Toyota Corolla Cross Review

We’re in an age right now where everything is senselessly overcomplicated. And therefore all these things are senselessly pricey, confusing, and irritating… with less longevity. We’ve far surpassed what we need to get the job done. And if you can relate to that – you’ll probably see an appeal in the Toyota Corolla Cross. It just works!

Admittedly, before I drove the Corolla Cross, I didn’t quite ‘get it’. It seemed repetitive in the Toyota lineup. I mean – Toyota has the Corolla, and they also have the Rav4. Did there really need to be something in-between? God’s honest truth, at a glance, I still can’t tell the difference between a Corolla Cross & a Rav4 lol.

But when I first drove the Corolla Cross…

I immediately felt the soothing satisfaction of simplicity & functionality. The Corolla Cross is easy to hop in & run around. It’s easy to maneuver. Light on it’s toes, versus heavy on its feet.

The Corolla Cross feels ‘more’ than a Corolla sedan or hatchback. Meaning – more spacious, more versatile, & less restricted. You feel a sense of value in the Corolla Cross. Like you somehow got more for your money than you should’ve.

And in comparison to the Rav4 – I don’t think the Corolla Cross gives up much, if anything really. Yeah – the Corolla Cross might initially seem repetitive in the Toyota lineup, but it hits at an absolute sweet spot that you probably didn’t even know was there.

This Corolla Cross came equipped with AWD…

That means it’s prepared for the seasons, and it’s not gonna get sketchy at the first sight of rough weather. If I had someone I love say going off to college… I wouldn’t hesitate to put them in a Corolla Cross. Unless they wanted a GR Corolla. In which case I’d pat myself on the back for my kickass parenting success & put them in a GR Corolla with an allowance for mods. But back to the Cross – the Corolla Cross is very fuel efficient. 30MPG without having to lean on hybrid tech… and those subsequent hybrid costs, complications, and weight. Why overcomplicate things? That’s the trap of today’s world… and the Corolla Cross doesn’t fall into it.

The only thing I hate (sorry – strongly dislike)…

Is the CVT transmission. Not just in the Corolla Cross, but in any car. Yes, CVTs are the new normal. No, that does not make them ok. Personally, just about any car with a CVT is off my list. In my opinion, it makes an otherwise nice vehicle feel like a Chinese scooter. There’s nothing good there, and I can’t figure out why car companies are normalizing them. Probably for efficiency… and/or cost savings. Either way – it’s not worth it. I think the CVT is part of the reason why the Corolla Cross feels a little alarmingly slow at times when you need some response. And I’d rather listen to a 2nd grade class with kazoos than the sound of a CVT struggling for power.

But when it comes to value & versatility, good luck beating the Corolla Cross.

This particular car was decked-out with all the options, and still stickered at 32.9k. That means in the real world, you can probably find one like this for just under 30k loaded. And if you strip it down to the base model but keep AWD, I bet you find one for low/mid 20s. If we’re being honest, the Corolla Cross should be a forgettable car… yet it left an impression on me.