Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid Priced From $27,970, AWD Standard

Come this summer, there will be a new contender in town for the choice of Default Car. Gifted a comfortingly familiar name, standard all-wheel drive, and a price tag south of thirty grand, it is all but assured Toyota will be able to quickly sell every single Corolla Cross Hybrid they can produce.

Whether one likes them or not, it’s difficult to argue against Toyota’s prowess in the field of hybrid powertrains. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter four-banger working in concert with electric motors to provide 196 horsepower, a decent jump from the standard car’s 169 ponies which all seemed destined for the glue factory when this author was behind the wheel last year. All-wheel drive is part of the deal in every trim of the Corolla Cross Hybrid thanks to the trio of electric motors. A small lithium-ion battery is tucked under the rear seats.

Which, as per Toyota tradition, starts with the S trim. This $27,970 ticket grants access to the likes of an 8-inch infotainment screen with wireless smartphone integration, cloth upholstery, alloy wheels, and LED headlamps. The brand’s Safety Sense 3.0 is also on board, bringing lane departure tools, dynamic cruise control, pre-collision systems, and other active safety gear. Making the $1,320 walk to a SE trim brings tinted glass, better seats, the option of flashier colors, and a few other niceties. This will likely be the volume seller. Atop the heap is an XSE that adds snazzier wheels, improved head- and taillamps, and gear like a power driver’s seat for $31,065.

The interior will look familiar to Toyota owners, which we imagine is exactly the point. A moonroof can be fitted to the SE but we recommend saving yer $940 and either putting it in your pocket or getting the optional JBL audio system. 

Most will be able to afford that largesse, if the company’s fuel economy estimates are anywhere near accurate (and we have no reason to believe they are not). Toyota estimates 45 mpg city and 38 mpg highway for a combined rating of and 42 mpg. Those are increases of 16, 6, and 12, respectively compared to an equivalent Corolla Cross equipped with all-wheel drive. Fuel sippers, unite.

The 2023 Corolla Cross Hybrid, along with the gas model that launched in the 2022 model year, will be assembled here in America at the brand-new Mazda/Toyota Manufacturing plant in Alabama. Look for the car in dealers this summer.

[Images: Toyota]

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