The market is full of small crossover SUVs. Nearly every auto manufacturer has one, from mainstream all the way to luxury offerings. But unlike the vast majority of them, the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross is available with a hybrid powertrain.
Performance
Engine – At the heart of this Corolla Cross Hybrid is the same engine and electric motor powertrain that is found in the new Toyota Prius. A 2.0 L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder engine provides the bulk of the power with 150 hp & 139 lb-ft of torque (112 kW & 188 Nm). With the addition of the electric motors, total system output is 196 hp (146 kW).
In a crossover that weighs 1,510 kg (3,329 lbs), the power will not increase your heartbeat like a Dodge Challenger. But every time that you put your foot down, the speed builds up rather quickly. Before you know it, the car will be going way faster than the posted speed limit.
When you’re not driving as though your pants are on fire, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid drives like any other Toyota hybrid vehicle. The electric motors provide instant torque when setting off from a stop until about 30 km/h at which point the engine will turn on and provide the bulk of the power. Then, once you’ve reached your desired speed and ease off the throttle pedal, the engine shuts off and for brief periods, the car is propelled by electricity. The electric motors are powerful enough to provide some acceleration but generally the engine will turn on to speed up the crossover.
The Corolla Cross Hybrid also has an EV-only mode which allows for slightly faster acceleration while using electricity only, but this mode gets automatically disabled if the speed goes beyond 40-ish km/h or if you press too hard on the throttle pedal.
Fuel Economy – With the addition of the hybrid powertrain, the Corolla Cross Hybrid is an efficient compact crossover It is rated for 5.2 L/100km (45.2 MPG) in a city and 6.2 L/100km (37.9 MPG) on a highway. I managed to average 5.4 L/100km (43.5 MPG) during my time with the car.
Transmission – Like many Toyota hybrids, this crossover SUV utilizes an eCVT automatic to distribute the power. There’s nothing too spectacular about this transmission. It does its job well and it does provide some virtual gears that you can “shift” via the steering wheel mounted paddle shifters.
Braking – Some of the recharging of the battery is done by the engine while the other is done through braking. There is a “B” mode on the gear selector which provides more regen braking but this also turns on the engine and keeps it on for longer periods. However, using the brake pedal will also provide a lot of regen braking with firmer brake pedal applications seamlessly transitioning to the physical brakes.
Handling – With the addition of the electric motor powering the back wheels, the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid doesn’t struggle to get off the line when you find yourself on loose soil or snow. But don’t mistake this for some sort of TRD rally car. Once the car gets moving off the line, power is sent primarily to the front wheels. Sometimes power is sent to the rear motor around corners but this Corolla Cross Hybrid still feels and drives like a FWD compact crossover SUV. Steering is light and numb feeling, the suspension is composed around corners and over bumps but it’s no Mazda CX-30. Push the Corolla Cross Hybrid too hard into a corner and it will understeer in agony. But that’s totally fine because this car’s natural habitat is a bustling city.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – The ride of the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is adequate for most city streets. Most potholes and manhole covers don’t feel too jarry as the car drives over them. But deep potholes transfer the shunt throughout the car when a tire hits them.
Interior Space – The Corolla Cross Hybrid has enough space for front occupants. I am above average in height at 6’4” but I had no issues with legroom or headroom while driving this crossover.
I can’t say the same about the back seats though. The Corolla Cross has some of the tightest rear seats among its competitors such as the Kia Seltos. As a result, my knees were very squished behind my driving position. Headroom, however, is good with just enough for my taller stature.
In the trunk, the 2023 Corolla Cross Hybrid has just 609 L (21.5 cu-ft) of space behind the rear seats which is quite a bit less than the Seltos or new 2024 Chevy Trax. With the back seats folded, the cargo capacity increases to 1,750 L (61.8 cu-ft) which is more in line with its competitors. Under the floor you’ll find a small storage space but you won’t find a spare wheel as this hybrid model does not come with one.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – In a city environment, the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is generally quiet. It’s on highways that you notice more road noise from the tires. You’ll also be noticing the engine quite often when accelerating either from a stop or when overtaking another vehicle. It is a very noisy bugger. The transition from electric to the gasoline engine is seamless when the car is on the move. If the engine turns on while the car is stationary, at a stop light for example, the jolt of the engine starting is more noticeable. It’s not as bad as in the Mazda CX-90 PHEV but it is more noticeable than when the car is moving.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – Unfortunately the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid gets a significant price bump compared to a similarly equipped gasoline Corolla Cross. In Canada, the hybrid starts at $34,190 CAD ($29,290 USD) for the SE trim. If you want the XSE trim, it’ll cost you $37,490 CAD ($31,155 USD).
If you live in the United States, you have one more trim option for the Corolla Cross Hybrid that lowers the starting price. The Corolla Cross Hybrid S starts at $27,970 USD. These are all 2024 prices.
Gadgets – With this demo vehicle being the SE trim, it does not have every feature that is available on the Corolla Cross Hybrid. That said, it comes equipped with heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a single zone automatic climate control, an 8” touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto connectivity, push button start, keyless entry, LED headlights, and 17” alloy wheels.
Moving up to the XSE will add larger 18” wheels, a power sunroof, a power liftgate, auto dimming rearview mirror, a larger 7” driver display instead of the standard 4.2” display, 8-way power driver’s seat wrapped in SofTex upholstery, a dual-zone automatic climate control, and wireless phone charging pad.
The 2023 Corolla Cross Hybrid receives the latest iteration of Toyota infotainment system. This system may seem a bit daunting at first but after a few minutes of playing around with all of the functions, it becomes pretty easy to navigate around. Speaking of which, the built-in navigation system is subscription based. Thankfully, this new infotainment allows for wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto so that you can always use Google maps or Waze to get around.
Interior Design – The interior looks almost identical to that of the Corolla sedan. The Corolla Cross uses the same steering wheel, same climate controls, and almost the same gear selector. This crossover also uses the same plastic materials as the Corolla sedan. There are plastics everywhere in the cabin. Some of them are gloss black which means that they’ll attract and highlight dust, fingerprints and scratches.
One thing to note, the front cupholders are decently wide. But they don’t have anything to keep a cup secure. Under heavy braking or aggressive cornering, a large or extra large cup could spill over.
Exterior Design – The hybrid model receives a unique front fascia compared to the gasoline-only Corolla Cross. This crossover has black plastic cladding over the wheel arches to invoke an off-road design.
Safety – The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is equipped with standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0. This adds automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane keep, automatic high beams, and adaptive cruise control. In Canada, we also get blind spot sensors as standard.
Warranty – The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km basic and 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. The hybrid components are covered by an 8 year / 160,000 km warranty with the battery being covered for 10 years / 240,000 km.. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty, click here.
Conclusion – Overall, the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is a good crossover SUV to be used in a city on a daily basis. But with a starting price of $34,000 CAD, it is a big chunk of change. For about $2,000 CAD more, you can get into a Rav4 Hybrid. Additionally, for roughly the same price as this SE trim, you can get into a Kia Niro Hybrid. Granted, there are tradeoffs. The Niro has more features and more passenger space, especially in the rear seats, while the Corolla Cross has AWDe and a more powerful engine.
My point is, there are options out on the market that can take your money a bit further. In my opinion, the 2023 Corolla Cross Hybrid is a bit too expensive for those that just want an efficient small crossover SUV. If Toyota would offer it in one more, lower, trim level for the Canadian market and drop the starting price to around $31,000 or $32,000 CAD, then it would be worth it in my eyes.
Thank you to Toyota Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Toyota.ca
2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid Gallery
