2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos - Is it Worth the price? REVIEW

Depending on your point of view, Corolla Cross is either a brilliant stroke of marketing genius, or a cynical move to fill a gap, answering a question no one was asking.

What is an SUV?

Corolla Cross is borne out of an obsession that some say started with the Range Rover, a 4×4 that morphed into an SUV and a luxury one at that. It was a world where passenger cars accounted for 90% of vehicle sales, and Holden and Ford had domination of the Australian market of at least 80%.

Then things went tits-up, and passenger sales slid slowly down the slippery slope where oblivion awaits. Speaking of Oblivion, what’s Holden? Holden is defunct for failing to meet the market and passenger cars are now a miserable 16% of the market. Like many car makers, Toyota hustled its bustle to the designery to churn out yet another SUV.

Oh, stop rolling your eyes, this is all your fault. You want more SUVs because that is all you’re buying.

Corolla and Mazda3 have rested comfortably in the top 10 sellers since the signing of Magna Carta. However, the people at Mazda saw a graffitied scrawl warning them the end is nigh for an un-savvy auto makes. Get caught without an SUV an open market segment, and you’ll fail to follow the frolics of faithless punters. Mazda made a mazda3 sized SUV, the CX-5, but alas, Toyota had no such trifle because Rav4 has grown all big and butch.

The App:

The brave new world of connected services sees Corolla Cross talking to the outside world via an inbuilt SIM.

The myToyota Connect app allows owners to remotely start the vehicle, lock and unlock the doors and boot, activate the horn, buzzer, hazard and headlights, and even turn on the climate control ahead of time.

These new features are in addition to the existing Toyota Connected Services features found on other models including SOS Emergency Call, which allows contact with Toyota’s Emergency Call Centre through the touch of a button, who can then put them into contact with emergency services.

Video Review: 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Atmos Review _ What the boy weekend away taught us #gaycarboys

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ABOVE: Corolla Cross, Corolla hatch, Corolla sedan

Enter Corolla Cross.

As cute a Yaris Cross is, it feels somewhat tawdry inside, definitely not worth the money. Corolla Cross has not made the mistake.

There is a cornucopia of choice, with 3 trim levels and a couple of drivetrains on the menu. If you fancy fondling about in your gusset for spare change, an Atmos can be had. It has all 3-drivetrain options, a 2.0L FWD, 2.0L Hybrid FWD, and the all singing, all dancing 2.0L Hybrid AWD.

We took the Corolla Cross “up the cottages”.

Corolla Cross Atmos Hybrid AWD got a general thumbs-up. It isn’t quite as purty as the quaint-as-feck Yaris Cross, but still manages a fairly handsome visage. Lighting is LED, but Toyota skimped on the matrix option, and only the top model has auto high beam. The majestic sweep of the front blinkers looks rather showy, and I like it a lot.

There is a kick-n-open lekky tailgate, and some nifty integrated roof rails. No doubt there is a curated cabinet of hilariously expensive clever-clip accessories, but if I can’t fit it inside, it is left behind. And, that includes hangers-on. I’ll not be screwing a pod of gorgeous garments overhead, that sort of packing is strictly armature hour.

Most of us quite liked the subtly undulated exterior that looks a little like a Kluger shrunk on an improper wash cycle

Inside:

This is where new Toyota meets old.

There is a faint whiff off familiarity, yet there is a large digital dash, a centre touch screen that has wireless CarPlay, AND a slightly moody Qi charger just below. The latter has a love/hate relationship with MagSafe phone cases.

Rear seats have not 2, but 4 cup holders, with 2 USB-C at the rear of the centre console (IN Atmos). NOTE: We could not find the USB-Cs in the video review, but they were there. We had to hunt to find them, but Nico’s teen nephews have a way of finding things that some of us otherwise miss. They’re also good to have on hand to navigate infotainment systems. Everyone should have a bowl of Gen Z’s handy.

Front seats are better catered for. There are a couple seat heat switches that can be easily knocked on when fettling your phone, and there is a heated steering wheel button beside them.

What a shame there is no head-up display. This glaring omission is no doubt the result of penny pinching, so it is quite the surprise to find automated parking, something I could do without.

The passenger has shift-em-yourself seats. while the driver gets buttons with a couple of memory options as well. There is dual zone climate control, with Sync, s’il vous plait. As always, there is a USB and 12V outlet, so we considered Corolla Cross Atmos to be reasonably well equipped.

Controls are standard Toyota, as are the safety and driver aids. Everything can be fettled from the main menu, and the smart cruise and lane controls have buttons on the steering wheel.

The brochure has more detail. Download it HERE: 20230504_Corolla_Cross_Brochure_v6

The Drive:

Both the FWD and AWD hybrids have 147kw. The AWD’s small 30kw rear motor adds no extra power to the total, and is only used as a shunt of power between electric motors. The petrol engine powers the front wheels, or charges the battery, and regenerative energy capture is done only by the front wheels.

Steering is nice and light, but Corolla Cross Atmos is neither a sports car nor an off-roader. Drive modes are Eco, Normal and Sport, with the latter adding a touch of pep to the step. Cornering was surprisingly good, with AWD models having Multi-Link rear suspension. I suspect the FWD torsion beam rear end will not afford the same result.

I found myself backing off more than I otherwise would, even sans passengers. Corolla Cross showed no signs of letting go in tight corners, but I didn’t feel confident enough to push it further.

Corolla Cross Atmos uses the hybrid system in EV as much as possible, and our city economy was a respectable 5.1 to 5.5 L/100k, HOORAH!!

Our weekend away split 6 boys between 2 cars, rotating so everyone had a steer. You can read more about it here.

Corolla Cross Atmos was comfy on the highway, quiet in town, and did most of the hard work for you. The automated parking was tricky to master and I needed a Gen Z to get it going, as is so often the case.

The back seat was a little too cosy for more than a one long-legged lad at time, at least, for anything longer than an airport run. Even so, when lit’luns are on board, the extra 2 cup holders in the arm rest were handy. Nico’s young nephews used all 4 rear (2 in the doors and 2 in the pull-down arm rest) with a tasty choice of healthy beverages, offering us their reusable cups and bottles with enthusiasm.

In short, Corolla Cross Atmos did everything asked of it. It put up with the constant bitching from the back seats, coped with a shedload of luggage and sundry holiday detritus, and was a pleasure to drive.

It all comes down to delivery time. If RAV4 is available, it is probably a better buy. It is a little bigger for not much more money. Yaris is far too small and expensive for what it is, but if you are going to buy a FWD Corolla Cross, why not just spend less and buy the liftback?

These questions, tackle you must (said in a Yodo voice).