Toyota Corolla Cross SUV is slated to hit the market outside of Asia

Toyota is preparing a new small SUV for the US market, and it’s a model that we could potentially see in Europe as new competitors for the SEAT Ateca, Nissan Qashqai and Peugeot 3008.

Called the Corolla Cross, it is already available in the Asian markets. It has now been spied on in the US, suggesting a launch there is approaching.

It’s not clear yet whether the Corolla Cross will be sold in the UK or Europe, but Toyota’s range is becoming increasingly international, especially when it comes to SUVs. For example, with the recent introduction of the full-size Highlander in the UK, a badge popular in North America made its debut in the UK.

The company’s new European boss, Matt Harrison, has also indicated that a new SUV the size of the Corolla Cross is on its way to Europe. Last year he told us: “The way we see the segments growing, some are honestly so big that you can’t cover them with one product.

“You need at least a few entries within the segment. C-HR is a good example; With C-HR, we successfully achieve eight percent market share with a product that makes an emotional decision. It was chosen based on style, design and drivability rather than pure practicality.

“But there is a large part of the C-SUV segment that we don’t really address. We’re playing at the upper end of the C-SUV segment and are almost fishing for the premium segment. So, frankly, we see further opportunities with SUV products. “

The Corolla Cross could be the model that fills that void and sits alongside the C-HR as a more practical alternative and intermediary between it and the larger RAV4.

To place it among its competitors, the newbie needs to have a starting price of around £ 24,000. In Malaysia, the prices for the SUV start at the equivalent of 22,000 pounds.

The Corolla Cross shares its mechanics with the Corolla hatchback and uses the same GA-C platform and four-cylinder gasoline hybrid powertrains. Toyota wouldn’t have to change the SUV’s range of engines for the UK market either, as buyers will get the same 120-horsepower 1.8-liter and 181-horsepower 2.0-liter units, both powered by a CVT send to the front wheels.

The SUV is 4,460 mm long, 1,825 mm wide and 1,620 mm high. There’s room for five and a trunk big enough to hold 487 liters, well ahead of the C-HR’s 377 liter. The tailgate can also be equipped with a kick sensor under the rear bumper.

The Corolla Cross shares elements of its design with the smaller Yaris Cross – and its styling won’t change for its western debut based on those US spy tapes. It has the same tall grille, similar slim headlights and a related profile. Even the paneling of the SUV’s wheel arches and sills is familiar, but it is a radical departure from the design language of the Corolla hatchback.

Specifications vary by region, but the best-equipped versions of the Corolla Cross come with a wireless smartphone charger, electric seats, automatic air conditioning, a 4.2-inch digital display for the instrument cluster, and a 9-inch infotainment system equipped also seems to be shared with the new Yaris Cross.

What does the new Toyota Corolla Cross have to beat? Check out our list the best SUVs on offer…