Should You Buy a 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross?

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• The 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross retails from $25,210 in the United States and from $29,835 in Canada, freight and delivery charges included.

• Good interior space, great fuel economy, strong value.

• Rear seatbacks don’t recline, no heated rear seats or ventilated front seats, unimpressive audio system.

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The 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross battles a dozen other crossovers in the subcompact category, but it’s got a couple of advantages in its favour. First of all, it wears a Corolla badge, a nameplate that is synonymous for reliability, efficiency and value. Second, it’s available with a hybrid powertrain.

After a slow sales start, maybe because of lack of inventory or because the Toyota RAV4 is not all that more expensive, the Corolla Cross is selling in greater numbers. After the second quarter of 2024, it ranked among the top five best-selling subcompacts in both the United States and Canada.

For the 2024 model year, the Corolla Cross is available in a new Nightshade Edition, based on the Hybrid SE variant. It features 18-inch glossy black alloy wheels, a roof rack, blacked-out headlight and taillight bezels, black door handles and mirror caps, a rear lip spoiler as well as black and red cloth seat upholstery with red contrast stitching. The Hybrid SE and Hybrid XSE add wireless phone charging. There are no significant changes for the Canadian-market Corolla Cross.

Is its success based on its name alone? Of course not. It’s equipped with a naturally aspirated 2.0L four-cylinder engine that develops 169 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque, managed by a continuously variable automatic transmission, with front-wheel drive appearing as standard and all-wheel drive as an option. Not a particularly exciting powertrain, but it gets the job done and is among the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid models in its category.

Meanwhile, the 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid also gets a 2.0L four, but it’s assisted by an electric propulsion motor and an electronically controlled continuously variable automatic. Combined output is rated at 196 horsepower and 152 pound-feet. A little more exciting, not exhilarating, but this setup is noticeably more efficient. The most efficient subcompact crossover without a plug, actually.

Engine	Drivetrain	City/Highway/Combined MPG	City/Highway/Combined L/100 km
2.0L I4	FWD	31/33/32	7.6/7.2/7.4
2.0L I4	AWD	29/31/30	8.1/7.5/7.8
Hybrid 2.0L I4	AWD	45/38/42	5.2/6.2/5.6

 

During our winter test of a Corolla Cross with the non-hybrid engine, we managed a decent average of 25 mpg or 9.3 L/100 km.

The U.S. lineup consists of the L, LE, XLE, Hybrid S, Hybrid SE, Hybrid Nightshade Edition and Hybrid XSE, while the Canadian market gets L, LE, LE Premium, XLE, Hybrid SE and Hybrid XSE, with only the base two trims available with front-wheel drive.

Pricing ranges from $25,210 to $32,755 in the United States and from $29,835 to $39,820 in Canada, freight and delivery charges included. That’s not bad, considering what the competition charges for their equivalent crossovers, and the hybrid variants, while costlier, remain affordable.

The 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross competes with the Buick Encore GX, the Chevrolet Traiblazer, the Dodge Hornet, the Honda HR-V, the Hyundai Kona, the Kia Niro, the Kia Seltos, the Mazda CX-30, the MINI Countryman, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport/RVR, the Subaru Crosstrek and the Volkswagen Taos. The new-generation, 2025 Nissan Kicks will also join the segment as it moves up in size and price, not to mention offering AWD unlike the previous generation.

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Why You Should Buy a 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross

• Fuel economy is pretty good, no matter which engine buyers choose. It’s among the best in its class for the non-hybrid Corolla Cross, while the gas-electric variants are unbeatable for sipping gasoline.
• The Corolla Cross ranks among the best for cargo space, despite the rear seatbacks not folding completely flat. Volume in non-hybrid variants is rated at up to 25.5 cubic feet or 680 litres with the rear seatbacks in place, and 61.8 cubic feet or 1,750 litres with the seatbacks folded. The Corolla Cross Hybrid offers 21.5 cubic feet or 609 litres with the rear seats upright. Although rear-seat legroom seems low on paper, the high seat cushions help being comfortable back there.
• The crossover handles well, thanks to its rigid structure that it shares with Toyota’s other small to midsize models.
• The Corolla Cross is reasonably priced, in line with its competition in the subcompact crossover category. The hybrid variants aren’t too costly either.

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Why You Shouldn’t Buy a 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross

• The list of available comfort and convenience features is fairly long, but heated rear seats and ventilated front seats don’t figure on said list. Not even as options. Many competitors offer these items.
• All Corolla Cross units are equipped with an eight-inch infotainment system touchscreen as well as Apple Carplay/Android Auto integration. However, the base six-speaker audio system doesn’t sound all that great, with a somewhat muffled output. We recommend audiophiles upgrade to the nine-speaker JBL stereo, which is available as an option on all U.S.-market variants except the base L. Unfortunately, in Canada, only the top-shelf Hybrid XSE offers the JBL system.
• The rear seatbacks don’t recline, so occupants might not feel as comfy as they’d like over longer trips. Ride quality could also be better, which also diminishes overall comfort for everyone.
• The hybrid variants may be affordable, but the RAV4 Hybrid variants are only about $3,000 more expensive in addition to being bigger and more versatile, and barely less fuel-efficient.

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Final Word

The 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross isn’t a particularly exciting product. Then again, neither are the Corolla sedan and hatchback, for that matter, if we exclude the hot-rod GR Corolla. Toyota’s subcompact crossover isn’t the most spacious, either, or the most attractive. However, it delivers on all the rational criterion we except from such a vehicle, with a good amount of space for everyone and their belongings, good reliability and resale value so far, and excellent value. It’s also a fuel-miser if that’s one of our most important purchase factors.