Toyota Corolla Cross (US) review

As mentioned, the Corolla Cross has two powertrain layouts - a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas version with FWD or AWD configurations, and an AWD-only hybrid.

Each version has three grades that are essentially the same packages, just with different designations. For the gas Corolla Cross, it’s L, LE and XLE while the hybrid’s trims are S, SE and XSE.

How do I keep up?

Apart from their unique fascias (the hybrid's in blue above, the pure gas car in red), the trim levels contain generally the same features. Base trims come with the seven-inch gauge cluster, eight-inch infotainment screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, USB-C charging ports and Toyota’s digital safety suite.

Mid-level trims add to the above a wireless smartphone charging pad, USB-C charging ports for rear passengers, roof rails and blind-spot monitoring while 17in alloy wheels replace the steelies fitted to the base trim.

Top grades, subsequently, go for 18in machine-finished alloys, a 12.3in gauge cluster, 10.5in multimedia touchscreen, 10-way power driver’s seat, dual climate control, heated front seats, rear cross-traffic braking functionality and park assist with automatic braking.

Which one would we buy?

Tough to say. It would certainly be the Corolla Cross Hybrid, for starters. The extra power and fuel efficiency are worth the buy-in, with the on-demand AWD support an appreciated bonus. The hybrid’s sub-$30k starting price is a main draw, though this understandably applies solely to the base-level trim. Fully loaded, the hybrid XSE comes in at $37,449. If we’re prepared to spend that much, we’re just as ready to wander across the Toyota showroom to look at the very versatile RAV4.

Final answer? Corolla Cross Hybrid SE.