Toyota Corolla Cross: nice-driving, comfortable

• Published date: 24 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

With the rush by manufacturers to meet the need for more crossover Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), there's enough volume for them to come up with their unique take on the segment. Something quirky, different; perhaps a bit weird.

The 2023 Corolla Cross is none of those things. From the conservative exterior to the monotone interior, Toyota's little SUV doesn't reach out and grab you to make a first impression. But, spend some time with one and you'll find a comfortable, capable partner available at a compelling price.

It almost feels a bit derivative for Toyota to call its littlest SUV the Corolla Cross, milking nearly 60 years worth of name recognition for small, value-oriented motoring. But the Corolla Cross is very much a bigger, taller version of the stoic Corolla, and for that reason, you have to respect the no-nonsense nomenclature here.

That said, for a crossover SUV that shares so much with the sedan, on the outside, there's very little visual to connect the two. It starts up front with a tall, dark grille that itself sits on top of more dark material, some black plastic cladding that runs all the way around the car, forming the lower extents of the fenders, rocker panels, and rear bumper. This gives the car a slightly chunky, vaguely rugged look that's necessary for this segment. The total price for the car is $32,718, including a $1,215 destination charge.

The blocky fender flares help in that regard, too, highlighting the rear tail-lights, which stand out from the receding flanks of the car. A tiny spoiler mounted on the top of the hatch gives only the tiniest of sporting pretensions, mounted just aft of the only real bit of visual flare: a tiny chrome badge that says 'Corolla Cross.'

All that cladding on the front, back, and sides pairs well with the Blue Crush Metallic paint, a colour that, like the rest of the car, is pretty straightforward.

While the outside of the Corolla Cross doesn't share too much with its namesake, it's a completely different story on the inside. The interior is an almost identical clone of that found in the Corolla hatch and sedan. Mind you, that's not a bad thing. Surely it helps keep the cost down, but regardless it's a nicely laid-out and well-made space.

The dash is a combination of simple, clean shapes of soft-touch plastics embossed with an unfortunate faux leather pattern, complete with pretend to stitch. With so many premium manufacturers like Volvo and Mercedes-Benz going out of their way to offer vegan interiors...