2023 Toyota Corolla Cross GX Hybrid new car review

Australia’s favourite car brand has beefed up its range of family cars with a new fuel-sipping SUV that ticks all the boxes.

Toyota is cashing in on our love of small SUVs by sticking a familiar Corolla badge on this new higher-riding Cross version. We family test the entry-level Hybrid.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

JULES: Another new Toyota model? I’m getting confused.

IAIN: Our nation’s best-selling brand now offers eight different SUVs but this newbie has the recognisable Corolla nameplate.

JULES: But with “Cross” added. Is it just a Corolla with plastic wheel arches and higher ride height?

Jules Lucht and Iain Curry with the Toyota Corolla Cross

IAIN: Nope. It’s very different. But Toyota’s bunged a Corolla badge on so buyers feel cosy familiarity with this small SUV.

JULES: How’s it different to a Corolla hatch?

IAIN: It’s a bit longer and wider and a lot taller. The styling’s markedly different, the boot and interior are larger and they’ve given it a gutsier engine.

JULES: So where does this leave Toyota’s C-HR small SUV?

IAIN: Good point. The Corolla Cross is roomier and more conservative than the funky C-HR.

JULES: You mean it’s a bit dull?

IAIN: Er, it lacks some X-factor. I like how it looks like a jacked-up wagon.

JULES: It’s a bit beige for me I’m afraid. How much?

IAIN: You can buy purely petrol ones but everyone wants the economical hybrids for a few grand more. Ours is the entry-level hybrid: a GX 2WD for $35,500 plus on-roads.

JULES: So, $40,000 drive-away? Life’s getting expensive.

The Corolla Cross is conservatively styled.

THE LIVING SPACE

IAIN: It’s much larger inside than a normal Corolla and its seats are comfy but the cloth looks cheap.

JULES: A digital driver display is a nice surprise, and while the 8-inch infotainment screen looks stuck on rather than integrated, I love how it runs wireless Apple CarPlay. Android phones need to be plugged in.

IAIN: You can tell it’s the least expensive model. Urethane coats the steering wheel and gear shifter, the centre console and door tops are hard plastic and the arm rests are so thin my elbows hurt on long drives. Really, how much would it cost to add proper padding here?

JULES: The overall feel is basic and lacking in colour or flair. But it’s superbly laid out, functional and smart. Vintage Toyota.

THE COMMUTE

IAIN: A joy of Toyota hybrids is silent starting – just the electric motor, no petrol at all.

JULES: It has me wondering if it’s actually ready to drive.

IAIN: The hybrid battery’s small, so you only travel a few hundred metres before the four-cylinder joins in. Impressively, it fires up almost imperceptibly.

JULES: It flips between electric and petrol a lot, such as when highway coasting. I agree, it does so really smoothly.

The GX interior is basic.

IAIN: In town it beautifully soaks up bumps, but it jitters about on rough stuff at speed.

JULES: I’ve driven many cars where the lane-keep assist pulls you aggressively back into lane. Toyota has calibrated its really well; there’s a tiny tug and it almost massages you into the centre of the road. Lovely.

THE SHOPPING

JULES: The reversing camera’s below par and no parking sensors is really stingy.

IAIN: The range topping Atmos Hybrid, which is $50k drive away, has a panoramic camera, 12 sensors and self-parking. But if you need these to park you really shouldn’t have a licence.

JULES: The boot’s a decent size: it’s about double that of a Corolla hatchback.

SUNDAY RUN

IAIN: It’s not quick, but feels spritely with its electric kick and I like its smooth power delivery.

JULES: But when you gun the engine it makes a terrible, over-revvy noise.

IAIN: It’s a Corolla Cross, who’s going to be gunning it?

The hybrid system is very efficent and has plenty of oomph.

JULES: Me. There’s a “power” driving mode which I pressed but I fear it’s just decorative.

IAIN: So it’s no firecracker but Toyota knows how to set up a car to corner well. It’s an engaging country road SUV if you take things easy: well balanced, accurate steering and enduringly comfy. I’d even suggest it’s a bit fun.

THE FAMILY

JULES: I like Toyota Corollas, but its rear seats are too small for our kids. This Corolla Cross is much better. Lots of head and leg room and the seat backs have a nice recline.

IAIN: There’s loads of active safety and it all works well. It earned the maximum five-star score in independent crash tests. Parents appreciate this stuff.

JULES: It’s cheap as chips to service and I almost filled the petrol tank for just $40.

IAIN: It’s a small fuel tank, but for a reason. We returned a phenomenal 4.8L/100km and it’s happy drinking the cheapest 91 unleaded. Nobody touches Toyota for real-world hybrid frugality.

THE VERDICT

JULES: It’s a good car – nice size, drives well and feels safe but it’s too dull to make me want one. I’d pay an extra $6000 for a larger RAV4 Hybrid with its sexier looks and bigger cabin.

IAIN: Our entry-level Corolla Cross GX feels basic rental-car spec, so it’d be worth spending $4000 more on the fancier GXL. It’s not cheap, but is a good all-rounder with incredibly low running costs.

TOYOTA COROLLA CROSS GX HYBRID

PRICE: About $40,000 drive-away

WARRANTY AND SERVICING: 5 years/unlimited km warranty, $1250 for 5 years/75,000km

ENGINE: 2.0-litre 4-cyl petrol (112kW/190Nm) with electric motor giving 146kW combined.

SAFETY: Eight airbags, auto emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist monitoring, radar cruise, lane-keep and road-sign assist, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert (very good)

THIRST: 4.3L/100km

SPARE: Space saver

BOOT: 425 litres

Originally published as 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross GX Hybrid new car review