2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid Review and Test Drive
Excelling in utility and efficiency.
Perry Stern
Review QuickTakes:
When the Prius arrived in showrooms more than 20 years ago, it made Toyota one of the first manufacturers to bring a hybrid vehicle to the United States. So it's safe to say the Japanese automaker knows something about building hybrids. Since that first Prius, there have been considerable advancements in hybrid technology, and they're evident in the company's latest gas-electric offering, the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.
Toyota introduced the Corolla Cross for the 2022 model year, and the hybrid version joined the lineup for 2023. Slotted below the larger RAV4 Hybrid in the company's lineup, the Corolla Cross Hybrid is a small crossover SUV with seating for five and standard all-wheel drive. Equipped with Toyota's latest hybrid powertrain system and boasting an impressive list of standard features, the Corolla Cross Hybrid aims to deliver on performance, utility, and fuel economy.
Perry Stern
Now that the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid has been discontinued, the powertrain of the Corolla Cross Hybrid helps it stand out against competitors like the Hyundai Kona, Ford Bronco Sport, and Honda HR-V. Of course, attractive pricing doesn't hurt either. The 2023 Corolla Cross Hybrid comes in S, SE, and XSE trim levels, with base prices ranging from the high $20,000s to the low $30,000s. Toyota builds this hybrid SUV in Huntsville, Alabama.
For this review, Toyota provided me with a 2023 Corolla Cross Hybrid SE, and I performed my evaluation in Redmond, Washington (just outside of Seattle). It came with extra-cost Sonic Silver paint with a Jet Black roof, a power sunroof, a cargo cover, and a premium JBL audio system. These extras brought the manufacturer's suggested retail price to $32,865, including the $1,335 destination charge.
Perry Stern
2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid Review: The Design
With styling that blends cues from the Corolla sedan and RAV4 SUV, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid has a familiar look. All Corolla Cross Hybrids get what Toyota calls "sport styling," which equips the SUV with LED projector headlights, a unique grille, a smoked-finish front Toyota emblem, and black badging.
Inside, the design is clean and simple, with a bright horizontal trim piece that spans the dashboard, and makes the cabin feel wider. While the Corolla Cross Hybrid isn't a high-end automobile, with attractive materials, soft padding on the doors and dash, piano-black trim, and bright accents, the interior still has a premium vibe.
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The nicely integrated 8-inch infotainment display is standard on all trim levels. Primarily, you'll use the touchscreen or voice controls to interact with the system, but there is a volume knob for the stereo. For easy access, the climate functions are kept separate, and the soft-touch buttons conveniently light up when pressed. Familiar round dials adjust the temperature and fan speed.
Toyota upholsters the S and SE seats in fabric. If you want the automaker's SofTex artificial leather, you'll need to step up to the XSE trim. While the test vehicle's front seats lacked power adjustment, they had nice bolsters and good back support. Even after several hours behind the wheel, I found the driver's seat quite comfortable.
Perry Stern
With two large cupholders, a nice-sized covered center console bin, and useful bottle holders in the doors, there's good storage for small items in the cabin. Since my tester was an SE model, along with the standard USB-C port, there was a conveniently placed wireless phone charger ahead of the gear selector.
The rear seats are less comfortable than up front, with a flat bottom and little seatback contouring. That said, there's reasonable legroom and headroom to accommodate at least two full-size passengers, and the rear doors open wide for easy entry and exit. The middle seat is a tight fit for an adult, but with an almost flat floor, there's still decent legroom for anyone relegated to that spot.
Toyota places the hybrid battery under the rear seat, so cargo space remains almost the same as in the standard Corolla Cross. The cargo area is surprisingly spacious, with 21.5 cubic feet of space behind the 60/40 split-folding rear seats. Fold the back seats down, and the cargo space increases to 61.8 cubic feet.
Perry Stern
2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid Review: The Technology
Though the 8-inch touchscreen is small by modern standards, the Corolla Cross Hybrid comes with Toyota's latest infotainment technology. There's no "home" screen, but shortcuts on the display's left side provide quick access to navigation, audio, communications, and vehicle settings. When you've connected your phone, a shortcut also appears for the wireless Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
I connected my Galaxy S21 to the technology without issues, and Android Auto started immediately. Wireless connectivity and the convenience of Android Auto running automatically every time the car starts can spoil you. However, Android Auto uses the entire screen, meaning the static shortcuts on the left disappear. To return to the native Toyota environment, you must switch in the Android Auto menu.
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With an active subscription to Toyota's Drive Connect connected service plan (one of five available), the driver can use the Intelligent Assistant conversational voice recognition system. To rouse the digital assistant, say, "Hey, Toyota." It responds with a pleasant "How can I help you?"
For example, I asked for a navigation route to my home address, and the system understood my request on the first try. Later I told the Intelligent Assistant I was too hot, and the technology turned on the air conditioning and set the temperature to 65 degrees. Overall, I found the voice recognition technology worked quite well, and the Intelligent Assistant sounded friendlier than in the last Toyota I drove.
All 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrids come with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 (TSS 3.0), the automaker's latest suite of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). The package includes all of the now-expected features like forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking, and even has adaptive cruise control with a lane-centering assist system.
With TSS 3.0, a new feature called an Emergency Driving Stop System is standard. It works with the adaptive cruise control and lane-centering systems and monitors the driver's inputs during travel. If the technology determines the driver has become unresponsive or incapacitated, it will automatically bring the Corolla Cross Hybrid to a safe stop.
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During my evaluation of the ADAS, I set the adaptive cruise control to the 70-mph speed limit, and the tech did a great job of keeping the SUV in the middle of the lane while smoothly maintaining the prescribed safe distance to the vehicle ahead. The Toyota system is not hands-free, so the driver must always keep at least one hand on the steering wheel.
One unusual feature of Toyota's adaptive cruise control is automatic slowing for curves on the freeway. It slowed dramatically and took me by surprise the first time I experienced it, mainly because the minor bend in the road made slowing unnecessary. Once the road straightened, the Corolla Cross returned to its original speed. After that, I turned off the adaptive cruise, drove without interference through similar curves at speed, and the SUV handled them with no problem. I understand the safety aspect of this function, but it seems overly cautious, making it somewhat annoying.
As of this writing, the Corolla Cross Hybrid hasn't received crash-test ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Perry Stern
2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid Review: The Drive
The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, a continuously variable transmission (CVT), and two electric motors. One electric motor assists the gas engine to power the front wheels, while the other powers the rear wheels to create an electric all-wheel-drive system.
Total power output is 196 horsepower, and Toyota claims the Corolla Cross Hybrid accelerates from zero to 60 mph in a respectable eight seconds. In addition, Toyota says the Corolla Cross Hybrid has a 1,500-pound towing capacity.
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The EPA has not released the Corolla Cross Hybrid fuel economy estimates as of this writing. However, Toyota thinks it will provide 42 mpg in combined driving. The SUV exceeded that estimate during my evaluation, recording 43.6 mpg on my testing route.
In my opinion, the hybrid system in the Corolla Cross is one of the best on the market. Operation is seamless and efficient, and a dedicated EV mode allows the SUV to operate only on electricity at speeds of 25 mph or below. However, even with the SUV in hybrid mode, I was surprised at how often the gasoline engine shuts off to conserve fuel. The transition from electric to hybrid mode is almost imperceptible, making the gauges the best indication the engine is running.
While I wouldn't call the Corolla Cross Hybrid sporty, for the vehicle type, it's enjoyable to drive. Around town, the SUV is nimble and easy to maneuver, and the sizable backup camera views make parking easy. In addition, the small crossover provides peppy performance, even if full-throttle acceleration results in plenty of racket. However, that's not uncommon when pushing a small engine hard, especially when it relies on a CVT to get the power to the ground.
Perry Stern
Getting up to speed and cruising on the freeway at 70 mph is no problem for the Corolla Cross Hybrid. However, acceleration isn't strong at those speeds, so overtaking on a two-lane road requires some planning. Nevertheless, it feels solid, and delivers a comfortable ride, good steering feedback, and predictable braking. Unfortunately, the road and wind noise is surprisingly loud and intrusive, and made it difficult to talk with my passenger without raising my voice.
Testing the Corolla Cross Hybrid on my favorite Pacific Northwest backroads, I found the handling better than expected. The SUV's nose does tend to push wide if you tackle a corner with too much enthusiasm, but as long as expectations are kept in check, the Corolla Cross Hybrid holds its own. Remember: It's a hybrid crossover, not a high-powered sports car.
Is the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid a Good SUV?
Perry Stern
It may be the smallest crossover in the Toyota lineup, but the new 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid has much to offer. With room for five and a useful cargo area, the Corolla Cross Hybrid offers the utility expected of a crossover SUV combined with impressive efficiency. In addition, the intuitive infotainment system and the convenience of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto make it easy to live with on a daily basis.
Granted, this version of the Corolla Cross is a bit pricier than other small SUVs. But you can't find a hybrid powertrain in any of its rivals. So, if you're looking for a small crossover with good performance and excellent fuel efficiency, the Corolla Cross Hybrid is, despite its few flaws, quite worthy of consideration.
