2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Review

Pros: Strong fuel economy for the segment, especially the hybrid

Cons: Bland to drive and look at; slow acceleration; unremarkable space and storage

The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross is the definition of what perfectly fine and acceptable looks like in a midcompact SUV. It’s both smaller and cheaper than a RAV4, but doesn’t come off as quirky or weird like the canceled C-HR was. It’s a Corolla, but in SUV form, and that makes a certain amount of sense for someone looking for a basic and utilitarian form of transportation. It has competent tech, OK backseat and cargo space, and some of the best fuel economy in the segment. There's also the Hybrid being added to the lineup later this year that'll improve that fuel economy even more and give it an X factor for a segment that counts only one other hybrid, the Kia Niro.

Unfortunately, the standard car just doesn’t do enough to push the needle. There are plenty others that are more fun to drive, have better tech, look more stylish and are simply all-around more enjoyable vehicles to own on the daily than the Corolla Cross. The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, on the other hand, changes the dynamic considerably as its superior fuel economy and slight increase in performance make for a more distinctive and quite simply better car. That said, it's still hard to get as excited about it as its many rival SUVs. 

Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy

What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Features   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features

What's new for 2023?

The big news, is the addition of the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, which we review here. It is pictured above. It adds the all-wheel-drive powertrain of the new Toyota Prius, plus unique sport-oriented trim levels that spruce up its appearance. Every Corolla Cross then gets Toyota's latest infotainment system running on a standard 8-inch touchscreen. Additionally, it gets the latest suite of Toyota's driver assistance systems standard, going from TSS 2.0 to TSS 3.0.

What are the Corolla Cross interior and in-car technology like?

While the Corolla Cross exterior looks nothing like a Corolla, the interior is a spitting image with a fairly minimalist dashboard and an infotainment screen popping up out of the middle. As is usually the case in the midcompact SUV segment, interior plastics are a mix. Some stitched soft plastic is front and center on the dash, but harder varieties are found in most other places (such as to the left of the steering wheel where it may look like the soft stuff but is really just hard plastic with fake stitching stamped into it). Everything is put together nicely with tight gaps, and the XLE and XSE trims looks a bit more premium than the lower models thanks to two-tone color schemes. However, a test car had some rattles, and cranking the audio system would cause some annoying vibrations.

We appreciate the dedicated physical buttons and knobs for the climate control, as well as the knob for volume control. Toyota's latest infotainment system that the Corolla Cross is updated with this year is much faster and more fluid than the old, but its user interface can prove tricky to navigate. Both wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are onboard as standard equipment, and if you like talking to your car, the Amazon Alexa-based voice control is snappy and understands commands well. A mostly-analog gauge cluster is standard and looks awfully plain by today's standards, especially in the Hybrid, but higher trims adopt a fully digital cluster with slick, modern graphics.

How big is the Corolla Cross?

Size-wise, the Corolla Cross is what we'd call a midcompact SUV, and as such, is sized similarly as the Mazda CX-30, VW Taos, Kia Seltos and Subaru Crosstrek. Notably, it has a fair amount of ground clearance at 8.1 inches, which is almost even with the all-wheel-drive Jeep Renegade and more than the Kia Seltos, though less than the Crosstrek or a Renegade Trailhawk.

In terms of passenger space, the Corolla Cross is somewhere in the middle of the segment, but represents a significant step up from its Corolla namesakes (again, they're just barely related). There's good room up front in all directions and a comfortable seating position, but the back seat is merely mid-pack for space. The Volkswagen Taos and Kia Niro are notably more family friendly. The front seats have thick cushions that are comfortable, though they don't have much shape or support. The rear seats are firm and flat, and the seatbacks are more upright than we'd like.

Cargo space is on the large side for midcompact crossovers at 24.0 cubic feet with front-wheel-drive regular model, and 21.5 with all-wheel-drive and every Hybrid. The Hybrid also loses its spare tire due to a wiring harness that snakes through the area where it typically would go. It results in a lot of unused space.  

What are the Corolla Cross' fuel economy and performance specs?

The gas-only Toyota Corolla Cross comes with one engine and transmission option. It gets a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 169 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. A CVT is standard, and there's an option of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Your pick of drive wheels will also affect your fuel economy, though it'll be among the most efficient in the segment regardless. With front-wheel drive, the Corolla Cross gets 31 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 32 mpg combined. With all-wheel drive, the numbers drop to 29/32/30.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder augmented by Toyota's three-motor hybrid drive system, giving it standard all-wheel drive. Combined output totals 196 horsepower, which Toyota says is good for 0-60 in 8.0 seconds (or about 2 seconds quicker than the pokey base engine). EPA-estimated fuel economy is 45 mpg city, 38 mpg highway and 42 mpg combined. According to EPA fuel cost estimates, you could save about $500 every year by opting for the Cross Hybrid.

What's the Corolla Cross like to drive?

In most respects, the Corolla Cross is just fine to drive. It has a slightly soft ride without being floaty. The steering is numb, but accurate. Wind, road and tire noise are loud, but at an expected level for this segment. If you put a lot of emphasis on how a car drives and handles, the Corolla Cross isn't the one for you. That stands in contrast with the Mazda CX-30 and turbocharged Kia Seltos, which are surprisingly fun to drive. The Cross Hybrid is exclusively available in supposedly sport-tuned trim levels not available in the regular model, but honestly, don't get your hopes up. It's a subtle difference, if anything. Thankfully, this quasi sportification doesn't hamper comfort. 

Ultimately, what really brings down the Corolla Cross are the powertrains. The standard four-cylinder is coarse, and it has to rev hard to produce power enough to keep up with traffic. Because of the CVT, it tends to hang up on a particular rpm for acceleration, which results in loud, unpleasant buzzing. It also takes a serious prod of the pedal to wake up the Corolla Cross, as most of the time it works hard to keep the revs low and acceleration slow for maximum fuel economy. Now, the Corolla Cross Hybrid is indeed more powerful and acceleration improves from back-of-the-pack to right into the middle of it. There's no arguing about the fuel economy, either. Trouble is, it's still awfully noisy, with excessive droning noises from the engine and hybrid system's e-CVT. The same powertrain in the new Prius is surprisingly quieter and more refined. That's just one of the reasons we'd sooner recommend the Prius over the Corolla Cross. 

What other Toyota Corolla Cross Reviews can I read?

2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid First Drive Review: More frugal than fun

Our most comprehensive review of the Hybrid, including details about its engineering and design.

How much is the 2023 Corolla Cross' price and what features are available?

The base Corolla Cross is the L trim level, and it starts at $24,395 with its $1,335 destination charge. Adding all-wheel drive increases the price by $1,300 on all trims. Convenience features are sparse on L trim. It comes with 17-inch steel wheels, LED headlights, manual single-zone climate control, manually-adjustable cloth seats, power windows and locks, remote locking and an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. It does come with a number of welcome standard advanced driver aids that we cover in the next section.

Above the L are the LE and XLE trims. The LE adds roof rails, 18-inch alloy wheels, heated mirrors, keyless entry/push-button start, automatic climate control, wireless phone charging, leather-wrapped steering wheel and two more USB outlets. As for the XLE, it's pretty decked out adding LED DRLs/turn signals, LED taillights, fog lights, chrome trim on the grille and window frame, dual-zone automatic climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, ambient lighting, leatherette upholstery, heated front seats, a power-adjustable driver seat, rear folding armrest with two additional cupholders, and a 7-inch instrument cluster panel screen.

The Hybrid is available in S, SE and XSE grades. They mimic the climb in equipment that the gas-only version provides, but the S and SE grades come with some extra equipment such as 17-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, LED head and tail lamps and keyless entry/push-button start. 

Full pricing for the gas-powered Corolla Cross is below, including the destination charge. We'll update this list with Hybrid pricing when it becomes available.

L: $24,395
LE: $26,725
XLE: $28,500

Hybrid S: $29,305
Hybrid SE: $30,625
Hybrid XSE: $32,400

What are the Corolla Cross' safety ratings and driver assistance features?

The Toyota Corolla Cross received an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award for the 2022 model, and there's little reason to expect it won't this year. It received "Good" marks for all crash tests. Its only blemish is an "Acceptable" score for the headlights without the "Adaptive Front Lighting System package."

The little SUV comes standard with a good range of driver aids, including everything in Toyota's TSS 3.0 suite. It has automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic high-beams road sign assist full-speed adaptive cruise control. Move up to the LE, and you get blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning and a "Safe Exit Assist" feature. The XLE adds front and rear parking sensors with automatic emergency reverse braking and grid lines to the backup camera.

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