Backed by an enviable reputation for reliability and quality, it's easy to see why the Toyota Corolla Cross is so popular.
Infused with the unmistakable DNA of Toyota Gazoo Racing, the GR-S elevates the popular SUV with sportier styling. Picture: Mark Jones
In wrapping up our time with the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV, the common theme throughout the past three months has been fuel efficiency, and not so much sporty GR-S. But we will get to that in a bit.
Toyota way ahead of the rest
In somewhat of a backtrack, motor manufacturers have had to hit the brakes hard on only looking to offer battery electric vehicles going forward. The smart money was always on an interim step, and this is where Toyota were way ahead of the rest.
Toyota have for years being offering hybrid electric vehicles. Anybody remember the Prius? This car was around long before the phrase ‘New Energy Vehicles’ became cool. Now everybody is jumping on this bandwagon.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are being seen as a stepping stone to full battery electric vehicles. And hybrid electric vehicles like the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV are there to get you out of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles.
Hybrid electric power
So, let’s talk about this for a moment. Under the hood you have a 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine matched to a small 1.3kWh self-charging battery.
This combo delivers 90kW of power and 142Nm of torque without you having to worry about plugging anything in. The car decides when it wants to use electricity for performance, and when it wants to use it for fuel efficiency.
Fuel efficiency
As to be expected, the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV is at its best around town and in traffic. The car defaults to ‘EV Mode’ to save fuel, and the CVT box is not intrusive. Achieving the claimed 4.3-litres per 100km is easy.
Out on the open road, the internal combustion engine must do the work of keeping the car on the go and charge the battery. And then fuel consumption rises, and the whining from the CVT box becomes annoying.
But the good news is that despite this, the average fuel consumption over 5 000km and three months came in at 5.4-litres per 100km. And this is more than acceptable for a family SUV.
It also explains why it was so loved when we had it. It’s cheap to run, it has the looks and the street cred to go with it, and it is just so easy to live with daily.
Imagine a GR-S with more power
But there is a downside that is starting to creep into the equation. The car wears a GR-S badge and comes fitted with a host of GR styling updates like black mesh grille and 18-inch six-spoke machined alloy wheels.
It even offers paddle shifting and a specially tuned suspension to enhance handling and road feedback. But the Chinese competitors, in the Chery Tiggo Cross HEV and Omoda C5 SHS, are moving the performance goalposts in this segment.
Their hybrid electric vehicles are offering substantially more power and performance at 150kW and 165kW respectively, while still offering very similar fuel consumption numbers. And if I had one wish, it would be that my Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV offered the same.
Pricing
- Corolla Cross 1.8 GR-S HEV – R575 400
All Toyota Corolla Cross models are sold with a six-services/90 000km service plan and three-year/100 000km warranty.
