Toyota has released pricing for its new Corolla-based compact SUV, which will arrive in October.
The Corolla Cross will be priced at $33,000 plus highway costs for the two-wheel-drive GX gas version, $2,000 more than Toyota’s smallest C-HR model and about $4,000 cheaper than its smaller RAV4. sold out.
A hybrid version of the vehicle will start from $35,500, while all-wheel drive versions will cost an additional $3,000.
A new hybrid AWD flagship model, called the Atmos, will cost $49,050 more on the highway.
The new Corolla Cross will be more practical and look more conventional than the C-HR, which features sharply creased panels and narrow windows.
It will be offered with a choice of 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and hybrid engines.
It will also provide cheaper access to hybrid technology than the C-HR range, whose cheapest hybrid option starts at $37,665 more highway.
Hybrids likely make up the majority of Corolla Crosses sold, accounting for nearly 70 percent of RAV4 sales and 30 percent of total brand sales.
The arrival of the Corolla Cross continues the avalanche of hybrids in the local market.
Kia and Haval have recently introduced new hybrids and have more on the way, while Nissan and Hyundai.
The trend coincides with plans by the federal government to introduce a mandatory CO2 emissions target for the auto industry, with penalties for non-compliance.
Hybrids typically use less than a third of the fuel of conventional vehicles and, unlike gasoline cars, are more efficient in bumper-to-bumper traffic than on the highway.
Hybrid sales are up about 15 percent this year in a new-car market that is down almost 5 percent.
That growth would be stronger if it weren’t for a lack of supply of the RAV4 hybrid, which has delivery lead times stretching to more than 12 months.
The cheaper GX Corolla Cross comes well-equipped with an 8-inch center touchscreen that supports wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, as well as push-button start and digital radio.
Every Corolla Cross will get the latest driver aids, including lane-keeping and blind-spot assist, active cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic emergency braking.
The GXL model starts at $36,750 and adds leather-trimmed seats, a larger 10.5-inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, USB ports for rear passengers and more safety features.
The Atmos starts at $43,550 and adds a sunroof, full leather upholstery and a large digital display in front of the driver.
The new model will increase Toyota’s dominance in the Australian car market. It already accounts for about one in five SUV sales, while its HiLux ute has been the number one selling vehicle in the country for the past six years.
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