Road Test: Toyota Corolla Cross Limited What’s new? Slotting in between the top-selling RAV4 and the funky C-HR, the Corolla Cross has been a solid if low-key performer since joining Toyota’s expansive SUV range back in 2022. A recent midlife refresh has delivered sharper styling inside and out, revised equipment levels and other changes within the range, including a new flagship variant. Under the skin, the Corolla Cross is fundamentally unchanged, sitting on the same TNGA-C platform as the current Corolla, and with much of its interior familiar from the regular Corolla too. Power comes from Toyota’s widely deployed 2.0-litre hybrid powertrain, producing 146kW, and delivering power to either the front wheels only, or all four, depending on the variant. The updated range opens with the $44,990 GX, and the $47,990 GXL and $52,990 Limited (as tested here) are the other two front-drive options. All-wheel-drive is available on the GXL for $50,990, or on the new range flagship, the $54,990 GR Sport. The “GR” appellation on the Corolla Cross, unlike its use on Toyota models such as the GR Yaris and GR Corolla, doesn’t signal a madcap performance-focused variant. Rather, in this case the GR Sport features the same 146kW powertrain as other members of the Corolla Cross family, albeit with a more sophisticated double-wishbone rear suspension than front-drive variants, firmer damping, paddle shift controls, sports styling cues and sports seats. What does it look like? Identical in wheelbase to the C-HR, but longer, squarer and more upright, the Corolla Cross presents as more spacious, practical and far more conservative in appearance. Still, it’s pleasantly styled, being nicely proportioned, and with neat if restrained detailing. Distinctive features such as the long, thin headlights have been retained with the midlife update, albeit with changes inside the light clusters. The obvious new feature, though, is the body-coloured honeycomb-pattern front grille. This mimics the grille treatment of an EV and adds a welcome fresh touch to the Corolla Cross’ appearance. [Missing Credit]Toyota Corolla Cross Limited for Drivesouth. Photo: David Thomson Plastic sills and wheel-arch mouldings — along with around 160mm in ground clearance — also allow it to play the crossover SUV part well. Wheel choices vary across the range, with the GX and GXL sitting on 17-inch alloys, the Limited taking 18-inch rims and the GR Sport stepping up to 19-inch wheels and correspondingly lower profile tyres. A two-tone paint option is offered on the Limited and GR Sport, which provides an ebony/black contrasting roof for a $1000 price premium. However, the test car, as pictured, featured the standard single-tone red finish. An interesting side fact is that aside from red, the available paint palette for the Corolla Cross is almost monochromatic, running from white to black with some shades of grey in between. What comes as standard? Even the entry-level Corolla Cross GX is fairly well equipped, featuring keyless entry and start, wireless smartphone mirroring, dual-zone climate control, a six-speaker sound system, heated exterior mirrors, LED headlights, a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors. [Missing Credit]Toyota Corolla Cross Limited for Drivesouth. Photo: David Thomson As well as stepping from an 8-inch to 10.5-inch centre touchscreen, the GXL adds factory satellite navigation, a wireless charger, heated front seats, a surround-view camera system, LED fog lights and roof rails. The Limited, as tested, adds in a panoramic roof, a premium JBL audio, a hands-free power-opening tailgate, ventilated front seats (with the driver’s taking eight-way power adjustment) and Toyota Teammate advanced parking assistance. For the GR Sport, the emphasis is on creating a sporty feel rather than providing additional comfort and convenience features. So in addition to its suspension tweaks and all-wheel-drive, it takes suede-and-leather sport seats, paddle-shift controls, special alloy wheels and a range of interior and exterior visual enhancements. The safety suite is comprehensive across the range, including such items as adaptive cruise control with curve speed reduction, traffic sign recognition, autonomous emergency braking, pedestrian, cyclist and motorcycle detection, lane-keeping assist and alerts, rear cross traffic alerts, blind spot monitoring and auto-dipping headlights. What is it like inside? It you are wondering where the “Corolla” element of the Corolla Cross name starts to manifest, a quick glance at the cabin gives clear clues with the dashboard, instrument cluster and infotainment systems near identical. The trim materials of the seats and elsewhere in the cabin are similar too. However, as well as riding higher, the Corolla Cross seats its passengers in a more upright position, and being tall, provides significantly more headroom. [Missing Credit]Toyota Corolla Cross Limited for Drivesouth. Photo: David Thomson The most obvious interior change with the midlife update is the move to a new infotainment system. This introduces a larger centre touchscreen on all variants bar the entry-level GX. Along with the new touchscreen there’s a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster for the driver. While the prevailing trend in automotive interior design seems to favour linking the two main display screens in a single panel, Toyota keeps them quite separate, with the instrument cluster housed within its own binnacle. The touchscreen, meantime, stands proud on the leading edge of the dash, with a welcome separate screen and controls below for the dual zone climate control. Below the climate control panel there is a double-size wireless charge pad (though it will only charge one device at a time) with a rubberised surface, and alongside this a single USB-C plug point. Next, on the console, and just ahead of the gearshift is the traction control off button, EV mode, Drive Mode (eco, power, normal), camera view and parking assist. Behind the gearshift are seat heater/chiller buttons, dual cupholders and a small, lidded centre bin that includes a 12v plug point. A reasonably large glovebox and short but usefully wide door bins complete the in-cabin storage options up front. The top of the dash has a hard-touch finish, but otherwise the Limited’s cabin provides soft touch surfacing where you’d expect it. Thankfully, the big double sunroof provides an airy ambience, as — with dark trims above and below the waistline — the cabin would otherwise be quite dull. Limited colour contrasts within the cabin are provided by burnished metallic-finish strips and surrounds. The seats are trimmed in a mix of fabric and grey faux leather with perforated cushions, and while nicely shaped, lack the visual zing that could have been provided via the simple expedient of contrast stitching. The rear of the cabin is certainly a lot roomier than that of a Corolla hatch, or indeed, the C-HR. That said, while headroom in particular is excellent, legroom in the rear can still be a little tight when the front seats are positioned well back. Back seat occupants get a fold-down centre armrest with moulded cupholders, and a pair of USB-C charge points. Accessed via a hands-free power operated tailgate on the Limited, the boot is usefully square in shape. It has a 417-litre capacity when the rear seats are raised. This extends to 1328 litres when the 60:40 split rear seat backs are folded down. What is it like to drive? Drivesouth’s test of the Corolla Cross Limited included two extended open-road trips in Otago and Southland and a typical blend of driving around town, and over a few back roads. It should come as no surprise that with the Corolla Cross, Toyota has prioritised making everyday motoring predictable and effortless over zesty dynamics and sharp performance. Nor should it come as a surprise that having set that brief, Toyota has nailed it well. Settling in behind the wheel I was immediately struck by the comfortable and supportive driving position, fine visibility and the intuitive layout of key controls. While a head-up display would have been a welcome inclusion at this price point, the conventional instrumentation is clear and easy to read. Pretty much everything works exactly as you expect. Bluetooth connectivity and smartphone mirroring were seamless throughout; my only minor issue with the digital suite was the provisioning of just one USB charge point up front. The JBL audio system delivered impressive sound quality too, though the enhanced bass response from the boot-mounted speaker would likely be impacted by a full load of luggage aboard. On the road, the hybrid powertrain is the vehicle’s defining feature, and while the system’s peak outputs are far from startling, they are more than adequate for everyday driving. Around town, the electric motor delivers smooth and immediate responses when moving away from intersections and roundabouts. The hybrid system operates seamlessly in the background, switching between electric and petrol power with minimal fuss, and this lends the Corolla Cross a level of urban refinement that feels more premium than its mainstream positioning might suggest. [Missing Credit]Toyota Corolla Cross Limited for Drivesouth. Photo: David Thomson The test car was mechanically easy-going on the open road too and exhibits a similar character in its ride and handling with a suspension and steering set-up that prioritises predictability and comfort over crisp responsiveness. Ride quality generally impressed on a test that included poor urban and highway surfaces. Dynamic composure was maintained over surface imperfections, encompassing potholes and sections of lumpy tarmac, and at speeds ranging from just a few kilometres per hour to the legal limit. On the other hand, while the chassis was composed and predictable at all times, there was noticeable body roll under hard cornering, and an associated tendency to scrub into gentle understeer as the lateral grip limits of the front tyres were reached. This, and a steering set-up that is accurate enough but lacking in feel, mitigate against press on-style driving. Engage the adaptive cruise control system, and the Corolla Cross becomes gentler yet, because the cruise control includes a function Toyota calls Curve Speed Reduction. This system uses a combination of the car’s forward-facing camera and steering wheel sensor to detect the severity of an upcoming curve, and then trims the vehicle’s speed to what the system judges is appropriate. You’ve probably already guessed that it is quite conservative in its judgement of what constitutes an appropriate speed. To be fair, I am used to pushing through corners at a decent clip, especially on roads I know well. But in the Corolla Cross even my partner commented on how much the car was slowing itself down; indeed to an extent that also seemed to irritate vehicles following behind. I’m not enamoured of a system that awaits inputs through the wheel before slowing either, as best practice is to complete one’s braking before turning in to a bend. Other than this noticeable feature, the test car’s active safety systems weren’t too intrusive, except on narrower roads or where lane markings were inconsistent. In these situations, the lane keeping assist can feel slightly grabby and work against rather than with, the driver. As previously noted, mechanical refinement is excellent. Wind noise was also very well contained on the test car, but coarse chip road noise from the rear of the car was less than ideal, a matter that might be addressed by additional sound deadening. With fuel prices in yo-yo land these days, petrol consumption was a particular point of interest. The standard WLTP consumption figure for the Corolla Cross is 4.1 litres/100km, while the test car had returned 5.7 litres/100km over its life. A 5.7 litres/100km return was also what I was pleased to achieve on test, noting that the required petrol is 91 octane. Verdict The Corolla Cross Limited may not set the pulse of a driving enthusiast racing, but that was never Toyota’s intent. Whether for daily commuting, family duties or long-distance touring, it performs with competence, confidence and few compromises. That may not be glamorous, but for many buyers it is exactly what matters most. At a glance TOYOTA COROLLA CROSS LIMITED Overall rating: **** Design and styling: **** Interior: **** Ride and Handling: ***+ Performance: ***+ Safety: ***** Environmental: **** SPECIFICATIONS Price: $51,990 Engine: 1987cc petrol engine and supplementary permanent magnet synchronous electric motor, combined maximum power 146kW, combined maximum torque 188Nm. Transmission: six-stage e-CVT, front-wheel-drive. Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP. Battery and economy: 0.9Wh Lithium-ion battery pack, estimated economy (WLTP combined) 4.2kWh/100km. tank capacity 36 litres. Emissions: 95g/km of CO2. Wheels and tyres: alloy wheels 225/50 R18 tyres. Dimensions: Length, 4460mm; width, 1825mm; height, 1620mm. Kerb weight: 1450kg.
