The Toyota Corolla Cross born in KwaZulu-Natal at the brand’s Prospecton plant.
The Toyota Corolla Cross sold over 21 000 units in 2024, making it the second best-selling vehicle in South Africa just behind the Polo Vivo.
What is surprising is that it pipped the likes of the Suzuki Swift and Toyota Starlet, even though it is a more pricey car.
In January, Toyota capitalised on the success of the Corolla Cross and released a new model into the market that was born in KwaZulu-Natal at the brand’s Prospecton plant.
The Mail & Guardian got to drive the Corolla Cross for a week.
It is important to remember that the car is available in a number of variants: an entry level Xi, a mid-range Xs, an Xs HEV, the top-of-the-range XR and an XR HEV. Other variants also include the GR-S and GR-S Hybrid.
We were in the range-topping XR HEV.
I really like how Toyota has improved the exterior of the vehicle with a lovely geometric bumper and grille design. It certainly looks more appealing than the previous generation, even though that was still a pretty handsome car.
However, not much has been done to lift the back of the vehicle. It has kept the same look as the previous generation and it seems lacklustre compared with the front.
I enjoyed the interior as well. The XR model comes with dark brown leather seats which give it a slightly more premium feel. The stitching and work around the dashboard was also very neatly done.
However, I expected there to be more storage space in the front. I struggled to fit my phone into the storage facility that extends from the centre console.
On my first drive, I felt comfortable behind the wheel. Apart from the fine stitching and leather seats, the car also felt solid.
It was time for a little roadtrip.
I was off to Mokopane, in Limpopo, for the weekend and it was time to understand why South Africans love the Corolla Cross so much.
It was a three hour drive that started on the N12, moved onto the N3 and eventually led to over 200km on the N1.
The Corolla Cross manoeuvred the first two highways with ease and the hybrid system worked perfectly, keeping my fuel consumption below 6 litres/100km.
While not effortless, it was fun to drive. It certainly had the SUV feeling to it, but also felt dynamic and agile.
I had four passengers and, while they did not have a first-class offering in the back, they were comfortable.
The drive was going smoothly until we passed the Carousel Plaza on the N1. From there on, the road is straight with few inclines or declines.
This is where I felt the CVT gearbox paired to the 1.8 litre engine struggle a little. Because I had to keep my foot down a bit more to maintain the speed, I didn’t have any help from the battery, so it became a full internal-combustion engine vehicle.
The silence I had got used to was suddenly replaced by a slight draggy noise every time I put pressure on the accelerator.
While this did push the fuel consumption up to 6.7 litres/100km, it was by no means a bad drive. The car didn’t seem underpowered but I didn’t appreciate that it felt like it was crying when picking up speed.
The boring road did not help. For 200km, there was nothing but grass to look at. Luckily, the vehicle includes an infotainment system that comes equipped with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, so I could listen to music and to my messages while I was on the road.
Ultimately, there were no real issues with the vehicle and it fared well on the long road. Of course, it is not perfect, but it has everything you need and offers a cool aesthetic while getting the job done. Not to mention that, because it is a Toyota, it also offers longevity.
I certainly understand why South Africans have come to love the Corolla Cross and I’m a bigger fan of it now than I was of its first generation due to the new look on both the interior and exterior.
The XR HEV was simply fantastic to drive for the most part, but when the hybrid system is inactive, the fuel consumption is not great.
I still think that at R545 200, it is one of the most affordable hybrid vehicles in the country and well worth it. The XR internal-combustion variant, which has all the same features, is R501 500 and is also well worth the money.