Corolla What?
Yes, you read that right. A Corolla Cross. We wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never heard of it, but in our humble opinion, this crossover vehicle from Toyota will not stay off the radar for long. In fact, today we’ll review the brand new 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross; XLE trim level with available all-wheel-drive (AWD).
The XLE is the top-of-the-line in the Corolla Cross for 2023, and this is the gas version. Rumor has, at some point in 2023, Toyota will be unveiling their hybrid version of the Cross. In this overview we will highlight, from nose to tail, the exterior components and design accents, and then provide you with a link to our YouTube video where we will take a deep dive into the interior features of this Silver Sky Metallic, 2023 Corolla Cross XLE.
Upfront
For comparison, Corolla Cross is a little bit smaller than a RAV4, but the front-end is different altogether than a RAV4. Upfront on the XLE edition the first thing you will notice is a complete setup of LED lights; LED daytime running lights, turn signals and projector style LED headlights with auto high beams and auto on and off. The LED turn signals are actually integrated in the mirrors as well. The XLE edition has the premium upgrade package complete with all of the top-of-the-line Toyota Safety Sense features including;
- Parking Sensors
- Pre-Collision Detection
- Pedestrian Detection
- Lane-Tracing Assist
- Road Sign Detection
- Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
The mesh grill up front prominently features the Toyota badge which houses many of the sensors for the Toyota safety features. Below it is a matte black ABS plastic accent, easy to replace or remove if you pick up any scratches or any dents or dings. Lastly as we approach the road surface is a painted lower fascia. The styling looks nice, and no major changes when compared to he 2022 model.
Impressive Profile
Taking a look at the side, it’s easy to notice the body lines that wrap from the hood around to the side fenders. They do the same across the back over the rear fenders as well. Really paying attention to the styling on this one with the body contours. Over fenders you’ll have ABS matte black plastic finish; super easy to replace if you do scratch and dent or ding them. Take a screwdriver, unscrew them, take them off, put the new ones on.
Riding in Comfort
The wheels on the 2023 Cross are a cast aluminum wheel with four-wheel disc brakes, antilock brakes and traction control. The tire is going to be an all-season tire; 225x55x18-inch wheel and tire; a good sized tire set-up giving the Cross a nice-looking style. Again, on the XLE which is the top-of-the-line in the Corolla Cross, it can feature, at an added cost, body side moldings and on the door. The lower body-side molding is standard. Both are ABS plastic, so if you pick up any scratches or dents you can basically pull them off, put new ones on pretty easily. You don’t necessarily need a body shop.
Safety First
Continuing along the side profile you will notice colored-to-match outside door handles, the LED turn signals with chrome bezels, chrome-up and over the window sills as well. Very nice touch. The outside mirrors are painted colored to match and fold in for tight parking. They also break away if somebody clips it with a bike or grocery cart. Integrated here as well is the blind-spot monitoring along with heated outside mirrors. These are huge mirrors too, with very good visibility. Privacy glass on all four windows, including the tailgate – which is a nice feature when hauling cargo. On top is the roof rail system along with the power sliding moonroof and colored to match shark-fin antenna.
As we swing around to the back is the color to match spoiler and rear window defrost. One of the things I like about the setup on the back of the Corolla Cross is your third brake light. The LED light is actually on the backside of the window, so it’s easier to clean the window and not have to worry about cleaning that third brake light separately. Nice move, Toyota. Your backup sensors are here as well as is your backup camera. On the XLE trim level you’ll get a power liftgate and the power sliding moonroof. With that power liftgate, you also have the push button to lift the gate up. Using your remote, just hold it and away it goes. No-kick sensors on the back of the lift gate for the Corolla Cross, and you can see it does have height-adjustable settings. If you have a low garage roof, you can set it up so it only goes up so high and doesn’t hit the garage roof.
Under the Hood
In 2023, the engine on the Corolla Cross is the same engine they’re using in the Corolla. It’s a two-liter 16-valve engine, double overhead cam with variable valve timing, and it’s connected to a CVT automatic transmission producing 169 horsepower, combined fuel economy city and highway is going to come in at 30 miles per gallon.
Now, the vehicle is available as a front wheel drive only or an all-wheel drive. The one we had was the all-wheel drive edition. The engine and the transmission have a five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty. You also get ToyotaCare, which covers your oil changes, fluid top-offs and tire rotations. All covered for the first two years, 25,000 miles, and then Toyota also includes roadside assistance with the ToyotaCare package, and then the vehicle itself has a three-year, 36,000-mile limited warranty with no deductible.
Toyota Corolla Cross XLE Interior Overview on Our YouTube Channel
Because some things are better seen, we encourage you to continue your research on the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross by taking a deep dive into the interior with us on our YouTube Channel. You can also reach out to our team to contact us with any questions, or browse our full inventory of new Toyota vehicles online.
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