By Otsile Kadiege

We are less than 55 days away from the local launch of the much anticipated Toyota Corolla Cross. Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has been gradually revealing information on their new compact SUV and the latest news to come from the Japanese automaker’s local arm is the Corolla Cross’ local pricing and grades. 

Corolla Cross grades

Like its local stablemates, the new Corolla Cross will be available in three grades, namely: the entry-level Xi, mid-spec XS and top-spec Xr grades. 

Standard specification on the Xi includes colour coding, keyless entry, power-adjustable and auto-retractable exterior mirrors, LED taillamps and automatic light control. Interior Items include four cupholders, stowage binnacles, 60/40 fold-down rear seats and steering switches. Cruise Control, air-conditioning, 12-volt power outlet, all-round one-touch power windows and a Multi-Information Display (MID) round off the spec offering.

The Xs model adds foglamps, an upgrade to LED headlamps, Park Distance Control (PDC) and rain-sensing wipers. The interior trim is upgraded to leather, while the air-conditioning switches to a dual-zone variant and the Multi-Information Display (MID) is upgraded to the TFT-type. The audio system too receives an upgrade to touchscreen ‘spec’ which brings with it a reverse camera, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality and two additional USB ports (for a total of 3). Toyota Connect is included across the board. 

The top-of-the-range Xr models offer customers additional convenience and safety specification and an upgrade to 18-inch wheels.

Safety & Security

All Toyota Corolla Cross models include an anti-theft system, auto door-lock and ISOFIX anchor points. The airbag array includes driver, passenger, side and driver-knee (on Xi & Xs) while the Xr adds curtain airbags. 

A full suite of active safety features are present on all models Including; VSC, ABS, EBD and Hill Assist Control (HAC). The Xr model also boasts Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) – which encompasses semi-autonomous driving aids and enhanced safety-system functionality. The standout elements here are Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Lane Trace Assist (LTA) and a Pre-Collision System (PCS).

Pricing

The newcomer will feature a two engine strategy: a 1.8-litre petrol engine (103 kW & 172 Nm) and ultra-fuel-efficient 1.8-litre Hybrid (90 kW total system output). This in combination with the aforementioned three-grade strategy results in a five-model matrix:

> Corolla Cross 1.8 Xi – R349,900
> Corolla Cross 1.8 Xs – R390,100
> Corolla Cross 1.8 Xr – R425,400
> Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid Xs – R413,000
> Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid Xr – R448,300

The Corolla Cross Hybrid models will join the Corolla Hybrid and RAV4 Hybrid.