One of Toyota’s latest offerings, the Toyota Corolla Cross, has created quite a buzz in the car market in recent weeks. Multiple car reviewers have taken a keener look at what the compact SUV offers, looking to identify the pros and cons. Consumer Reports has reviewed the Cross and provided a verdict. While it does give the car a score high enough to earn a “recommended” badge, it mostly finds the Cross unexceptional.
The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross features and Consumer Reports scores
2022 Toyota Corolla Cross | Getty Images
The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross, as implied by the name, is based on the Corolla sedan, which has been part of the manufacturer’s line-up for a couple of decades. Size-wise, it seems to sit in the middle between the Toyota RAV4 and the much smaller C-HR, with pricing starting at about $23,000 inclusive of the destination charges.
That means it competes with the Kia Soul, Mazda CX-30, and Volkswagen Taos. Under the hood is a 2.0L inline-4 gas engine in all three trims, which according to Car and Driver, produces 169 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque. It’s mated to a CVT transmission, and while all-wheel drive is an option, front-wheel-drive seems to be the standard.
The Cross gets a 68 out of 100 overall score, sandwiching it between the Mazda CX-30 and 2022 Hyundai Kona in the Consumer Reports rankings. The Mazda and Hyundai models get 70 out of 100 and 66 out of 100 overall scores, respectively. For context, the highest-ranking alternative, the Subaru Crosstrek, receives an 86 out of 100, with three other vehicles, including the CX-30 sitting between it and the Corolla Cross.
Road test results for the Cross yielded a 67 out of 100. Furthermore, the SUV is expected to have average reliability and slightly above average owner satisfaction. As such, the scores for both of these metrics are 3 out of 5.
The ratings that make the Corolla Cross unexceptional
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bgvqjfzPFgs
A closer look at the Consumer Reports ratings of the vehicle, and you realize there are quite a lot of 3 out of 5 scores in different areas. The predicted owner satisfaction mentioned above is one example with the predicted reliability following suit.
Since the car is a new model, the predicted reliability was based on Toyota’s reputation, and the sedan the Corolla Cross is based on. As for the expected owner satisfaction, it’s easy to understand why once you see the other areas in which the car got 3 out of 5 ratings.
For instance, the website gives the car 3 out of 5 ratings for acceleration and transmission. This is due to the car feeling lazy in normal driving conditions and the gear shifts being anything but smooth despite having a CVT transmission.
Next, ride comfort is a 3 out of 5, thanks to the suspension’s inability to absorb large impacts. Furthermore, the front and rear seats getting a comfort rating of 3 out of 5 don’t help. This is expected as they both lack long-term comfort features.
The review website also gives the car a 3 out of 5 noise rating as it allows road, engine, and tire noises into the cabin. Nevertheless, the only area where the Cross got less than an average rating is the trunk space, with a 2 out of 5.
Where Consumer Reports believes the Corolla Cross performed exceptionally
I Didn't Know Who Would Buy The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross, Until I Got In It https://t.co/r1nGgphIBn pic.twitter.com/ZmbdyyDCIw
— Jalopnik (@Jalopnik) November 23, 2021
There were two areas where the independent tester gave the Cross a 4 out of 5 ratings, fuel economy, and emergency handling. The compact SUV’s 28 mpg puts it ahead of most competitors. That said, there are still others, like the 2022 Honda HR-V and 2022 Kia Seltos, that offer identical or better fuel economy.
Despite the uninspiring ride experience, emergency handling seems to be one of the Cross’ strong suits, with the car handling avoidance maneuvers quite well. It offers high levels of driver confidence even in tricky situations.
Ultimately, the braking was the only area where the Toyota compact SUV got a stellar 5 out of 5. After all, the car offers short stopping distances regardless of whether the surface is wet or not.
Keyword: Consumer Reports Recommends the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross, but Thinks It’s Unexceptional