2023 Toyota Corolla Cross GX Hybrid evaluation

The Toyota Corolla Cross is among the model’s most hotly-anticipated new arrivals for many who need a well sized, decently priced and family-friendly small SUV.

With an expansive vary of fashions and variants, we’ve sampled the top-spec Atmos and the bottom model GX in petrol type. This was our first likelihood to have a go within the GX Hybrid, which we’d beforehand advised can be the decide of the entry-level variations.

Is it? You wager – with supreme real-world effectivity and usefulness, the hybrid powertrain makes the Corolla Cross transfer from a automotive that you need to contemplate, to 1 that you need to in all probability simply go forward and order.

However the GX trim? Hmmm. Perhaps fork out a bit extra and get the GXL. You’ll discover out why should you maintain studying…

How a lot does the Toyota Corolla Cross GX 2WD Hybrid price?

The Corolla Cross GX 2WD Hybrid is the costlier of the entry-grade variations, attracting a $2500 premium over the petrol equal at $35,500 plus on-road prices.

At that type of cash, you may also be a Nissan Qashqai ST ($33,890), though it’s not hybrid. Or maybe a Mazda CX-30 G20e Evolve mild-hybrid, which wears an inventory value of $36,660.

However should you’re after a “correct” hybrid rival at this value, the one different small SUV you might actually contemplate is the GWM Haval Jolion Lux HEV ($36,990 drive-away). That stated, I’d have the Corolla Cross Hybrid in a heartbeat.

2023 Toyota Corolla Cross pricing:

• Toyota Corolla Cross GX 2WD Petrol: $33,000
• Toyota Corolla Cross GX 2WD Hybrid: $35,500
• Toyota Corolla Cross GXL 2WD Petrol: $36,750
• Toyota Corolla Cross GXL 2WD Hybrid: $39,250
• Toyota Corolla Cross GXL AWD Hybrid: $42,250
• Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos 2WD Petrol: $43,550
• Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos 2WD Hybrid: $46,050
• Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos AWD Hybrid: $49,050

Costs exclude on-road prices

What’s the Toyota Corolla Cross GX 2WD Hybrid like on the within?

It doesn’t really feel like a particular expertise within the cabin, nevertheless it does do primary very effectively.

I don’t love the truth that it’s received a darkish headliner. It makes it really feel a bit bit hemmed in. That, together with the dense array of greyscale plastics all through the cabin, do make it really feel a bit bit darkish.

The storage on supply is fairly good – cupholders between the seats, a coated centre console bin with a 12-volt plug and USB-C port, a storage part in entrance of the shifter (with a USB-A close-by for connecting to the media system, which you’ll need to make use of when you have an Android telephone) bottle holders within the doorways with further sleeves for additional objects.

What isn’t pretty is the entry-level polyurethane steering wheel and shifter – not probably the most pleasurable materials to hold onto for lengthy durations of time.

At the very least it has single-zone climate-control air-conditioning, a good 8.0-inch touchscreen media system with wi-fi Apple CarPlay and sat-nav, and different handy issues like push-button begin, keyless entry, a 7.0-inch digital instrument show, and the entire controls are very very simple to get used to.

It’s undoubtedly a ‘built-to-a-cost’ fashion inside, identical to it’s in an entry-level Corolla hatch or sedan.

Within the again seat, with the driving force’s seat set to my place (I’m 182cm/6’0), I had sufficient knee room, toe room, head room and shoulder room to be snug.

It’s a spacious again row, however not probably the most spacious. If you would like extra back-seat room, a Haval Jolion or Nissan Qashqai will likely be extra appropriate. Or an S-Class…

A plus is that there are directional occasions (you don’t get these within the Corolla Sedan), however there aren’t any door pockets apart from a bottle holder on every door.

There’s just one map pocket (on the again of the entrance passenger seat), and within the GX there is no such thing as a centre armrest with cup holders.

Dad and mom will likely be proud of the truth that there are ISOFIX anchors and three-tether factors, and it’s potential to suit a rearward-facing child capsule in with sufficient house forward for a front-seat passenger.

The annoying factor for fogeys is that loading in a toddler or a toddler seat is usually a little bit of a tedious course of, as a result of the doorways don’t open very broad. If you would like a extremely broad opening backdoor SUV, have a look at a Nissan Qashqai.

Boot house is exceptionally good, simply massive sufficient to suit a pram and a few baggage.

Toyota has – consider it or not – 5 completely different claimed boot capability figures. However the one for the GX 2WD Hybrid is 425 litres, which is massive for the category.

Simply observe, should you’re planning a visit to IKEA or Bunnings and also you do must fold down the seats to retailer a bigger merchandise, there is no such thing as a flat load by way of house – it has an enormous hump in the way in which.

See the images for a greater indication of the imposition of stated bump.

What’s beneath the bonnet?

The hybrid model of the Toyota Corolla Cross runs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine working on the extra environment friendly Atkinson cycle, and the engine itself affords 112kW and 190Nm.

There’s an e-CVT transmission, and an electrical motor on the entrance axle producing 83kW and 206Nm. Juicing up the electrical motor is a 4.06Ah lithium-ion battery pack.

There isn’t a all-wheel drive model out there in GX trim, however the GXL and Atmos fashions with hybrid all-wheel drive add a 30kW rear axle motor.

No biggie, although, as a result of Toyota says the mixed energy output for the 2WD and AWD fashions is similar, at 146kW. There’s no mixed torque output printed.

The 0-100km/h time, for these , is 7.5 seconds. But it surely feels faster than that.

How does the Toyota Corolla Cross GX 2WD Hybrid drive?

I actually loved the drive expertise of the Corolla Cross – it’s identical to a Corolla Hatch, solely greater.

That’s to say that it has very pleasurable dynamics – the trip is snug, and but, it nonetheless has a pleasant degree of dealing with functionality.

The steering is mild however correct, simple to level the automotive wherever that you must go – whether or not you’re pushing it a bit by way of a twisty nook, or parking on the outlets. The reversing digital camera is primary however tremendous, however in order for you a surround-view digital camera, that you must step as much as the GXL.

The one situation actually with the dealing with facet of issues is that the tyres aren’t implausible, however that’s a simple repair.

The hybrid powertrain – as anticipated – is a spotlight, with ample pulling energy and simple acceleration from a standstill.

I reckon this might out-sprint a number of of its contemporaries from 0-50km/h. That’s the good thing about a battery backing the petrol engine up.

It’s additionally tremendous duper environment friendly, as you’ll see within the possession part under.

The way in which it dips between EV energy and petrol energy, or a mixture of the 2, could be very spectacular.

Nevertheless, my associate additionally drove this automotive and he or she stated she thought that the transmission was a bit wacky – in that it “appears to all the time make the automotive rev actually arduous”. She’s bang on, it does take some getting used to.

However when you get used to it (I’m, having pushed a bunch of hybrid Toyota fashions), it’s tremendous.

The noisiest factor of the drive expertise is when that petrol engine is revving arduous, however fortunately, there’s not an excessive amount of highway or when noise to deal with. All informed, this can be a very spectacular small SUV to drive.

What do you get?

Corolla Cross GX highlights:

• LED headlights
• Halogen daytime working lights
• 17-inch alloy wheels
• House-saver spare wheel
• Energy folding, heated facet mirrors
• Embossed cloth seats
• Handbook entrance seat adjustment
• Rear seats with tilt perform
• Urethane steering wheel
• Electrical park brake
• 2 x entrance, 2 x rear cupholders
• Retractable baggage cowl
• 60:40-split rear seats
• Automated local weather management
• 7.0-inch driver’s instrument show
• Sensible entry and begin
• 12V energy socket, entrance
• USB-C port in centre console
• Energy home windows
• Door pockets with bottle holders
• 8.0-inch touchscreen
• 6-speaker audio
• AM/FM/DAB+ radio
• Bluetooth
• Wi-fi Apple CarPlay
• Wired Android Auto
• Toyota Linked Companies (12mth subscription)
  • Verify lock/unlock standing
  • Verify automobile location
  • Log latest journeys
  • Begin the engine and local weather management
  • Set controls on visitor drivers

The issues that give it away that this can be a base grade are the polyurethane steering wheel and kit selector, which definitely cheaper the texture.

And on the surface, these boring halogen daytime working lights look amazingly drab – particularly when contrasted towards the usual LED headlights.

Heck, you even get an LED within the boot space – I might have thought pedestrians and different highway customers having the ability to see you coming can be extra essential, to Toyota. 

So, simply to be 100 per cent clear, you get a bit of additional stuff should you can spend the $3750 additional for the GXL.

Corolla Cross GXL provides:

• LED (high-grade) headlights
• Entrance fog lights
• Rear privateness glass
• Roof rails
• Leather-based-accented/cloth upholstery
• Leather-based-accented steering wheel, shifter
• Electrochromatic rear-view mirror
• Twin-zone local weather management
• 10.5-inch touchscreen infotainment
• Satellite tv for pc navigation
• 360-degree digital camera system
• USB-C rear cost ports

Truthfully, I feel you’ll get a extra pleasurable Corolla Cross to take a seat inside, and also you’ll in all probability see a profit come resale time, too. 

Is the Toyota Corolla Cross GX 2WD Hybrid protected?

The Toyota Corolla Cross vary was awarded the utmost five-star ANCAP security score towards 2022 standards, with fairly sturdy scores throughout the board.

It managed 85 per cent for grownup occupant security, 88 per cent for little one occupants, 87 per cent for susceptible highway customers, and 83 per cent for security help tech.

One factor to notice, although, is that the GX misses out on a doubtlessly life-saving security expertise – Backover AEB, which might auto-brake for pedestrians detected while you’re reversing.

This tech is obtainable in GXL and Atmos, and it actually must be customary range-wide.

In any other case, the tech providing is fairly democratic, together with eight airbags (twin entrance, driver’s knee, front-centre, entrance facet and full-length curtain), and a number of different help options.

Commonplace security options embrace:

• Toyota Security Sense
  • AEB with Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detection
  • Adaptive cruise management incl. curve velocity discount
  • Auto high-beam
  • Lane departure warning
  • Lane maintain help
  • Lane Hint Help (centring)
  • Lane change help (NEW)
  • Pace signal help
• Blind-spot monitoring incl. protected exit help
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Reversing digital camera
• 8 airbags incl. front-centre airbag

GXL provides:

• Parking assist brake incl. automobile, object detection
• ‘Easy’ panoramic view monitor (360 cameras)

Atmos Hybrid provides:

• Enhanced panoramic view monitor (360 cameras with see-through view)
• Superior Park Help
• Parking assist brake incl. pedestrian detection

How a lot does the Toyota Corolla Cross GX 2WD Hybrid price to run?

There’s a five-year, limitless kilometre guarantee, and should you service your automotive on time towards the logbook necessities that extends to seven years for the powertrain.

Additional to that, should you preserve your automotive with Toyota yearly, and have a hybrid system checkup achieved on schedule, the battery guarantee is 10 years/limitless kilometres. That’s a superb long-term possession prospect.

The gasoline prices are going to be low on this factor, as a result of it has severe real-world effectivity on its facet.

Official mixed cycle gasoline consumption for the GX Hybrid is simply 4.3 litres per 100 kilometres, and over a number of hundred kays of blended driving, my actual world return was only a smidge over that at 4.6L/100km. Very spectacular.

And, it could actually run on 91 RON common unleaded. Gas tank capability is small, although, at 36 litres. I assume that doesn’t matter that a lot should you get the gasoline use I noticed, however you’re nonetheless over 780km per tank.

As for longer-term prices, the model affords a capped-price servicing plan for the Corolla Cross, which is $250 per go to for the primary 5 years/75,000km. Spectacular.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Toyota Corolla Cross GX 2WD Hybrid

If you would like a no-frills automotive that may prevent on petrol payments, but nonetheless manages to supply some distinctive security gear, in-car expertise, in addition to a suitably sized cabin for the household, this can be a walk-up begin for you.

I used to be completely impressed by a variety of issues in regards to the Corolla Cross GX Hybrid.

I’d undoubtedly spend the additional for a GXL and get a number of extra niceties, but when your price range isn’t that pliable, that is going to be a wise resolution.

Click on the photographs for the complete gallery

MORE: Every part Toyota Corolla Cross