2021 Toyota Corolla Cross is a new affordable SUV likely headed to America

Hard on the heels of the Yaris Cross Toyota introduced the Corolla Cross 2021 in Thailand. The name is pretty self-explanatory: the Corolla Cross is essentially a crossover version of the Flower crown, Slotting into the same equivalent size class.

The Corolla Cross’s body shape is pretty similar to the RAV4, with an upright look and an almost identical greenhouse, but it has a striking front end with angry headlights and a large, black-framed grille that reminds me of a pug’s nose, if more flattering. I particularly like the Fender Flare treatment, which reminds me of box-shaped rally cars from the 1980s such as the Lancia Delta Integrale. The RAV4 similarities continue in the rear, where the Corolla Cross has thin taillights and a bumper with black trim and an artificial underride protection plate.

The Corolla Cross also looks familiar on the inside, with a dashboard that has been largely adopted from the regular Corolla models. The center console is more upright and has a 9-inch touchscreen Apple CarPlay sits on the dashboard. The Corolla Cross is available with electric front seats, two-zone automatic climate control, an electric tailgate, a 360-degree camera system and Toyota’s comprehensive safety sense suite with driver assistance functions.

According to Toyota, the Corolla Cross runs on the TNGA-C platform, the same TNGA variant as the Corolla sedan and hatchback, the Prius, the C-HR and the Lexus UX. The wheelbase of the Corolla Cross is identical to that of the C-HR, but a total of three inches longer and a few inches higher. If you compare your freight numbers in the Thai market with the C-HR numbers in the US market, the Corolla Cross seems to have less cargo space, but this could be due to different dimensions – the Corolla seems to have more cargo space than the C -MR. and certainly more space for rear passengers.

In Thailand, the Corolla Cross will come as standard with front-wheel drive and a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with 140 hp and 129 pound-feet of torque, almost identical numbers to the engine we get in the Corolla hatch and sedan in the USA . There is an available hybrid powertrain with a total of 122 hp, which is also almost identical to that in ours Corolla Hybrid. Four-wheel drive is not available despite the Corolla Cross’s increased ground clearance and sturdy appearance, but Toyota boasts of a smooth ride and good entry and exit.

Toyota says the Corolla Cross will go on sale in Thailand first, with more markets to follow, and a spokesman for Toyota USA told us that no decision has yet been made to sell in America. But unlike the tiny Yaris Cross, getting this new SUV across the pond seems a breeze. Car and driver reports state that the name is already registered as a trademark in the United States and was part of a leaked US product roadmap. It would fill the gap between the C-HR and the RAV4 in the Toyota crossover lineup and compete against greats like Hyundai Kona, Kia Seltos and Mazda CX-30.