2021 Toyota Corolla Cross Is Stirring Up The Crossover Party

The 2021 Toyota Corolla Cross is what you get if you blend a Corolla with the CH-R – or is it the other way around? Nevertheless, the all-new Corolla Cross was recently unveiled in Thailand. According to the Japanese carmaker, the Thais will have a first dab at the new Corolla Cross this year while other markets will follow soon.

"Now that Corolla Cross has newly joined the Corolla family, we sincerely hope that our customers will warmly welcome the vehicle to become part of their families: just like their partners, siblings, or even friends," said Daizo Kameyama, Chief Engineer of the Toyota Corolla Cross.

However, specific details are scarce at the moment, but we do know a thing or two about Toyota's newest high-riding Corolla. For starters, the Corolla Cross is underpinned by the Toyota New Global Architecture platform, or TNGA-C to be specific. It's the same chassis underneath the Toyota Prius, CH-R crossover, Lexus UX, and of course, the new Corolla sedan and hatchback.

Right off the bat, the new Corolla Cross eerily resembles the Mazda CX-5 with its gaping front grille and slim headlight design. Unsurprisingly, the Corolla Cross shares the same 2,640mm (103.9-inches) wheelbase as the CH-R, but it slots nicely in between the CH-R and RAV4 in terms of overall size.

Toyota's newest Corolla Cross measures 4,460mm (175.6-inches) in length and is 1,825mm (71.9-inches) wide. The Cross is wider, but a standard Corolla sedan is longer and has a longer wheelbase in this regard.

But since we're talking about a crossover, the new Corolla Cross is marginally taller at 1,620mm (63.8-inches) compared to the sedan version. Despite being shorter than a Corolla sedan, Toyota promises a spacious cabin, class-leading luggage space, and enhanced practicality. "We wish the Corolla Cross could assist customers in creating a new story by loading on the vehicle the people who are important to them, the luggage, and their dreams for the future," added Kameyama.

The ASEAN-market Corolla Cross is powered by Toyota's 2ZR-FBE 1.8-liter four-banger with 140 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via a standard CVT automatic gearbox.

The biggest news is the availability of a hybrid version. Equipped with a 600-volt electric motor producing 72 horsepower and 120 pound-feet of torque, the Corolla Cross hybrid also comes with a 1.8-liter mill with 98 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. If you do the math, the Corolla Cross Hybrid can theoretically produce a total output of 170 horsepower and 225 pound-feet of torque.

It produces more power than a Corolla SE and XLE (equipped with a larger 2.0-liter gasoline motor), and it's also more powerful than a Corolla Hybrid. The Corolla Cross Hybrid is also equipped with a Super CVT-i transmission. But unlike the Corolla Hybrid with an advanced multi-link rear suspension, the Cross version makes do with a standard torsion-beam setup.

So, what do you think? Do you fancy the new Toyota Corolla Cross?