2022 Toyota Corolla Cross Pros vs Cons. Should You Buy?

The new 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross is yet another SUV that customers can choose from. In terms of sizing, it fits in the company's lineup in between the C-HR and the RAV4. It's compact while offering a good amount of cargo space, and it gives drivers a higher riding height than what they'd have in a typical Corolla or even many hatchbacks. This vehicle, like other Toyotas, has a comprehensive safety package as well as a solid infotainment system. It's quite practical, especially given its competitive starting price.

What's New for 2022?

This is a brand new model. While it shares part of its name with the Corolla sedan and the Corolla hatchback, it's distinct from both. With its greater size, it definitely feels like an SUV. That being said, it does have the same type of engine as seen on the Corolla hatchback and some of the Corolla trims.

Top 10 Reasons to Buy a 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross – The Pros

1. A Low Price

Finances play a major role when shopping for a new vehicle. Those on a budget will appreciate the relatively low starting price of the Corolla Cross. The base trim, which is the L, costs just over $22,000. The LE is priced a few thousand dollars above that, with the XLE being a few thousand dollars more expensive than the LE. This is all very reasonable.

2. Sips Gas

While it's not a hybrid, the Corolla Cross does well in the efficiency department. It can earn up to 33 miles per gallon on the highway and 31 miles per gallon in the city. These are great numbers that will make a lot of people happy. They can feel better about not consuming as many natural resources while driving, and at the same time, they can save money at the gas station.

3. Good Cargo Space

What the Corolla Cross isn't a large SUV, it does have an advantage over sedans and many hatchbacks. Primarily because it has a tall cabin, it's able to provide people with ample cargo space. Behind the rear seats, the cargo area has a volume of 26.5 cubic feet. That's much more than what any sedan can do in terms of trunk space. Remember, too, that the rear seats can be folded down to provide even more storage room. They fold flat to make it easier to accommodate bulky items that need to be slid in and out of the back.

4. Staying Connected

Every trim of the Corolla Cross comes with a touchscreen, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The touchscreen on the L measures seven inches, with the screens on the two other trims measuring eight inches. Making the infotainment package even better is SiriusXM. This gives passengers so many options for entertainment. Also standard is Amazon Alexa, and this program makes it convenient to use voice commands to look up information, find parking, check the news or weather, and more.

5. Can Be Used for Towing

The Corolla Cross can come with towing equipment, and it can haul up to 1,500 pounds. It's certainly not cut out for extremely heavy tasks, but it can be useful when people have to pull a small trailer on occasion. Some like to take road trips with extra gear, for instance, and the Corolla Cross would be up to that task.

6. Senses Issues

Toyota has given the Corolla Cross many driver-assist systems that can continually watch out for issues and help mitigate problematic situations. Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 is built into every one of these SUVs. The pre-collision system comes with pedestrian detection, and the lane departure alert program includes steering assist to keep the vehicle centered. Other standard components are lane tracing assist, adaptive cruise control, road sign assist, and automatic high beams. The top two trims have blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, and the highest trim has braking assist, too.

7. Solid Capability

For a vehicle of this size, having 169 horsepower is more than decent. The SUV runs on a 2.0-liter engine with four cylinders, and the engine does a pretty good job with accelerating. All-wheel drive is available across the lineup, and having power sent to all four wheels can enhance traction considerably when the road conditions are poor.

8. LED Lights

A set of LED lights makes this SUV look modern and upscale. Every trim has LED projector low- and high-beams. As mentioned previously, the high beams are automatic. The SUV comes standard with LED stop lights, too. The XLE trim, at the top of the pack, has LED front signals, LED fog lights, and LED Daytime Running Lights.

9. Comfortable Seating

The Corolla Cross is a comfortable vehicle to ride in, at least in the front row. Seats can be trimmed in fabric or SofTex. SofTex is a synthetic material that looks fairly upscale and is easy to clean. The front seats can be heated, and the driver's seat can be a ten-way power-adjustable seat with lumbar support.

10. Convenient Features

Toyota has put in a lot of helpful components into this model. While they're not necessary by any means, they can certainly be useful and appreciated. The LE and XLE trims have a smart key system and push button start. With this system, someone can touch the sensors on either of the front doors or liftgate in order to unlock them, as long as the key fob is in close proximity. In addition, there can be heated side mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and an overhead console on the Corolla Cross.

Reasons Not to Buy a 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross – The Cons

1. Only Three Trims

Toyota has given customers just three trims to think about with the new Corolla Cross. That's really not a lot, especially considering that some other Toyotas come in more than six or seven trims. For the regular Corolla sedan, there are nine available trims. A hybrid version of the Corolla Cross is in the works, so when this is available, there will be many more options.

2. No Other Engine Choice

With this model, there's no opportunity to get a turbocharged engine or a larger one that packs more of a punch. People are stuck with the one engine, and while it's perfectly sufficient, it's not that thrilling. Some customers love the idea of pushing their vehicles to the limits and need ones that can haul heavy trailers and climb hills while weighed down with cargo. These people might not be interested in what the Corolla Cross has to offer.

3. A Bit Basic

Many have high expectations these days in regards to vehicle amenities. For them, the Corolla Cross might not meet their standards. For instance, only one trim has heated front seats, and ventilated front seats are not available. Some of the things that are becoming more common, like a heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and a moonroof, also are not part of the Corolla Cross's package.

4. Small Second Row

The back seat of the Corolla Cross only has 32 inches of leg room. Taller passengers might not be that comfortable in the second row and will likely be clamoring for a spot alongside the driver.

How It Stacks Up to the Competition:

2022 Toyota Corolla Cross vs 2022 Toyota Corolla Hatchback

It makes sense to pair the Toyota Corolla Cross with the Corolla Hatchback in a head-to-head matchup. After all, they're kind of like siblings.

The Corolla Cross is available with all-wheel drive, while the Corolla Hatchback is not. The other differences have to do with dimensions. The Corolla Cross is a bit longer, noticeably taller, and a little wider than the Corolla Hatchback is. It has three more inches of ground clearance, too.

Rear-seat passengers in the Corolla Hatchback really don't have that much space, as there is less than 30 inches of leg room. The Corolla Cross isn't that large, but it manages to have a few more inches of leg room than the hatchback version does. Finally, the Corolla Cross comes with about 26 cubic feet of cargo space in the back, which is much greater than the 17.8 cubic feet of cargo volume that's found in the Corolla Hatchback.

2022 Toyota Corolla Cross vs 2022 Honda HR-V

Honda's HR-V is a compact SUV that doesn't have as much power as the Corolla Cross does, having only 141 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque. It has less ground clearance than the Toyota does, by about two inches. Also, it's rear cargo area is a little smaller than the one in the Corolla Cross. Further, the base trim of the HR-V doesn't have smartphone compatibility, and the first two HR-V trims don't have driver-assist technologies.

Conclusion

The Corolla Cross is going to be a competitor because of its affordable price, practical size, and impressive technology. Clearly, many consumers love SUVs, and the Corolla Cross should be able to interest those who prefer something on the smaller size. Toyota has built a loyal following because it focuses on reliability, safety, and technology, and these are areas in which the Corolla Cross shines.