The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Successful RAV4 styling inspiration
- Hybrid hits 42 mpg
- Great standard safety tech
- Good infotainment
Dislikes
- Dull gas-only acceleration
- Seats need more padding
- Might lean too heavily on RAV4
Buying tip
features & specs
Toyota combines RAV4 styling and Prius efficiency in the 2024 Corolla Cross.
What kind of car is the 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross? What does it compare to?
With the 2024 Corolla Cross, Toyota takes the Corolla’s economy-car roots and upsizes it into a petite crossover. Rivals include the Kia Niro, Hyundai Kona, Subaru Crosstrek, and Honda HR-V.
Is the 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross a good car?
Yes. It isn’t a leader in any area, but it offers good safety credentials and a comfortable ride. It earns a TCC Rating of 6.0 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross?
This year, the Corolla Cross Hybrid gets a Nightshade Edition, with distinctive styling that mirrors other Toyota Nightshade models. The Corolla Cross Hybrid also gets an updated wireless smartphone charging pad in all but the base trim.
Otherwise, the Corolla Cross carries over, with its mini RAV4 vibes intact. Styling is a little softer and stubbier than the bestselling compact crossover, but some styling cues, like the tapered roof pillars and wheels framed in angles, bring a family reunion feel. It’s familiar inside, too, featuring a wide touchscreen display, a thoughtfully organized dashboard, and plastic trim that’s a little nicer than many competitors provide at this price point.
Performance is mediocre, particularly from the straight gas model, with just 169 hp from the 2.0-liter inline-4 and CVT. Front-wheel drive comes standard, and makes for a better ride and smoother handling than the available all-wheel drive version.
The Hybrid model is similar to the Prius, with two electric motors up front and another found at the rear, for a combined 196 hp and all-wheel drive. It’s capable of an 8.0-second 0-60 mph run and EPA ratings of 42 mpg combined.
The Corolla Cross has a wheelbase that’s just a couple inches shorter than a RAV4, though the body is about a half-foot shorter. While front passengers get great space, the rear passengers might be clamoring for the extra legroom in the larger RAV4, and the rear bench will be snug with three across. The front seats could use better padding and support, although the driver enjoys a good seating position and there’s good headroom.
The Toyota Corolla Cross gets the Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, and though the NHTSA hasn’t awarded an overall rating, the Corolla Cross scored four stars in the frontal crash test and five stars in the rollover test. Standard safety features include active lane control, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and headlights with automatic high beams. Toyota includes blind-spot monitors on most versions above the base trims.
How much does the 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross cost?
The base L starts at about $25,000. That includes cloth upholstery, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and USB-C ports. All-wheel drive costs $1,300 more for gas models. Another $2,000 or so and you can upgrade to the LE, which brings wireless device charging. The XLE is about $29,000. The Hybrid lineup starts at about $30,000 and includes all-wheel drive, a sport suspension system, and LED lighting.
Toyota backs the 2024 Corolla Cross lineup with a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty that includes scheduled maintenance for two years or 24,000 miles.
Where is the 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross made?
Toyota builds the Corolla Cross in a shared plant with Mazda in Huntsville, Alabama.
2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Styling
The Corolla Cross wears its scaled-down RAV4 lines well.
Is the Toyota Corolla Cross a good-looking car?
It is. We award a 6 for styling, thanks to the exterior’s successful use of the larger RAV4’s lines and creases.
Toyota draws a clear connection between the Corolla Cross and its larger sibling, and the distinctive wheel arches and pillars are a good fit on the shorter profile. Slim LED lighting, pronounced fenders, and a mailbox-shaped grille give the Corolla Cross some flair of its own, and overall, the styles mesh well and help elevate the look above the standard Corolla.
Most hybrid models look almost the same, though the front end treatment is slightly different with an EV-like upper grille panel and a black roof for a two-tone look. The hybrid-only Nightshade Edition adds darker front and rear lighting, 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels, black mirrors and door handles, black badging, an integrated rear lip spoiler, a roof rack, and black and red interior upholstery.
Aside from the special Hybrid Nightshade interior trim, most Corolla Cross models look pretty much the same inside, with more RAV4-inspired layout and design. It’s simple, logical, and uncluttered, with the touchscreen breaking up the expanse of dash. Most trims wear black and gray, with some beige thrown in the mix for variety.
2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Performance
More Corolla than Cross, this Toyota delivers average performance.
The 2024 Corolla Cross does its job perfectly well, but doesn’t harbor any ambition. It rates a 5.
Is the Toyota Corolla Cross 4WD?
It can be. All-wheel drive is available across the lineup and comes standard on the Corolla Cross Hybrid. That version uses power from the electric motors to drive the rear wheels.
How fast is the Toyota Corolla Cross?
Not at all, though the Hybrid model has better acceleration than the regular model. Toyota fits the gas-only model with its ubiquitous 2.0-liter inline-4 that makes a modest 169 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. Whatever the drive type, front- or all-wheel, the Corolla Cross struggles through passes and elevation changes.
The Hybrid also gets a 2.0-liter inline-4, rated for 150 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque, though the lithium-ion battery pack, planetary-gear hybrid system, and electric motors yield a net 196 hp and 152 lb-ft. It’s peppier around town and can beat the non-hybrid in the 0-60 mph run by more than a second.
The Corolla Cross can tow up to 1,500 pounds and has up to 8.2 inches of ground clearance.
Front-drive models get a simple twist-beam rear suspension system, and surprisingly deliver smoother handling than the suspension found in all-wheel-drive models. With a rear multi-link suspension system, AWD models can feel too firm on rough pavement, especially with optional 18-inch wheels. Though we recommend the hybrid in general, if you’re sticking with the gas-only model, keep it simple with front-wheel drive.
Don’t expect satisfying feedback from the electric power steering system. It’s barely there at low speeds, barely adequate at highway speeds, and suffers from extreme understeer in corners and curves.
2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Comfort & Quality
The Toyota Corolla Cross treats cargo better than rear passengers.
Generous cargo space boosts the Corolla Cross lineup above average, though seating and interior space don’t merit any points. That’s a 6 here.
The 2024 Corolla Cross, just 6.0 inches shorter than the RAV4, offers up plenty of space for front riders and cargo, but rear passengers will feel the squeeze. Both rows of seats lack adequate support, and the front seats particularly disappoint in terms of lumbar support. You’ll need to step up to the XSE trim for synthetic leather upholstery, power adjustment, and better support.
The second row offers plenty of headroom for two larger adults, though the middle seat is a tight squeeze for a third, and legroom falls short. There’s 24.6 cubic feet for cargo behind the second row (though the Corolla Cross Hybrid claws back three of those cubes) and the seats fold down to open up 65.0 total cubic feet (or 61.8 for the hybrid). With all-wheel drive and a sunroof, those figures will vary slightly.
The Corolla Cross cuts corners in terms of aesthetics rather than function. Base versions have a stripped-down climate display that doesn’t show numbers, trim pieces to cover where optional features might be, and some bare metal exposed in the cargo area. It’s not appealing, but at least it doesn’t sacrifice quality.
2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Safety
Corolla Cross testing isn’t yet complete, but so far it inspires confidence.
How safe is the Toyota Corolla Cross?
The IIHS awards the Top Safety Pick+ rating and Good scores in all six crash tests. The NHTSA hasn’t completed testing, but awarded four stars in the frontal crash test and five stars in the rollover test. It’s a 7, factoring in its excellent safety tech and the TSP+.
Toyota supplies adaptive cruise control, active lane control,automatic emergency braking, and automatic high-beam headlights across the lineup. The LE gets blind-spot monitors and the XLE gets rear cross-traffic braking and parking sensors.
2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Features
You won’t find extravagance, but the Toyota Corolla Cross is loaded with basics.
We award an 8 here, with points for standard features, good infotainment, and overall competitive value. However, the 3-year/36,000-mile warranty with 2-year/24,000-mile scheduled maintenance is just average and there are few options.
The 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross L starts at about $25,000. It includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen display, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a wifi hotspot, LED headlights, and cloth upholstery. All-wheel drive costs another $1,300 or so. The LE adds wireless charging, and the XLE ups the ante with a power-adjustable driver’s seat and heated front seats. Options on some trims include a power tailgate and a sunroof.
Which Toyota Corolla Cross should I buy?
We’d spend about $30,000 for the Corolla Cross Hybrid in base S trim, with all-wheel drive and a good list of standard equipment.
How much is a fully loaded Toyota Corolla Cross?
The Corolla Cross Hybrid in XSE trim will run about $33,000 with the Convenience package, and gets synthetic leather upholstery, heated front seats, and a 10-way power driver’s seat, adaptive headlights, and JBL audio.
2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Fuel Economy
Hybrid models make the Toyota Corolla Cross a frugal choice.
Is the Toyota Corolla Cross good on gas?
Non-hybrid versions are OK, but the Corolla Cross Hybrid is a smart pick. With front-wheel drive, the base gas version is rated for 31 mpg city, 33 highway, 32 combined by the EPA, and the all-wheel drive version drops to 29/32/30 mpg. That’s good for a 4 here, though if hybrid versions become the primary seller, our score will increase.
It’s worth noting that the non-hybrid Corolla Cross isn’t much more efficient than larger crossovers like the Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4.
The Corolla Cross Hybrid rates at a much better 45/38/42 mpg regardless of configuration.