Everything We Know About The 2021 Toyota Corolla Cross

The upcoming mid-sized crossover, Toyota Corolla Cross is coming - here's what we know so far.

Toyota has played the 2021 Toyota Corolla Cross pretty close to the vest when it comes to our market, but there are a number of things we can gleam from the specifications and product variations on offer in other parts of the region. It's pretty natural that Malaysia would follow, given our relatively similar needs and economic strength, as well as the general expectations from a product line.

It's been about a year since the model made its debut in Thailand, and as the name suggests the Corolla Cross sits on the TNGA-C platform which underpins the Corolla and the C-HR. Does it sound like a bit of cannibalism on the part of Toyota's model range? Yes, and no, because while the Corolla Cross is a C-segment crossover, it's also a product designed for ASEAN tastes and requirements.

On the other hand, the C-HR is a more global product which generally means appealing to European tastes - which in turn makes a product far more expensive than you would hope to price it. It's a little tricky to track, but the regular Corolla 1.8 Sport in  Thailand goes for 964,000 baht (RM 129,021), while the Corolla Cross 1.8 Sport goes for 989,000 baht (RM 132,367) - a 2.5% premium. With rough extrapolation, that would put a "1.8G" Corolla Cross at around RM 137,867. 

In contrast, the C-HR is only offered as a hybrid model for the Thai market, starting from 1,069,000 baht (RM 143,074) - a far more expensive proposition for what is arguably a smaller car. We're most likely to get the 1.8-litre powertrain that we already know from the Corolla sedan, pushing 140 PS and 177 Nm of torque to the front wheels via a CVT-type automatic gearbox.

In hard figures, the Corolla Cross is 100 mm longer, 30 mm wider, and 55 mm taller than a C-HR. It's also longer than a Honda HR-V by 126 mm, wider by 53 mm, and taller by 15 mm - with a wheelbase 30 mm longer. It may just make the Honda HR-V seem that little bit smaller, but given Honda's expertise with packaging and their price points, it could be a tough fight for the Corolla Cross.

The standard features for the Thai market Corolla Cross will likely translate here, with LED headlamps, DRLs, fog lamps, and tail lights. Other comfort features are an electric driver's seat with eight-way control, keyless entry and start, a large seven-inch digital instrument cluster, dual-zone climate control, and a properly sized nine-inch touch screen head unit. Also, expect a power tailgate - it's all the rage for crossovers.

Where we differ is that the Thai market only receives the high-end Toyota Safety Sense items (Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Pre-Collision System, Lane Tracing Assist, and so on) on their Hybrid Premium Safety models that are a good RM 15,000 or so more than the entry-level 1.8 Sport. UMW Toyota is likely to offer it as standard depending on whether they choose to bring in a more budget-friendly option at a more aggressive price. 

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