After many years soldiering with the RAV 4 nameplate, first introduced in 1994 and considered by many to be the first compact crossover, Toyota has been steadily increasing its lineup in the Europe market SUV space over the last decade and a half, writes Brian Byrne. The C-HR, Yaris Cross, even the diminutive Aygo Cross are all part of the offering. And it was probably inevitable, as the RAV 4 got larger, that a version of the iconic and breadwinner Corolla would also be added to plug a gap in the showrooms.
Of all the Toyotas in the crossover genre, at first glance it seems to be the least adventurous stylistically, certainly compared to other models in the format from the carmaker. Indeed, it looks almost old-fashioned. Which might be deliberate, because while the current and 12th generation Corolla is designed quite up to our times, there's a large cohort of Corolla buyers out there who value part of the nameplate's reputation as perhaps an 'ordinary car for everyone'. That is not a denigration, because technically Corolla has always delivered up to date technology. But is equally has always been regarded as a safe and reliable buy.
When you get close-up to the Corolla Cross, though, there's elegance in the detail of what otherwise could be a me-too of many other crossovers in the compact family car segment. The bluntness of the high front is leavened by a quite clever bumper styling, and a skid-plate element that is coloured the same as the body rather than the de-rigeur elsewhere pseudo aluminium. The headlight treatment that seems quite small from the front proves to be unusually long from the quarter and side views and add quite a 'hawkeye' element. The roofline with integrated rails is highish, which benefits those inside, but a neat chrome outline with 'Corolla Cross' on a wider part at the end prevents the car seeming top heavy. The three-quarter aspect shows a very smart well-presented tailgate section. Overall, as you walk around, the Corolla Cross is visually very together.
Inside, although the Corolla Cross shares its wheelbase with the smaller and sportier C-HR, there's definitely a sense of more room, thanks to the relatively high roofline. The trim and fitting of the overall interior is to the very high quality that is now expected from Toyota (and indeed, from most competitor makers — there's no room left for shoddiness). In keeping with the ethos of the car, there's noting dramatic about the dashboard and instruments design, which are similar to the latest Corolla saloon — graphics and colours in Toyota's instrumentation were substantially upgraded with this. The centre screen and the easy-to-manage climate controls underneath are set quite high, which I liked given the seating position. There's good space in all metrics for those in the rear, and a decent 433-litre capacity for stuff aft of them.
There are two powertrains available, both hybrid, with 1.8 and 2.0 petrol engine options, the larger engine being newer and with a punchier electric motor. You'll pay more than €2,000 for the larger engine, but there's negligible difference between them in fuel consumption and emissions and you might consider the extra power without penalty worth it. In Ireland, only 2WD versions are currently on sale, but this is a family car offering and off-road capability isn't really a factor.
Toyota was the starting gate leader in hybrid technology, and while they are now in a crowded hybrid field, the company's engineers haven't been sitting on their laurels. The current version is actually fifth-generation Toyota hybrid, and in whatever model application it does work exceedingly well. For the rev-rev brigade, the CVT transmissions don't provide anything close to an adrenaline rush, but they're not the ones this car is aimed at. For those it is being offered to, they're going to get easy and efficient motoring in a car that should tick all the needed boxes.
PRICE: From €37,870. WHAT I LIKED: The extraordinary ordinary, really.
