Toyota recently launched the Corolla Cross Hybrid in Malaysia and they claim that it’s the smarter, more sustainable choice for Malaysians. This is a new addition to the petrol variants that were launched in March 2021. With all the talk of EVs and EV infrastructure in Malaysia such as Shell’s new 180kW charging network, it’s easy to forget the hybrid car. There aren’t a lot of charging stations available in Malaysia currently, so Toyota launched the Corolla Cross Hybrid to fight for carbon neutrality. In fact, Toyota aims to achieve carbon-neutrality by 2050.
The design of the vehicle can be described as a crossover SUV Corolla, which is the first time they’ve added one of that type in the lineup. Matching with the eco-friendly vibe, the Cross Hybrid gets LED headlights, LED Daytime Running Lights, as well as LED rear lighting units. The Cross Hybrid is fitted with 18-inch alloy wheels and you can choose between Celestite Grey Metallic, Red Mica Metallic, Platinum White Pearl, Silver Metallic and Nebula Blue Metallic for the colour choice.
Under the hood, you’ll find a 1.8L four-cylinder engine that produces 72 kW/98 ps at 5,200 rpm with 142 Nm of torque at 3,600 rpm that’s paired to an e-CVT. From the primary electric motor comes 53 kW (equal to 72 ps) and 163 Nm of torque and it’s connected to a 6.5Ah NiMH battery. Being a hybrid using Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) technology, you will naturally get more range per litre. The Corolla Cross Hybrid has a fuel consumption rate of 23.3 km per litre.
The interior is fitted with leather upholstery, extending to the driver’s seat that has eight-way power adjustment. For the instrument panel, there’s a 7-inch Multi Information Display. This is an upgrade over the simpler instrument cluster on the petrol version that comes with a 4.2″ display. The middle of the dashboard features a 9-inch panel that provides information for the infotainment systems, as well as the image from the rearview camera. This display can be used with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it comes with the usual USB, AUX, and Bluetooth connectivity. For easy parking, the display provides 3D Panoramic View Monitor which gives you a 3D view of the car.
Unfortunately, the new Hybrid model still retains a manual foot-operated parking brake like the petrol version. The Corolla Cross in Japan comes with an electronic parking brake with an auto brake hold feature. It does however come with nifty features like a power tailgate with a kick sensor and 440 litres of boot space for your cargo.
In terms of advanced safety features, the vehicle gets Toyota Safety Sense which includes autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist and dynamic radar cruise control that works with all speeds. Also included are seven airbags, vehicle stability control, and blind-spot monitoring.
The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is priced at RM136,550 on-the-road without insurance, including a five-year unlimited mileage warranty and an eight-year battery warranty. This price is taking into account the sale and service tax (SST) exemption. You can extend the warranty by two years for an additional RM2,950. As for the petrol variants, the 1.8G version is priced at RM123,000 and the 1.8V costs RM129,000.
