bY H. THROTTLE
AUTOMOTIVE COLUMNIST
I’ve driven many Corolla’s in past years but the new 2022 Corolla Cross XLS is by far the best model ever tested. The all-wheel drive is affordable with a base price of $26,575. The test car has all the options raising the final price to $33,550, but still very competitive in the AWD category.
The Corolla wins in appearance, it could easily be in the $45,000 “good looks” category. The folks who assembled this sedan are located in Huntsville, Alabama, USA.
Toyota offers three models in the Corolla line-up and the test model XLE is the highest-priced choice with more modest models priced in the low $22,000 range upward with options. The models all come with the 5 year/50,000-mile powertrain warranty.
This is not a “hotrod,” the test model features a 169 hp./four cylinder engine that offers standard acceleration but can only reach 60 mph in 9.6 seconds. The engine is linked to the Toyota dual variable transmission that can make up for the lower horsepower. With a smaller engine the car obtains higher fuel economy of 32 mpg that is high for AWD vehicles; and more important today with gasoline pushing over $5 a gallon.
The drive is comfortable, easy to drive in city traffic and loaded with a full range of Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 safety features. The features include the pre-collision system that includes pedestrian detection and bike riders. Other safety features include dynamic radar that is also valuable with radar keeping forward distance automatically, rather than the old system of full speed ahead. The windshield road “sign assist” is valuable in keeping track of constantly changing speed limits. Especially appreciated is the rear cross traffic alert when backing out of parking spots at grocery stores or into oncoming traffic lanes. The many safety feature make this a really safe and economical choice in a highly respected brand.
Again, Toyota is very generous with interior features with an 8” touch screen, 9-speaker JBS sound system, three UBS phone charging ports, power front driver’s seat with lumbar support, and a tilt and slide moonroof. A very impressive list of interior features.
LED lighting throughout, including fog lights that are great during blinding snowstorms, along with rear window wipers. The Corolla is really well-equipped for inclement Colorado snowstorms and mountain travel with a large trunk area.
Overall, the Corolla Cross is a wise choice and can compete very favorable with higher priced AWD vehicles. The Corolla has been a venerable driving choice for decades and the latest model is a Toyota homerun.