Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid coming
Yet another petrol-electric hybrid will be added to Toyota Australia’s line-up when the Corolla Cross compact SUV arrives in the second half of 2022.
The Corolla Cross broke cover in Thailand today where it will first go on-sale and is designed to slot between the forthcoming Yaris Cross and the popular RAV4.
The five-seat Corolla Cross shares its GA-C platform with the Corolla sedan and hatch, but features a high-riding wagon body.
Toyota will be looking for some name recognition to rub off on its new SUV, as more than 48 millions Corollas have been sold globally since the nameplate first appeared in 1966.
Toyota says key Corolla Cross attributes include its spaciousness and functionality as well as the same high level of safety equipment as the Corolla passenger vehicles.
Limited information has been released about the Corolla Cross so far, but expect its drivetrain line-up to reflect the Corolla hatch.
That means the hybrid version will likely use a 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine combined with an electric motor for a combined 90kW system output driving the front wheels via a CVT.
The other engine is likely to be a 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder making 125kW.
Toyota’s hybrid line-up currently includes the Corolla, RAV4, Prius and Camry. Yaris, Yaris Cross, C-HR and Kluger hybrids are also confirmed for Australia.
Toyota Australia vice president sales and marketing Sean Hanley said Corolla Cross will be an important addition to the local range, with SUV sales accelerating to an unprecedented 48 per cent of the market so far this year.
“Corolla Cross is not only stylish and versatile, it delivers the superior practicality demanded by customers in this segment including the high driving position, great visibility, spacious interior and ample head clearance,” Mr Hanley said.
In Australia, Toyota leads the local industry in SUV sales with a 2020 market share of 19.6 per cent, up from 16.5 per cent at the same stage last year.
Led by RAV4 petrol and hybrid variants, Toyota has increased its SUV sales this year by 2.3 per cent.
Pricing, production sourcing and full equipment details for the Corolla Cross will be announced by Toyota closer to the on-sale date.
