So in December, we took the newly launched Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid,  on a road trip to Cathedral Peak in the Berg, or Drakensberg mountains. The party was six with luggage, so a decision was made to take two cars, or SUV’s so that it was comfortable. We left for a night in Clarens initially, which is toward the Free State side of SA, and has the most amazing rock formations surrounding the town. It was approx 4 hours to the destination.

The Corolla name has a rich and diverse history spanning 12 generations*, having racked up over 50 million global sales – making it one of the most successful vehicle model ranges ever. Last week we attended the much acclaimed launch of the locally produced Corolla Cross. Yes, that’s right, Toyota SA hosted our President Cyril Ramaphosa in Durban to celebrate the occasion of the move to produce these cars in our country.

The Cross thus continues the legacy of producing Corollas in Mzansi, making it #ProudlySouthAfrican. Securing the manufacturing contract for this model, carries considerable importance – having a direct impact on job creation, industry viability and economic support for not only South Africa, but Africa as a whole.

Underpinning the ‘Cross’ is Toyota’s acclaimed TNGA platform. TNGA stands for Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) and represents a modular platform, capable of underpinning hatch, sedan and SUV model ranges as seen in C-HR, Prius, RAV4 and 12th-generation Corolla models.  

We were fully laden, but had only two passengers, but both weighing in at over 90 kg each, so the car was heavy. It handled great, especially over some particularly gnarly pot hole stages, and we thankfully never hit one at all. The Cross is nimble, and has great brakes as well. 

The Exterior

The Corolla Cross first attracted my attention with it’s big trapezoidal grille, which gives it a confident look and makes it stand out in a crowd. The large elongated headlamps & elliptical taillamps, also with trapezoidal detailing, enhance the look of confidence. We received a number of admiring glances in Clarens, and on our trip through the Park to the Drakensberg mountains, where our second destination was at Cathedral Peak, between Bergville and Winterton.

The Cabin.

The interior of the cabin feels premium, and that is saying something, as we will come to the great pricing for this Cross later. It punches above it’s weight in what it delivers. Soft-touch materials abound, with the seats having the enviable double-stitch detail we all want. We used just about all of the storage binnacles in the cabin on the trip, what with water, cola’s and biltong, which were consumed. The drive was very quiet, and we settled into an enjoyable silence on the road.

It has a huge centrally mounted infotainment system, that has Touchscreen audio with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, dependent on Grade. Space is premium, with good space front, rear and boot(440 litres), with large doors for easy entry & exit. Visibility is good and the elevated drive height assists in this regard. 

Engine.

So the big news is that there is a hybrid Petrol-Electric model available, at only a R24 k extra price, which personally I preferred. The petrol only is a 1.8L VVTi engine punching a 103kw & 173 Nm , which gives a claimed 6.8L /100km. It has a CVT transmission, which is better than most I have encountered.

The 1.8L 2zr-fxe engine for the hybrid model pushes 72kw& 142Nm, but truly feels like more. Bear in mind the launch was in Cape Town at sea-level, so it needs a more comprehensive test at the thinner air of the Highveld. It automatically recharges the battery pack either via regenerative braking, or by the petrol engine.

Fuel consumption is an eye watering 4.4 L/100km claimed.  We never got these figures, even when we were going downhill to the Berg, and a more realistic figure would be 5.5L/100km fully laden. The CVT gearbox was fine going on the down trip, but on the way back, with numerous uphills, it hunted quite a bit. The good news is that the fuel consumption only went up to 6.1 l/100km The Cross had plenty of power in all area’s of the road trip. Again we had some bad roads, on the Oliviershoek Pass, and on the 30km strip from the Bergville road to the hotel at Cathedral Peak. The Cross crodded the T’s and dotted the i’s, and got us there safely.

The Grade Line-up

A three-grade strategy has been adopted, using Toyota’s familiar Xi, Xs and Xr nomenclature (also found on the Cross’ Corolla stablemates and other Toyota passenger vehicles).

• Xi denotes the entry-level model, which is aimed at customers seeking core-value motoring
• Mid-tier Xs adds additional comfort and convenience specification
• Flagship Xr grade receives upgraded exterior aesthetics, larger alloy wheels and added features

The Specification List

The Corolla Cross comes comprehensively equipped – no matter which grade you choose. The standard specification fare includes the following:

XR standard specification:

• 18″ alloy wheels shod with 225/50/R18 tyres
• Black and grey radiator grille
• Toyota Safety Sense
• Choice of Black or ‘Terra Rossa’ (Red) Leather interior
• LED interior Illumination
• Toyota Connect

The Safety Systems

All Corolla Cross models offer buyers a comprehensive safety and security package. 

All models:

• Anti-theft system
• Auto door-lock
• ISOFIX anchor points
• Driver + Passenger + Side airbags across the board
• Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)
• ABS + EBD + Hill Assist Control

XR models:

• Toyota Safety Sense which comprises:
• Adaptive Cruise Control,
• Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
• Lane Trace Assist (LTA)
• Pre-Collision System (PCS)

The Models & Pricing

As referenced, the Corolla Cross employs a two engine strategy (a 1.8-litre petrol engine and ultra-fuel-efficient 1.8-litre Hybrid). This in combination with the aforementioned three-grade strategy results in a five-model matrix:

• Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid Xs      – R 413 000
• Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid XR     – R 448 300

The Service Plan & Warranty

• A six-services/90 000 km service plan is standard on all Corolla Cross models
• Service intervals of 12-months/15 000 km
• A 3-year/100 000 km warranty is included
• Hybrid model carries an 8-year warranty on the Hybrid battery
•  

The drive to Clarens and the Berg, was hugely enjoyable, and at no time was I unhappy with the Cross. It gave us good consumption, a smooth and quiet drive, great comfort, and when we needed it, some good power to pass the numerous trucks on the road.