When Toyota Malaysia launched their Corolla Cross, Malaysians were hyped about the arrival of this vehicle due to it being Toyota’s answer to the Honda HR-V. Based on the Corolla sedan, the Corolla Cross sits in between a B-segment and a C-segment SUV. This puts the Corolla Cross in a very interesting position, as B-segment SUV buyers can now afford a slightly larger SUV at the similar price point.
Locally assembled in Malaysia, the Corolla Cross is available in 3 different variants and 2 power train options. The vehicle that I have here is the top of the line petrol variant, the Corolla Cross 1.8V. From the outside, the Corolla Cross is the kind of vehicle that blends in well with the surrounding traffic. While Toyota Malaysia launched the Corolla Cross in this fancy red color, I personally think that the Corolla Cross looks good in silver color, as the contrast between the silver color and the plastic claddings enhanced the look of the vehicle. 
At the front, the large trapezoidal grille takes center stage while being flanked by the full LED headlights and daytime running lights. LED fog lights can also be spotted at the lower part of the front bumper to give the front a more consistent look. While at the side, plenty of interesting body lines and wider 3 quarter panels at the rear, gives the crossover a sportier image. And to top it all off, the stylish looking 18 inch rims wrapped in 225/50 R18 tires compliments the look of the vehicle. 
The front and side of the Corolla Cross may have interesting design, but it looks like Toyota designers have run out of ideas when they’re designing the rear of the vehicle. I personally would not consider the rear as ugly, but it just looks too simple when compared to the other parts of the vehicle. The rear also gets a pair of LED taillights that are slightly wider in order to make the rear of the vehicle look less bulbous. Overall, the Corolla Cross may have interesting lines around the vehicle, but head turner it’s definitely not. 
For the interior, even though soft touch materials are used on the crucial touch points, it’s still easy to find hard plastics in other places around the cabin. This is to ensure that the interior will be able to stand the test of time. In front of the driver, the Corolla Cross uses a traditional analogue instrument cluster paired with a 4.2 inch multi info display. It may be a traditional instrument cluster, I find the instrument cluster is easy to read, be it daytime or night time. 
Sitting at the center of the dashboard, is the large 9-inch infotainment screen. This infotainment screen is clear and easy to navigate, and it also features connectivity functions such as Android Auto and Apple Carplay. While it’s good that Toyota did provide the blind spot monitor view system, I do find it annoying when it cuts my navigation feed on the infotainment screen, when the vehicle speed falls below 20km/h with the indicator switched on. I do hope that Toyota would include a setting for the driver to turn it off when not needed. 
Getting behind the wheel, the driver is seated on a rather comfortable driver seat with decent ergonomics. The driver seat may be comfortable, but it’s lacking in side support to keep me in place when driving fast in the corners. At the rear, the rear passengers do get plenty of legroom and headroom to feel comfortable. To ensure that the rear passengers get the most comfortable seating position, the rear seat back has 2 different reclining levels to suit the needs of the rear passengers. 
Behind the rear seats, the Corolla Cross comes with a 440L boot that is actually smaller than the Vios. Due to the nature of a crossover, owners have more flexibility in the way they would use the boot compartment. If the owner needs to load longer items, the rear seat back can also be folded down to expand the boot compartment. In order to access the boot, Toyota has equipped the Corolla Cross with a powered tailgate. While opening and closing the tailgate, I do notice that the movement of the powered tailgate is on the slower side. 
Powering the Corolla Cross is a 1.8L, inline 4 petrol engine mated to a 7 speed Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT). This engine has the ability to produce around 139PS at 6,400rpm, and a peak torque of 172Nm at 4,000rpm. Even though Toyota did not provide the acceleration figure for the Corolla Cross, but Toyota did state that the Corolla Cross has 185km/h. 
On the move, this engine does produce a decent amount of low end torque to get the vehicle off the line. While the low end torque makes the engine feel lively, the engine power tends to taper away when the engine goes into higher RPM. This is rather evident when going up a hilly road, as the engine feels lethargic when it’s trying to pull the vehicle uphill. On the plus side, I do notice that this 1.8L engine has a unique growl to it.
As for the transmission, the whining sound from the CVT is not audible in the cabin, and the rubber band effect is kept to a minimum at the regular driving speeds. Even so, when hard acceleration is required, the rubber band effect can still be felt by the driver. Overall, I think the powertrain suits the needs of those who purchased the Corolla Cross, as all they need is sufficient power to bring them from point A to point B. 
With the TNGA platform, the Corolla Cross is very capable in tackling the twisty roads. It inherits the superb steering system from the Corolla Sedan, and it makes the Corolla Cross a gem to drive. The steering wheel does provide the right amount of feedback for the driver to know where the front wheels are pointing and how much grip the front tyres have. On top of that, the Corolla Cross has very good vehicle body control in the corners, while not sacrificing the comfort level of the occupants inside the vehicle.
In order to slow the Corolla Cross down, the 4 wheel disc brakes do provide decent braking performance. When I first stepped on the brake pedal, I thought the brake pedal felt a little stiff for a crossover, but it got better after getting used to it. In terms of safety, the Corolla Cross is equipped with a whole host of Toyota Safety Sense systems. The safety systems available on the Corolla Cross include 7 airbags, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRC), Hill-start Assist Control(HAC), Emergency Brake Signal(ESS), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), and Drive Start Control. 
As for the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, the Corolla Cross do come with Pre-Collision System (PCS), Lane Departure Alert (LDA) with Steering Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Tracing Assist (LTA), Automatic High Beam (AHB), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) & Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), and Tyre Pressure Warning System (TPWS).
With a price tag of RM 129,000.00, the Corolla Cross is a dependable crossover that will suit the needs of most families. While the 1.8L engine is enough for most buyers, the TNGA platform has the ability to handle more power than what the 1.8L engine can provide. For those who wanted a budget friendly crossover, you will not go wrong for choosing the Corolla Cross as your only vehicle.
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