Not fair, North America just got a 196 hp Toyota Corolla Cross

Toyota unveils a nearly 200 hp Corolla Cross - heading to showrooms this June.

In the case of Japanese cars, North America is a large and important market, and car manufacturers may choose to offer higher-performance versions of their cars to cater to the preferences of North American buyers.

The most recent Japanese car to receive higher performance when compared to its counterparts from this side of the world is the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.

Toyota North America started selling the Corolla-based SUV in 2022 but only promised fans a hybrid variant this year. Was it worth the wait? damn right it was because not only has the hybrid brought with it some styling updates for the Corolla Cross, but it also comes with a new powertrain, with nearly 200 hp worth of oomph.

With the new Fifth Generation Toyota Hybrid System under the hood, coupled with the Electronic All-Wheel Drive system that's new to the Corolla nameplate, the new Corolla Cross Hybrid offers increased power. 

With 196 horsepower and an 8-second 0-100 km/h time, the Corolla Cross Hybrid has the potential to finally be a fun vehicle to drive(In contrast, the Malaysian Toyota Corolla Cross only pushes out 122 hp). According to Toyota, the Corolla Cross Hybrid has always been sporty by nature, and the hybrid represents the perfect next step for this model line. 

From a design perspective, it offers an approachable exterior as well as a higher line-of-sight thanks to the revised TNGA-C platform. For all variants of the Corolla Cross Hybrid, Toyota has decided to offer eye-catching details that set it apart from its petrol siblings, such as unique front and rear styling. 

It's even available with a two-tone paint job and sporty-looking 18-inch alloy wheels, which confirms Toyota's intentions to make it stand out.