Because the smallest and most reasonably priced instruments in a producer’s assortment, today’s subcompact SUVs all the things must be for each event. In some instances, these small crossovers will seemingly be the primary new automotive some folks purchase, because of their comparatively reasonably priced beginning worth, affordable packaging and stable gas financial system figures.

Toyota’s outgoing entry-level crossover, the C-HR, did not fairly match the invoice. Regardless of having an idea car-like design, it wasn’t very quick, refined or roomy. New, solid looking Corolla Crosssuccessfully C-HR no longer producedThe alternative is making an attempt to commerce utilizing Corolla’s good fame as dependable transport.

I’ll spend the subsequent yr with the 2022 Corolla Cross LE and see if this subcompact SUV is an efficient gateway to proudly owning a brand new automotive, and maybe extra importantly, toyota brand as an entire. So, I am questioning if this micro-RAV4 will likely be sufficiently big to function a house’s solely automotive. The Corolla Cross will want to have the ability to comfortably carry 5 adults, swallow tenting gear and function a highway journey companion.

to my style Motor Pattern‘s new 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross has arrived in a shimmering Cypress Inexperienced paint end for its year-long take a look at. It was delivered well-equipped with mid-range LE {hardware} that falls between the bottom L trim and the top-of-the-line XLE mannequin. The worth-focused 2022 Corolla Cross LE begins at round $26,000 and comes with some key quality-of-life upgrades that make it fairly engaging over the bottom mannequin.

On the surface, Corolla Cross LE fashions get variable windshield wipers, privateness glass, keyless entry, body-colored aspect mirror caps, aspect mirror flip alerts and blind spot warning indicators, and black roof rails. Luckily, Toyota equips the usual cabin with push-button ignition, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, wi-fi cellphone charging (now non-compulsory on 2023 fashions), an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and single-zone automated air con. management.

The outside is good-looking, with a muscular SUV-like fascia and D-pillar. current generation RAV4. We observed a ton of Easter eggs depicting the character traces of the Corolla Cross scattered all through the physique and even on the windshield. This can be an entry-level product, however we recognize Toyota taking steps to make it really feel slightly extra particular than an everyday crossover.

The inside is minimalist, if not offensive. There aren’t any distinctive design accents contained in the cabin, however we would be glad to commerce the type factors for our Corolla Cross’s snug material seats with a neat sample on the backrest. Under the infotainment display screen is a USB-A port and three areas, reminding {that a} extra lovely inside is feasible within the Corolla Cross XLE. The 12 volt port is inside the middle console, so we purchased a charger with USB-A and USB-C ports to ensure our passengers by no means run out of energy. As an LE, our Corolla Cross has an old-school 4.2-inch show within the instrument cluster; solely the very best XLE will get the bigger 7.0-inch unit. General, we won’t complain concerning the clean-looking inside, because it ought to present a distraction-free driving expertise.

Beneath the hood is a 2.0-liter I-4 creating 169 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. Not a lot, however extra highly effective than the C-HR, which has a 144 hp 2.0-liter I-4. Toyota additionally presents the Corolla Cross with all-wheel drive, however we opted for the usual front-wheel drive configuration. It could appear to be a downside, however we predict we’ll solely get the advantages of getting two pushed wheels. FWD fashions have an EPA score of 31/33/32 mpg metropolis/freeway/mixed, whereas AWD solely will get 29/32/30 mpg. Equally essential, our exams present that the FWD mannequin is quicker, accelerating from 0 to 100 km/h in an appropriate 8.4 seconds quite than an icy 9.3 seconds, making it straightforward to get essentially the most out of Toyota’s 169 horses.

The 2022 Corolla Cross LE comes fairly properly geared up from the manufacturing unit, so we did not really feel the necessity to go loopy with the choices. The $249 all-weather rubber mats we now have and the heavy-duty cargo ship will definitely be put to good use; we additionally selected black roof rack cross bars ($299), which we hope will finally mount a roof tent. Lastly, a hitch that Toyota calls the “Exercise Mount” is non-compulsory for $399. Lastly, we added the $99 cargo cowl; It is fairly straightforward to see what’s within the trunk by the rear window, so it is clever to make use of the folding cowl for additional safety and peace of thoughts. Toyota clearly feels the identical approach as its now customary gear for the ’23. All for an inexpensive $27,056 of our long-term Corolla Cross LE stickers.

Our 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross long-term automobile appears to be like properly geared up to deal with something we throw at it. Our first impressions are robust and constructive; It is simple to depart the Corolla Cross’s innate cheapness behind, because it presents a lot worth in a extremely sensible package deal. Now’s the time to avoid wasting up the miles and see if we nonetheless love our inexperienced machine after hundreds of miles of driving.

Present All ↓