The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross Is a Nifty New Entry With a Terrible New Feature

2 years, 10 months ago - 30 December 2021, autoevolution

It’s safe to say that the SUV car segment is currently the most fiercely contested market in the auto industry.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross is a clever new entry into the mini-SUV segment from Toyota. Its domestic styling, value-oriented pricing, and practicality added to a globally trusted brand name is an ingenious addition to taking industry competition such as the Jeep Compass, Nissan Rogue and Kia Seltos.

Jakub and Yuri from TheStraightPipes drove the new 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross to find out if it is any better than the competition.

With the first remark from Jakub like, “this is the one of the slowest cars I recall driving in my life,” the new mini-SUV Corolla design is clearly not for power. It has a domestic purpose geared toward practicability.

Toyota slotted the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross between the C-HR and RAV4, a good move in a market that’s getting crazier for crossover SUVs by the day. Despite a globally acclaimed Corolla name, the Cross does not resemble the popular sedan or the hatch.

The new 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross also comes with a new feature -a subscription service. The Cross’ key fob doesn’t have remote start marking. However, if you hit the lock button three times in the appropriate sequence, you then can activate remote start.

Here’s the kicker. On Toyota's website, it says you need to have an active DCM function on your key fob. According to Jakub, it means you get a free three years trial for your key fob to have remote start. After that, you’ll need to pay for a remote start service. Jakub and Yuri are not too pleased with this feature.

The new 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross comes with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine paired to a CVT transmission making 169 HP and 205 Nm of torque. The starting price for the new 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross is $23,410.

Behind the wheel, the Corolla Cross is power-crippled. Jakub confesses it has good suspension and is not the worst-powered car he has driven. It is well damped and ideal for city traffic and daily commute. Despite its affordable starting price, the model comes with lane keep assist and adaptive cruise control.