Toyota plans a hybrid version of the Corolla Cross

The subcompact SUV offer at Toyota is rather stingy at the moment, being composed only of the C-HR, a vehicle that we have sharply criticized in recent years for its lack of visibility, the unavailability of all-wheel drive and its rather poor ergonomics. Toyota will correct the situation over the next year with the arrival of the Toyota Corolla Cross, a more traditional subcompact SUV that will certainly meet customer needs better. The manufacturer has also just announced that a hybrid version will also be present in the range, an exclusivity in the segment.

However, it is not clear at the moment which engine will be used for this electrified variant of the Toyota Corolla Cross. The sedan Toyota Corolla Hybrid currently offers an engine with a power of 121 horsepower, but which only drives the front wheels, which is not particularly attractive for an SUV.

However, Toyota also offers the Prius e-AWD which adds an electric motor on the rear axle. The Prius is then all-wheel drive, which would be a good option for the Corolla Cross. Out of the ordinary performance should not be expected then, but at least fuel economy would be guaranteed since it is one of the characteristics of the Prius e-AWD.

The last option, which remains unlikely, is the use of the engine currently installed under the hood of the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. This 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine with electric motor is efficient, but it’s very big, which might be too bulky for the Corolla Cross.

A competitive advantage

The arrival of such an engine would give the Toyota Corolla Cross a definite advantage since it would be an exclusivity in the segment, particularly if it comes with all-wheel drive. For the moment, no general-purpose all-wheel-drive subcompact SUV offers a hybrid engine. The only option is the Kia Niro hybrid which offers a similar format but with a front-wheel drive engine.

More details will follow on the equipment and final configuration for the model in Canada.