable nine speaker JBL sound system.
The Corolla Cross is user-friendly with just the right number of physical buttons for the infotainment system and climate control. We like the Macadamia/SofTex interior that goes great with that dark green paint job and provides plenty of space for all passengers. The seats are ergonomic and comfortable providing great visibility out. Opening the power tailgate reveals 688L of cargo space with the rear 60/40 bench up and expands to 1891L with it down.
The Corolla Cross is fitted with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 that features a pre-collision system with pedestrian and bicycle detection, lane departure alert with steering assist, road edge detection, adaptive cruise control, lane tracing assist, and auto high beam. The XLE gives you blind spot monitoring, a backup camera with rear cross traffic alert, and parking assist with auto braking.
Fuel economy ratings for this vehicle are 8.1L/100km city, 7.4L/100km highway, for a combined 7.8L/100km. As we’ve done a lot of city driving, we got 8.4L/100km for the week. A 194-horsepower hybrid version is coming out soon with a combined fuel consumption of 6.4L/100km.
Pricing starts at $24,890 for the L FWD, $26,290 for the L AWD, $27,090 for the LE FWD, $28,490 for the LE AWD, and $33,990 for the XLE AWD before tax and delivery.
The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross XLE AWD is a good all-rounder if you’re looking for a budget friendly SUV. While we do feel that performance and design need more distinction, there’s quite a lot to like about this vehicle. It is fuel efficient, spacious for five people, offers more practicality than the sedan and hatchback, and is loaded with safety features. It really does fit perfectly between the C-HR and RAV4 and is worth a look for young families who want something that is dependable and familiar.
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