40+ MPG Small SUV Starting Under $25,000
The 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, a five-passenger small SUV, is nicely equipped at a low starting price of $24,960. It is hard to find a better car for those busy with daily in-town errand and commute driving.
Smooth Acceleration and Efficient Performance
The 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is powered by Toyota’s fifth generation hybrid system of a 2.0-liter, 16-valve 4-cylinder engine combined with the two electric motors. The system brings 196 horsepower and 139 pound-feet of torque, which is sent to an electronically continuously variable automatic transmission (eCVT), which can be controlled with paddle shifters. Driving all four wheels there are three driving modes of Eco, Power and EV. If you are not familiar with a CVT it is an alternative to a traditional automatic transmission that has no gears. A CVT seamlessly changes through “gear ratios” based on the demand put on the engine. The result—a drive with smooth acceleration and increased fuel efficiency.
Toyota’s hybrid automatically switches between the electric drive mode, combined electric motor and gasoline engine, and gasoline-only engine power. Fuel economy for the Corolla Cross Hybrid is EPA rated at 45 mpg city/38 highway/42 combined. Running on regular unleaded, the hybrid system along with the CVT are designed to err on the side of fuel efficiency and not performance.
In 212 miles driving through Orange and San Diego Counties in Southern California we averaged 42.2 mpg. On a 25-mile all-city route we exceed the EPA numbers and the Corolla Cross returned a very satisfying 46.1 mpg.
For More Performance
For more spirited performance, such as merging into freeway traffic, opt for the driver-selectable Power mode setting where 0-60 times averaged 9.2 seconds, which feels slow, but is adequate for highway merging. Once in the traffic flow, Eco mode was more than capable for cruising at-or-above highway speeds. The engine was quiet at 65+ mph, but when under demanding acceleration it was buzzy and loud. It pulled well, especially when using the console-mounted gear selector or the steering wheel-mounted paddles to hold a “gear” that kept the rpm at a certain level allowing for more pulling power.
The lithium-Ion battery is charged by the regenerative charging system when applying the brakes or coasting, converting kinetic energy into electric energy and storing it in the battery.
When driving the Corolla Cross Hybrid, select the EV mode around town to force the car to run solely on electric power (assuming the battery has a charge to do so). The driving range in pure electric mode is short, so it’s best to save that battery juice for parking garages or sneaking in late at night.
The 3,385-pound Corolla Cross Hybrid SE Nightshade Edition we drove was well-balanced and comfortable, but should not be considered a sporty car. The steering responded well to input and the ride was generally stable, but the suspension was soft and tuned for comfort. That means it absorbed most freeway bumps and dips, but cornering hard should be left to the GR Corolla that is designed to attack twisties and carve corners. If interested in towing a light trailer, the maximum weight is 1,500 pounds.
Stopping comes from Toyota’s electronically controlled brake system that incorporates regenerative control and power-assisted, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and electronic brake force distribution. The battery recharging process can be viewed on a dash gauge.
Distinct Exterior
The 2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid comes in three grades—S, SE and XSE. The SE is also the base for the Nightshade trim we tested.
There is a choice of six solid colors: Jet Black, Wind Chill Pearl ($425 extra cost), Barcelona Red Metallic, Celeste, Blue Crush Metallic and Sonic Silver. Or you can choose four two-tones of Acidic Blast/Jet Black, Blue Crush Metallic/Jet Black, Sonic Silver/Jet Black, and Barcelona Red Metallic/Jet Black, which was the color combination of our Corolla Cross Hybrid.
With a more rounded style than other Toyota SUVs, the front end is dominated by a large black grille bordered by slim LED headlights. There are crescent shaped details on the doors, color-keyed door handles and power exterior mirrors. The Black B-pillars (to match our Jet Black roof) and 18-inch black-painted machined alloy wheels worked well together.
The Nightshade Edition exterior gets special treatments of blacked-out badges, black outside door handles and mirrors and an integrated rear lip spoiler along with black accented head and tail lamps. It also is equipped with a roof rack, but note: When the sunroof is open, the non-adjustable front cross rail vibrates and hums from the wind at freeway speeds.
The rear features a short visor sitting above a lightly raked sloping rear window, then onto the LED tail and brakelights.
Comfortable Interior
The Corolla Cross Hybrid interior is clean and basic. It’s well-equipped with features such as push button start/stop and one-touch power windows. The gauges, set in the 4.2-inch color multi-information display, are large and have white numbers on a black background for easy viewing. Visibility from all angles is good, but made better by lowering the rear seats so the headrests are not visible. On the Nightshade Edition, the driver seat is 10-way power adjustable and the passenger gets a 4-way manual adjustments, but both were covered in SofTex. The rear seat, with a folding center armrest, splits 60:40 and folds nearly flat.
The Nightshade Edition gets a black and red fabric interior with red accent stitching, Qi wireless charging, a frameless HomeLink rearview mirror and standard carpet floor mats.
The tilt and telescopic, leather-trimmed, three-spoke steering wheel has controls for audio, hands-free Bluetooth telephone operation, voice recognition to control audio and other systems, and cruise control.
The centerpiece of the base Corolla Cross Hybrid is the 8-inch touchscreen that houses a 6-speaker standard sound system on all three trims. For the Nightshade Edition the tunes are upgraded to a 9-speaker JBL premium system that includes a subwoofer and an amplifier. Both sound systems play AM/FM/Sirius/XM HD radio with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
There are USB-C ports and a 120V/150A AC power outlet in the cargo area. There is an available Wi-Fi Connect subscription that offers 4G connectivity for up to five devices—turning the Corolla Cross into an AT&T Hotspot.
Safety
The Corolla Cross Hybrid is equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), such as pre-collision with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert, and a blind spot monitor with rear cross traffic alert. Additional active and passive safety features include air bags, a tire pressure monitoring system, collapsible steering column, anti-theft alarm and an engine immobilizer.
Pricing
The 2024 Toyota Corolla Hybrid comes in three grades with these base prices, which include the $1,350 delivery, processing and handling fee.
- S $29,320
- SE $30,640
- XSE $32,505
The Corolla Cross SE Nightshade Edition we drove, including the delivery, processing and handling fee had a base price of $30,465. Adding-in the additional equipment of $2,972, the total came to $34,787.
Warranties
- Hybrid Battery – 10 years/150,000 miles
- Hybrid Components – Eight years/100,000 miles
- Powertrain – Five years/60,000 miles
- Basic – Three years/36,000 miles
- Maintenance Plan – Two years/25,000 miles
- Roadside Assistance – Two years/unlimited miles
Observations: 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
The Toyota Corolla is one of the best-selling vehicles in the world, and Toyota is the largest seller of hybrid vehicles in the world. The former was accomplished with a Corolla sedan, so with SUVs being so popular it made sense for Toyota to offer the Corolla Cross as a hybrid small SUV.
Built in Huntsville, Alabama, the 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is an economical vehicle to buy and drive. Basic driving needs, whether commuting, in-town errands or even day trips, will be easily handled. Driving dynamics are not why you buy the Corolla Cross, but the practicality the SUV body offers over the sedan as well as a higher ride height and all-wheel drive.
The competition includes, among others, the Volkswagen Taos (all-new for 2025), Chevrolet Trailblazer (refreshed for 2024), Mazda CX-30 (also all-new for 2025), Subaru Crosstrek, Honda HR-V, Buick Encore GX, Ford Bronco Sport, Chevrolet Trax and Fiat 500X, but none of them are hybrids. One potential competitor, the Hyundai Kona, does offer and all-electric version. (Our reviews are linked.) Toyota’s vaunted build quality, reliability and resale value are added attractions to the Corolla Cross Hybrid.
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Story and photos by John Faulkner.
Disclosure
Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.
Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and other efficient powertrains. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.
