Toyota Corolla Cross

The cabin layout of the Toyota Corolla Cross might not be too dramatic to look at, but it impresses with its easy approach and ergonomically well-placed controls. The cabin lacks several contemporary features which are gradually becoming a common norm in this segment. However, it gets enough equipment to make it not feel basic.

The driver’s cockpit of the Toyota Corolla Cross is a simple affair with a three-spoke tilt and telescopic adjustable multi-functional steering wheel with a three-pod instrument console behind it. The console gets a small 4.2-inch TFT screen for the MID unit in its extreme right. The centre console looks simple as well, with a free-standing 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system placed over a tapered surface that houses the controls for the audio and climate control.

The cabin is decently equipped with features like an 8-way powered driver’s seat, Android Auto and Apple Carplay compatibility for the infotainment system, leather upholstery, and push the start-stop button. Space available in the cabin is ample for five passengers at once.

The Toyota Corolla Cross is an urban SUV with several rugged and tough-looking design elements which do give it a solid stance. It is just a touch smaller than the RAV4, giving it a great road presence.

At the front, the Toyota Corolla Cross has an aggressive face with a bold-looking front grille, which has got dual-tone satin chrome surrounds on all four sides. The lower portion of the front bumper continues the flavor of aggression with tough-looking body cladding stretched across its width. The upper edges of the bold-looking front grille are flanked with slim-looking headlamps, which come with bi-functioning LED projectors and sleek-looking daytime running LEDs. The outer corners of the front bumper come with vertically laid slim air vents.

The Toyota Corolla Cross has got an impressive stance on the side as well, with the SUV getting cladding over the squared wheel arches and bottom of the door panels. The slightly flared part over the rear wheel adds some muscle to the rear three-quarter of the Corolla Cross. The upper window line of the SUV gets chrome garnish, which stretches towards the rear over the broad C-pillar, giving the SUV a floating roof look.

At the back, the Toyota Corolla Cross has got a likable design with horizontally laid slim tail lamps with inverted L-shaped LED inserts. The raked rear windscreen with a roof-mounted spoiler adds some sportiness to the rear profile of the SUV, with the heavy body cladding on the rear bumper rounding off the design at the back.

The suspension combination of the Toyota Corolla Cross, which includes Macpherson struts with stabilizer at the front and torsion beam with stabilizer at the rear, has been tuned slightly stiffer over the setup of the Corolla sedan. This gives it an additional firmness to take on bad patches of roads with ease.

Sharing its powertrain with the Corolla sedan, the Toyota Corolla Cross gets a 1.8-litre four-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine, which is offered with a CVT gearbox as standard. The engine is capable of belting out a maximum power output of 139 PS and a peak torque output of 172 Nm. The engine feels refined and powerful for most of the part, however, as the revs rise near the redline, it runs out of breath.

The Toyota Corolla Cross has hit the ball out of the park when it comes to safety features. The SUV is generously loaded with equipment like the front, side, curtain, and driver knee airbags, ABS with EBD, brake assist, pre-collision system, lane departure alert with steering assist, dynamic radar cruise control, lane tracing assist, automatic high beam, blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert, tyre pressure monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, reverse camera, vehicle stability control, traction control, and hill start assist.

The Toyota Corolla Cross impresses with its modern exterior design and elegant interior experience. However, we would have loved to see more equipment on the inside to match its premium pricing. The SUV impresses with its decent on-road manners and extensive safety equipment list.