Toyota Corolla Cross Yearlong Review Arrival: Back to Basics in a Good Way

Aug 10, 2023

As the smallest and most affordable vehicles in a manufacturer's lineup, today's subcompact SUVs have to be everything for every situation. In some cases, these small crossovers will likely be the first new car some folks purchase, thanks to their relatively affordable starting prices, sensible packaging, and solid fuel economy figures.

Toyota's outgoing entry-level crossover, the C-HR, didn't quite fit the bill. Although it wore a concept-car-like design, it wasn't very quick, refined, or spacious. The new, rugged-looking Corolla Cross, effectively the now-discontinued C-HR's replacement, seeks to trade on the Corolla's good reputation as reliable transportation.

I'm spending the next year with a 2022 Corolla Cross LE to see if this subcompact SUV is a good gateway into new car ownership and perhaps more important, the Toyota brand as a whole. Namely, I'm wondering if this micro-RAV4 will be large enough to serve as a household's single car. The Corolla Cross will need to be able to haul five adults comfortably, swallow camping gear, and serve as a road trip companion.

To my delight, MotorTrend's new 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross arrived for its year-long test wearing a glittering coat of Cypress Green paint. It was delivered well equipped at the mid-tier LE trim, which sits between the base L trim and the range-topping XLE model. The value-oriented 2022 Corolla Cross LE starts at about $26,000 and comes with some crucial quality of life upgrades that make it rather appealing over the base model.

On the outside, Corolla Cross LE models receive variable windshield wipers, privacy glass, keyless entry, body-color side mirror caps, side mirror turn signals and blindspot warning indicators, and black roof rails. Mercifully, Toyota equips the standard cabin with push-button ignition, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, wireless phone charging (now optional on 2023 models), an 8.0-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and single-zone automatic climate control.

The exterior design is handsome, with a muscular SUV-like fascia and a D-pillar that clearly evokes the current-generation RAV4. We've noticed a ton of Easter eggs depicting the character lines of the Corolla Cross scattered throughout the bodywork and even in the windshield. This may be an entry-level product, but we appreciate that Toyota took steps to make it feel a little more special than a run-of-the-mill crossover.

The interior, while inoffensive, is minimalist. There aren't distinctive design accents inside the cabin, although we'll happily trade style points for our Corolla Cross' comfy cloth seats with a neat pattern on the seatback. Under the infotainment display is one USB-A port and three blanks, which serve as a reminder that a nicer interior is possible in the Corolla Cross XLE. The 12-volt port is inside the center console, so we've already bought a charger with USB-A and USB-C ports to make sure our passengers won't run out of juice. As an LE, our Corolla Cross receives an old-school 4.2-inch display in the gauge cluster; only the top-dog XLE gets the larger 7.0-inch unit. Overall, we can't complain about the clean-looking interior as it should provide a distraction-free driving experience.

Under the hood is a 2.0-liter I-4 that develops 169 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. It isn't much, but it's more powerful than the C-HR, which had a 144-hp 2.0-liter I-4. Toyota also offers the Corolla Cross with an all-wheel-drive setup, but we opted for the standard front-wheel-drive configuration. It may seem like a drawback, but we think we'll enjoy the perks of having only two driven wheels. FWD models are EPA-rated at 31/33/32 mpg city/highway/combined, whereas the AWD gets just 29/32/30 mpg. Equally important, our testing shows the FWD model is quicker, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in an acceptable 8.4 seconds instead of a glacial 9.3, making it easier for make the most of the Toyota's 169 horses.

The 2022 Corolla Cross LE comes fairly well equipped from the factory, so we didn't feel the need to go crazy with options. The $249 rubber all-weather floormats and heavy-duty cargo liner we got will surely be put to good use; we also opted for black roof rack cross bars ($299), to which we hope to eventually mount a rooftop tent. Finally, a hitch, which Toyota calls an "Activity Mount," was optioned for $399. Lastly, we added the $99 cargo cover; it's pretty easy to see what's in the trunk through the rear glass, so it would be wise to use the fold-out cover for the extra security and peace of mind. Toyota clearly feels the same way, as its now standard equipment for '23.All told, our long-term Corolla Cross LE stickers for a reasonable $27,056.

Our 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross long-termer seems well equipped to handle anything we throw at it. Our first impressions are strong and positive; it's easy to look past the Corolla Cross' innate cheapness because it offers so much value in a highly practical package. Now it's time to pile on the miles and see if we still like our green machine after thousands of miles of driving.