The Chevy Trailblazer has yet another new rival to contend with after this week’s debut of the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross subcompact crossover.
The Toyota Corolla Cross rides on the same TNGA-C platform as the current, twelfth-generation Corolla sedan and promises to offer the same quality, durability and reliability that has made the compact car one of the best-selling nameplates worldwide. Power comes from a naturally aspirated 2.0L four-cylinder engine producing 169 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque, while shifting is handled by Toyota’s Direct Shift CVT, which features a physical first gear for a superior feel when accelerating from a stop. Front wheel drive comes standard and all-wheel-drive is available for extra. The AWD system comes with Toyota’s Dynamic Torque Control system, as well, which can direct up to 50 percent of power to the rear wheels when it’s needed.
Toyota says the interior of the Corolla Cross ” shares many similarities with its sedan and hatchback siblings,” featuring a similar dash design/layout and the same available 8-inch multimedia touchscreen. The available Audio Plus multimedia with Remote Connect system offers buyers a little more interior tech, adding a nine-speaker JBL audio system, Amazon Alexa AI assistant and SiriusXM All Access with a free trial subscription. Toyota’s Safety Sense suite is also standard across all trim levels, adding safety equipment such as Lane Departure Alert, Automatic High Beams and a Pre-Collision System.
The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross will be available in three trim levels from launch: L, LE, and XLE. It will enter production at Toyota’s new joint venture plant with Mazda in Huntsville, Alabama later this year and will arrive at dealerships in the United States and Canada shortly thereafter. Prices are expected to start at around $24,000 – a touch more expensive than the Chevy Trailblazer, which starts at $20,195 for the entry-level L trim with front-wheel-drive.
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Comments
this will be an easy sell for Toyota. the trailblazer is cool looking, but I’m sure that boosted 3 banger won’t age well.
Does it still drive like 1980 like even the most recent Corollas still do??? My brother had a 11 Corolla, and my 04 Pontiac Sunfire drives soooouch better. Souless machines Corollas. People still line up to buy them for the Toyota name.
Well, it has more power than the Trailblazer, and that special first gear probably makes the CVT drive a lot nicer too.
So without having driven it, I’d say no, it probably drives better than the competition.
Nate: Here is a quote from an article on GMA: “In more detail, the available engines are the 1.2L I3 LIH rated at 137 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque or the 1.3L I3 L3T rated at 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque.”
So although you are correct that this turd Toyota will have more power in terms of HP, both the Chevy engines have the more important higher torque numbers. So you really can’t say it has “more power”. And if this taller version of a Corolla drives like the current Corolla’s, then no. The Chevy will still be the better vehicle.
It doesn’t really matter. Anyone that wants a Toyota isn’t going to consider anything from GM anyway.
The Trailblazer certainly looks better though.
Jake: How true. Yet the sheep will lay down the bucks just because it says Toyota.
and why is that????
Ah, because they are sheep. Kind of the point. It’s certainly not because the Toyota’s are better.
On the turd Toyota:
I’ve always called it a Turdyota. 🙂
Robert: another name I’ve given them is Toileta. haha.
We have it here in Brazil. It’s nice but the Jeep Compass is better.
We don’t have the US-Spec Chevy Trailblazer here, but the body-on-frame one.
next up will be the honda hr-v.
Technically, the HR-V is not a direct competitor, as it belongs to the B segment, while the Corolla Cross belongs to the C segment. However, they will have to compete in some aspects and prices depending on their positioning.
And here it is, right there in front of us and in black and white. This is the way Toyota will drop the “cars” and “sedans” in favor of the higher riding CUV/SUV style. There have been hundreds of comments (or more) on here about how cars are going away and many people complaining that GM is making a huge mistake by walking away from those sedan buyers. And how many times have we read people saying that because of this, they will leave GM and go with a Honda or Toyota or whatever. Now we can see the exact plan that the Japanese brands are taking. Just come out with another CUV/SUV and figure out a way to retain a popular nameplate for that car. Introducing the next CUV from Toyota aptly named Corolla Cross.
This is where I will place blame on GM. They could have easily placed a sedan name on a higher riding model to help appease those fighting the loss of sedans.
Sorry, but you can still purchase a Corolla sedan or hatchback. Not so with GM.
Richard: Yes, for now. But did you read my post? Key words: “will drop” and “see the exact plan” and “come out with”. You see, those are terms that indicate that I fully understand that they still offer cars but that they are, like EVERY brand, heading towards CUV/SUV’s while the cars wither away. My point is (and actually giving Toyota credit here) that I feel GM messed up and Toyota is doing the death walk for cars the correct way.
No Hacksaw replies?, yes!!
I would say it seems to have a better n/a engine option, better integrated infotainment and fuel economy then TB..
I don’t think I need to comment on the Trailblazer anymore. It’s not a good vehicle as offered. The Shanghai 1.3t is just yuck. I have no doubt this Toyota will be a better overall offering. I personally don’t like CVTs most people buying in this segment won’t care. But they will care about the performance and I all but guarantee the CVT accelerates better on the highway as it won’t be endlessly hunting for gears like the underpowered TB.
Nooo!!!
Oh,oh. There go the Trailblazer sales.
Yeah, I think the Trailblazer will continue to do ok.
This is more expensive, and honestly it’s incredibly boring looking.
Dang….we coulda had a Cruze Cross. Hopefully this Corolla Cross does better than the VehiCROSS and the Eclipse Cross. And the upcoming electric Mustang Boss Cross.
With both the Equinox and Trailblazer for sale, I can’t see any reason you’d also need a Cruze Cross.
because the TB is garbage.
But the Cruze Cross wouldn’t be?
If it had a 4 cylinder turbo designed by Opel and GM North America which was produced in the USA it would be immeasurably better than the TB.
The Trailblazer is much better styled. The Toyota probably will have rust problems too. The 2000 Toyota Corolla LE I purchased new had tremendous oil consumption, rust, and other problems in spite of being very well cared for. The 2018 Chevrolet Cruze LT Diesel which I also bought new is a million times better car than the Corolla. No more Toyotas for me.
Eric Vest: Thanks for sharing this with us. It’s super refreshing to read a comment like yours telling the truth.
Besides the premature quarter panel rust and terrible oil consumption (0.5 quart per fuel fillup) my Corolla’s paint and plastic trim parts were terrible. In spite of garaging the car and frequent washing and waxing I had severe acid rain damage by the time it was a year old. Many plastic interior trim parts broke. These plastic parts had very thin sections. Toyota must have decided to save plastic resin to the point it compromised quality. Many odd problems occurred on this car. I replaced the hood latch twice, the cd changer twice, it went through a lot of serpentine belts and pre-tensioners, the wheel bearings needed to be replaced twice, the steering wheel needed to replaced because the plastic on the steering wheel delaminated, I bought a year old 2004 Dodge Stratus for my wife to drive that was formally a rental car. The Stratus was much more reliable than the Corolla. The Stratus did not rust, the paint held up, it did not use any oil, and I just had to preform preventative maintenance.
Eric: You tell the truth and thank you for that. I know that I give the Japanese brands a lot of grief on here, but it’s not that I think they are junk. No, it’s that I really dislike the companies and how they do business. Anyone who has read my posts will know that I’ve spoken about this numerous times. Let’s face it. All cars (all brands) can and will have issues. For me, it’s more about how the company handles it. After working with Honda for 12 long years, I learned the truth behind how they operate and there will never be a Honda in my driveway. Nor a Toyota. Heck, I now work at a Mazda and Volvo store and I can tell you just how cheaply Mazda puts things together. Do they and can they get good marks from CR or from other sources? Sure. But let’s see how they age over time and it’s not good. I’ve never (EVER) seen leather turn hard and shrink like the Mazda leathers do. Center armrest clips braking and the lid won’t stay down. Trim on and around the dash coming out after a year and pealing away. Screens that just go black to never come on again. Replace it and wait for the next blackout. Outside black plastic panels that just pop off or get ripped off in a car wash. I could go on, but the point is clear.
You personally saw the Toyota true way of building a car. There are truly so many better vehicles and brands on the market that will hold up better over time. Most are American brands.
Probably more relaible and less rattles and shakes than the Trailblazer. But crap is this where we as a society have become, car makers offering castrated cars without emotion, appeal, no signs of performance, and consumers are dumb enough to buy these with 84 month loans. Where have decent designs gone? I have a Pontiac Vibe which is a Toyota Corolla underneath great car very practical and reliable, I along with my 2010 Cadillac CTS Wagon, and my 2001 Silverado I will keep driving, and will replace parts as long as they are available. It is just plain pathetic as to what is being offered. And isnt it sad that a powerplant upgrade would be a 4 cylinder engine. THis is just a joke. CHecy should have brought the version of Trailblazer they sale in Chili. What the heck is this world coming to.
ugly.
This Toyota is ugly. Too ugly to be seen driving it.
People seem to really like ugly Toyotas though.
Their Lexus division proves that ugly will sell.
Interesting that this vehicle will be produced in Alabama and GM is producing the Equinox – Trailblazer and twins in Mexico and South Korea. Why did a once Iconic American manufacturer move so much production oversea?
No unions at Toyota.
Hacksaw, do you own a TB, is that why you are shitting all over the TB? My bet you don’t. Not even a close authority on opinion either…
My daughter and son in law have one and love it. Yes, they test drove just about everything in this segment and drove ut home. It’s almost a year old and have kids in contact sports so the interior is holding up like new, that 3 cylinder and 9 speed per the kids, very smooth, in the mountains of Idaho during camping, fishing, whitewater rafting, and hiking. No issues, so far…
Opinions are like a-holes, everybody has one, especially the one the wife sends to work…
I’m ready to hear “real” issues, not opinions.
We already know what hacksaw is all about. Note that he does NOT own a Trailblazer. He also has no real experience with the product. His claim to authority is that he drove one for a few minutes on a test drive.
He think that a small difference in power makes the Tb inferior. Generally speaking, his opinions do not align with reality. He craps all over GM, its products, direction and strategy. That about sums up what he’s all about.
Say what you want the Kia Seltos was a much more impressive vehicle in everyway. Almost every third party reviewer agrees… The TB is hot garbage with a hot garbage warranty on a Chinese engineered motor… Goodluck with that 👌
All of a sudden the Koreans are better then then the Chinese? That’s why China is going to be the next world super power right? Anyway the Trailblazer is a fine vehicle for what it is and I own Equinox that I love stop bashing GM they are trying to make a good vehicle read online google searches that I read and see how bad Hyundai and Kia really are it’s all hype and they are cheaper then everyone else for a reason… JUNK KOREAN CARS. I would take a GM or Toyota over Hyundai or Kia any day.
I hope i live to see the end of crossovers and suv’s. Maybe someday people will realize that most of them only need a sedan. Everything today is just a statement. I hAvE a FaStEr SuV tHaN yOu. 300 hp that the average person will never use, I understand some people with big families and stuff actually need the space but i think its getting a little rediculous now…