Toyota South Africa Motors has finally confirmed plans to begin producing the new Corolla Cross at its Prospecton plant in KwaZulu-Natal later in 2021.
Andrew Kirby, Toyota South Africa Motors president and CEO, made the announcement at the State of the Motor Industry 2021 address, which this year was delivered online. Production is slated to begin in October 2021, with both left- (for export markets) and right-hand-drive models to be built.
Back in February 2020, the Japanese firm’s local division confirmed it planned to produce an unspecified new “passenger-car model” at the Prospecton facility (thanks to a fresh almost R3-billion investment), which we speculated would be the Corolla-badged crossover. But now the news is official: that vehicle will indeed be the Corolla Cross.
Revealed in Thailand in July 2020, the newcomer is described as a fresh-faced “compact SUV” forming part of the broader Corolla series.
Running on the TNGA (GA-C) platform with a wheelbase of 2 640 mm, the new Corolla Cross measures 4 460 mm long, 1 825 mm and 1 620 mm tall, which sees it slot in above the C-HR and below the RAV4.
In Thailand, the Corolla Cross is offered with a choice of two powertrains. The first is a naturally aspirated 1,8-litre petrol unit, delivering 103 kW and 177 N.m to the front axle via a continuously variable transmission. The second is a hybrid version of the same (detuned) four-cylinder unit, with a total system output of 90 kW. Toyota SA Motors has confirmed both powertrains will be available locally.
The firm has furthermore confirmed the new Corolla Cross will be exported to 43 countries in Africa. The project is expected to generate “more than 500” jobs at Toyota and a further 1 000 in the local automotive chain.
“This is an ideal vehicle for our market. It provides an exceptional balance between drivability, roominess, comfort and high-tech features – truly a game-changing SUV. It combines everything you love about Corolla with the utilitarian and rugged aesthetics of a segment-leading SUV,” said Kirby.
“Overall, expectation is that the Corolla Cross will not only contribute significant sales towards the Toyota brand, but also accelerate growth mini-SUV segment, increase overall size of the passenger market in South Africa and give momentum to electrification technologies.”
