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With more than 50 million cars sold worldwide, the Toyota Corolla moniker is one of the most popular and iconic nameplates not just of the brand, but among all automakers around the globe. After its introduction in 1966, within less than a decade, the Toyota Corolla became the best-selling car worldwide. Since then, over the decades, Toyota has produced and marketed multiple iterations of the Corolla including sedans, hatchbacks, station wagons, and even a high-performance GR Corolla hot hatch.
Last year, the legendary Japanese brand launched the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross which is a compact crossover SUV with the Corolla appellation. This Toyota crossover offers added practicality and SUV styling for people who aren’t interested in the Corolla hatch with a smaller footprint. This year Toyota is further instating a hybrid version of the Corolla Cross and this 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid comes with a stronger yet more efficient powertrain. The superior fuel economy that this Toyota hybrid SUV offers over the normal Toyota Cross is specifically what we will focus on here.
How The Hybrid And Gas-Only Versions Differ
The non-hybrid Toyota Corolla Cross is offered with an insipid 2.0-liter inline-4 engine that produces a maximum output of 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. Performance isn’t given the utmost importance as the Toyota Corolla Cross is clearly an economy car aimed to become the people’s crossover, staying true to the Corolla nameplate. Hence, its weak power figures and 0-60 time of 9.2 seconds aren’t remarkable, but the standard feature set this affordable crossover delivers is appreciable.
On the other hand, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid comes powered by a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine enhanced by three electric motors generating a greater combined output of 196 horsepower. Furthermore, while all-wheel-drive is optional for the regular Toyota Corolla Cross, it comes as standard in the Corolla Cross Hybrid along with a slightly sportier suspension setup.
The Corolla Cross Has Seating For Up To Five People
On the inside, the Toyota Corolla Cross and Cross Hybrid are strikingly similar to the Corolla sedan with nearly identical construction of the dash and quality of materials used. However, regarding space inside the cabin and practicality, the Corolla Cross SUV overpowers its sedan counterpart, offering much more room. Ingress and egress are easy, and the front cabin features a simple control layout and cushy yet supportive front seats.
When it comes to the rear cabin, even though the legroom isn’t lavish, it is adequate, and the occupants are seated snugly with air vents provided as standard in all trims. An 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system and six speakers are standard across all models of the Corolla Cross and Cross Hybrid whereas a 9-speaker JBL premium audio system is optional for the mid and top-end trims. Overall, the Toyota Corolla Cross models are well-loaded cars at the price point they are offered.
The Corolla Cross Hybrid Gets 42 MPG Combined
When it comes to choosing a hybrid in the subcompact or compact segments, fuel economy is a prime factor that car buyers take into consideration. In that regard, the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid excels over its non-hybrid counterpart. According to EPA, the regular Toyota Corolla Cross has a combined fuel economy of 32 MPG with a slight variation of 31 MPG in the city and 32 on the highway.
On the other hand, Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid MPG numbers stand at 45 in the city, and 38 on the highway, delivering a combined fuel efficiency of 42 MPG. Thus, it proffers a significant increase of 10 MPG in combined fuel economy and a weighty advantage of more than 14 MPG in the urban environment over the non-hybrid. This is more than enough to consider the Hybrid version. As for the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid price, it starts at $27,970 in the U.S.A. which is around $5K more than the non-hybrid Corolla Cross’ base price of $23,060. This price difference is acceptable considering the upper hand it has in terms of fuel efficiency.
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