Toyota has announced details of its Corolla Cross model, which is due to arrive in Ireland in late 2022. Although the Corolla Cross has been sold in other markets for some time, this is the first time it'll have been seen in Europe, and the styling and powertrain options have been tweaked to European tastes.
Size and safety
Size-wise, the Corolla Cross will sit above Toyota's Yaris Cross and CH-R models but below the RAV4, making it a strong competitor for the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Tiguan.
The interior is a simple, straightforward affair featuring a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.5-inch infotainment screen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring. The digital cluster can also be used for navigation purposes meaning that the driver doesn't have to look at the central infotainment screen for information as to where they're going. Boot space is quoted at 487 litres.
A number of new driver assistance and safety technologies are installed as part of the Toyota Safety Sense package including collision avoidance systems, intersection turn assistance, a blind-spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking and a whole host of other safety systems.
Additionally, Toyota says that the Corolla Cross will feature improved versions of functions seen on other models such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and road sign recognition. All of these will be kept up to date periodically via over-the-air updates.
Hybrid options
The Corolla Cross will be available as a hybrid model only in Ireland, and two versions will be available, both using a 2.0-litre petrol engine and developing, with the hybrid system, 197hp. Those two versions will consist of a front-wheel-drive model and an all-wheel-drive one. The latter uses a 30.6kW electric motor on the rear axle to provide the all-wheel drive, but the power of the engine has been stepped down, so it still produces the same 197hp as the front-wheel-drive version. Both can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds.
Toyota says that its fifth-generation hybrid system has been improved making it smoother, while the batteries providing power for the hybrid drive are now 40 per cent lighter than in other, older models.
When is the Corolla Cross arriving in Ireland?
The company has confirmed that the Corolla Cross will arrive in Ireland in late 2022. While pricing hasn't yet been announced, considering where it's due to sit in Toyota's line-up, expect something starting from around the €35,000 mark.