As announced last month, the Toyota Corolla Cross will be entering the highly competitive midsized crossover segment in South Africa this November. The South African arm of the Japanese manufacturer has now revealed what engines this new product will be available with.
The entry-level mill for the Toyota Corolla Cross is its tried and tested 2ZR-FE naturally aspirated 1,8-litre four-cylinder mill which uses VVT-i technology to produce 103 kW at 6 000 r/min and 173 N.m of torque at 4 400 r/min. Using a CVT with seven-steps to transmit power to the front axle, the brand claims that this unit will offer a fuel consumption figure of 6,8 L/100 km with a CO2 emission output of 154 g/km.
The second engine for the Toyota Corolla Cross will be the 2ZR-FXE petrol-electric hybrid combination which is found in the current Toyota Prius as well as the C-HR and Corolla Hybrid. With the Atkinson cycle technology, the re-engineered 1,8-litre four-pot unit produces 72 kW and 142 N.m which is quite a bit less than the aforementioned configuration. Using a specifically tweaked CVT, the brand claims this powertrain will sip 4,3 L/100 km with a sub-100 g/km CO2 figure.
A dedicated EV mode is also offered, where operation is restricted to near-silent, full-electric propulsion (battery state-of-charge dependent). The Hybrid configuration has been adapted to low-speed usage situations such as peak-hour traffic, where the petrol engine is automatically shut-off and the vehicle can be driven on electric power only in a bid to minimise fuel usage.
The month of August also marked the production of the very first Toyota Corolla Cross at the brand’s Prospecton Plant; a fitting, bright red example. This is the first hybrid powertrain to be manufactured by Toyota South Africa which makes it a product of significant infrastructure investment and skills training. The brand says this allows it and its employees to compete on a global scale.
