2025 Toyota Corolla Cross

For the budget-conscious buyer requiring more cargo-carrying space than the Corolla provides, the 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross is a sensible alternative. It’s ideal for heading to the grocery store to do the week’s shopping or hauling Junior and all his stuff off to college. In other words, it is fine for fulfilling the tasks usually demanded of subcompact SUVs. What it does bring to the party is Toyota’s penchant for reliability and higher-than-average resale values.

Toyota also offers the Corolla Cross Hybrid, which we review separately.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of subcompact SUVs, including the Toyota Corolla Cross.

When the big news is a new paint color (Soul Red Crystal, in this case), there isn’t much in the way of change. We anticipated a mid-cycle refresh this year but it looks like Toyota is leaving us on the edge of our collective seat in expectation for some significant updates in 2026.

For about the $2,300 difference, we’d pick the LE trim over the base L because it adds goodies like automatic climate control, proximity keyless entry, and much more.

In size and price, the Corolla Cross slots beneath the RAV4 in Toyota’s venerable SUV lineup. So, if you want a Toyota that’s a little bigger, it’s the RAV4.

Looking at the strongest rivals, the Honda HR-V  and the Kia Seltos cost between $500 and $1,000 more than the Corolla Cross. You’ll need to pony up another $2,000 or so for the Subaru Crosstrek, while the Mazda CX-30 will set you back about $1,000; however, the Subaru and Mazda come with all-wheel drive as standard. For reference, we expect the Corolla Cross Hybrid to start at about $4,300 more than its non-hybrid sibling.

Before buying a new Corolla Cross SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Like many Toyota vehicles, the Corolla Cross maintains its value better than most subcompact SUVs. Recouping more money when you sell a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on your next one.

Motivating the Corolla Cross is 169 horsepower from a 4-cylinder engine. It takes more than nine seconds to accelerate (if that’s the right word) from a standstill to 60 mph. The Mazda CX-30 has 191 horsepower and reaches 60 mph in about eight seconds, which is hardly fast, but still one of the sprightlier members of its class. This combination of a so-so engine and slow-responding continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) will dull the glint in any enthusiast’s eye. Moreover, we think the restart action of the fuel-saving engine off/on feature could be sweeter. That said, most prospective owners won’t care about such quibbles.

The same easy demeanor found in many Toyota vehicles is the main attribute when sitting behind the wheel of a Corolla Cross subcompact SUV. We’ve found that the effort required is minimal. It rides higher than its sedan namesake, giving that elevated driving position loved by so many. And the ride quality is more than acceptable. When all-wheel drive (AWD) is fitted, the rear suspension has a more sophisticated multilink setup instead of the standard torsion beam arrangement, bringing ride and handling advantages. However, it does rob some cargo room.

Fuel Economy

That shortage of muscle does have an upside. With standard front-wheel drive, the Corolla Cross achieves 32 mpg in combined city/highway driving. Factor in all-wheel drive, and that figure drops by 2 mpg. That latter figure is still one mile per gallon better than the Mazda CX-30 (non-turbo, all-wheel drive). Honda HR-V owners will have slightly higher fuel bills, getting 27 mpg combined (all-wheel drive).

The dashboard of the Corolla Cross SUV is tidy and functional, with seats that are adequately comfortable. In our test of the prior base L trim, we found that it relied too heavily on unattractive plastics, however. There are four cup holders, or six in the XLE. This top trim also has a rear center armrest and a cargo cover, things that really ought to be standard across the range. Rear legroom is below average for the segment at 32 inches, but that’s about the only measurement in which the Corolla Cross falls a bit short.

We’ve found the front quarters plenty roomy, offering more cargo room than most competitors. There’s up to 26.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, and that room grows significantly more generous when the rear seats are folded.

Conservative enough to please most of the people most of the time, the Corolla Cross SUV is about 5 inches shorter than the RAV4 and a couple of inches lower. So, it’s large enough to be practical yet easy to park. It also offers 8.1 inches of ground clearance, more than most subcompact SUVs. All three trims have black grilles, while the top XLE variant emphasizes its classiness with a metallic paint surround.

Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
As well as the convenience of integrating a phone with the infotainment system, the wireless aspect means not having to remove said phone from a pocket or purse. This is standard throughout the lineup.

Safety
Standard safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and motorcycle detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, intersection assistance, and adaptive cruise control.

Connected services
These include functions like remote start/lock/unlock, vehicle health reports, and SOS assistance. They can be controlled by a smartphone app or even a smartwatch. Some subscriptions are free for 12 months, and Wi-Fi comes with a 3-month subscription plus an Integrated Streaming feature for Apple Music and Amazon Music. Not all trims offer all services, however.

All-wheel drive
All-wheel drive is great when the weather gets rough, and it’s available as an option with every Corolla Cross trim level.

Rear-Seat Reminder
If you open and close a rear door before getting on your way, the Corolla Cross can remind you to check back there when you reach your destination. It’s handy for remembering a gym bag but invaluable for reminding of much more precious cargo.

Proactive Driving Assist
A standard part of the Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 system, this feature subtly yet adeptly aids everyday driving. For example, when switched on, it can provide gentle braking as you go into a curve or approach another vehicle or pedestrian.

The Corolla Cross SUV has a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 169 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. An automatic transmission of the continuously variable kind directs energy to the front wheels in standard form or all four if all-wheel drive is selected from the options list.

3-year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Toyota’s new-vehicle warranty lasts three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. Powertrains are covered for five years or 60,000 miles. These terms are typical among mainstream manufacturers. Toyota also provides free maintenance for the first two years or 25,000 miles.

Safety Ratings

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the Corolla Cross a spot on its Top Safety Pick list for 2024.