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The Corolla nameplate is legendary. Introduced 60 years ago, more Corollas have been sold than any other car. Over 50 million, in fact. The name has appeared on the back of sedans, hatchbacks, and even station wagons, but never on an SUV. This changed in 2020 when Toyota decided to slap it on the back of a compact SUV and called it the Corolla Cross. <\/p>\n
Although the Corolla Cross is available as a petrol-only and a hybrid, only the latter is available on our sunny shores. The hybrid comes in two versions: a 1.8-litre and a more powerful 2-litre<\/b>. The latter is only available through the authorised dealer Borneo Motors, and it is the model we are testing today.<\/p>\n\n
Play<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\nArticle jumplist<\/p>\n
<\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n\n1. What\u2019s new in the facelift?<\/li>\n 2. Practicality<\/li>\n 3. How does it perform, and how efficient is it?<\/li>\n 4. Is it comfortable?<\/li>\n 5. Final thoughts<\/li>\n 6. Availability and pricing<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\nWhat\u2019s new in the facelift?<\/h2>\n\nThe front grille is the most significant change to the exterior.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The Corolla Cross was given a facelift last year to keep it looking fresh and competitive. On the outside, the entire front has been updated with new headlights and a honeycomb-pattern grille<\/b>. The rest of the car is largely unchanged. If you were behind one, you\u2019d be hard-pressed to tell if it\u2019s the facelift model you were following.<\/p>\n
The combination of the new colour-matched front grille and narrow headlights gives the Corolla Cross a sleeker front fascia. I won\u2019t say it looks any more attractive than the model it replaces \u2013 just different. Overall, there\u2019s nothing ungainly or divisive about the way it looks. The best way to describe it is smart and pleasant. <\/p>\n
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Play<\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe layout of the cabin is the same, but the centre console and shifter have been refreshed. There\u2019s now space for two phones, with one pad doubling as a wireless charger, and a nicer-looking shifter. It\u2019s a welcome change, but the cabin still mostly looks and feels basic<\/b>, and lacks the pizzazz of its rivals. Happily, it still relies on buttons for controls, so it\u2019s easy to adjust things like the volume and air-conditioning. <\/p>\n
To improve refinement, Toyota also says there are more sound-damping materials used throughout the car to reduce wind and road noise. Indeed, the car is fairly quiet when cruising at highway speeds.<\/p>\n
Practicality<\/h2>\n\nThe boot is of average size, but should be enough for most people.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Families should be pleased with the space that the car offers. Though the Corolla Cross is on the smaller side for an SUV, space in the front and rear is good. As demonstrated by the video above, rear head and legroom should suffice for most folks<\/b>. My sole complaint is that the rear cabin space of the car is, like the front, quite drab and devoid of any kind of aesthetic flourish. Still, you get lots of cup holders and a pair of USB-C ports for charging.<\/p>\n
Boot space is merely alright. Toyota claims 425L of capacity<\/b>, which sounds paltry, but the opening is wide, and the high roofline means it can probably stomach more than what the spec sheet suggests. And the good thing about SUVs is that if it can\u2019t fit, you can always make more space by folding down the rear seats. With the rear seats down, the capacity increases to around 1,200L.<\/p>\n
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