Corolla Cross cancelled

[andyfr]

I'm also disappointed that the Corolla Cross won't be coming to the UK. I had the previous version of the Rav4 and was very pleased with it but didn't go for the current version as it was too big, I got a Volvo XC40 instead. Due to the higher prices since I got the Volvo I will be looking for an alternative, when I heard that the Corolla Cross could be coming to the UK I thought that would be ideal for me when I next come to change.

We have been big fans of Toyota with my wife having two Auris and now a new Yaris. Oh well, I will just have to look what the other manufacturers have when it's time to change.

[Roy124]

Andy,  that had been my thought too, however when we tried the Yaris Cross we were surprised at the better interior space compared with the Corolla.

What you might miss is the additional power from the 2ltr engine.  I certainly don't miss the drop from 1.8 to 1.3 engine.

 

[andyfr]

It would be the replacement for my Volvo XC40 so the Yaris Cross would not be big enough. It's the boot size where I need to have the right amount of space.

[Roy124]

Andy, I can't speak for the C Cross but the YC has more space than the Corolla. 

[andyfr]

1 minute ago, Roy124 said:

Andy, I can't speak for the C Cross but the YC has more space than the Corolla. 

Roy, that may well be but it doesn't have more space than the XC40 which is why it's not a contender. The boot size from the edge to the back of the the rear seats in the upright position and the width is the issue.

[TonyHSD]

2 hours ago, andyfr said:

Roy, that may well be but it doesn't have more space than the XC40 which is why it's not a contender. The boot size from the edge to the back of the the rear seats in the upright position and the width is the issue.

Do you consider a used car or only brand new? There are some Corolla Trek that been discontinued last year. These are slightly lifted up Corolla TS and absolutely great cars. 2cm extra clearance add easier access in and out plus more freedom and more relaxed driving over uneven roads, although they have low profile tyres , something that can be easily changed. 
Here is the car. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394698886776?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=vy5pztxdtvu&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=p34UK1z2T4m&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

If brand new car is must have then the new CHR will be closest car to Corolla cross. 

[andyfr]

6 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Do you consider a used car or only brand new? There are some Corolla Trek that been discontinued last year. These are slightly lifted up Corolla TS and absolutely great cars. 2cm extra clearance add easier access in and out plus more freedom and more relaxed driving over uneven roads, although they have low profile tyres , something that can be easily changed. 
Here is the car. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394698886776?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=vy5pztxdtvu&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=p34UK1z2T4m&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

If brand new car is must have then the new CHR will be closest car to Corolla cross. 

Brand new but not due to change the XC40 just yet, just thinking of future options! Not a fan of the coupe shape of the CHRs.

[TonyHSD]

30 minutes ago, andyfr said:

Brand new but not due to change the XC40 just yet, just thinking of future options! Not a fan of the coupe shape of the CHRs.

Ok, understand now. 

[Cyker]

I do like the idea of the Trek version - I think the lifted rideheight looks cool and it would be perfect for my usecase. Never again would I hear the horrible sound of my undertray scraping the ground after a particularly egregious speed hump or pothole, or sharply-angled ramp or drop kerb! They should have called it the London edition  

I wonder if they sell a lift kit for the Yaris...  

[Rhymes with Paris]

3 minutes ago, Cyker said:

I do like the idea of the Trek version - I think the lifted rideheight looks cool and it would be perfect for my usecase. Never again would I hear the horrible sound of my undertray scraping the ground after a particularly egregious speed hump or pothole, or sharply-angled ramp or drop kerb! They should have called it the London edition  

I wonder if they sell a lift kit for the Yaris...  

Maybe a specially built armoured range rover, with a 5 litre V8 engine?

Now,who has a London edition of one of those?

Sorry, not trying to wind you up, I think the same way.

Honest hypocrites, I can accept, but there are none.

[TonyHSD]

Me always liked these rugged versions of a standard cars. Ford has fiesta and focus hatchbacks, Honda  even offers current jazz and kia has small cars similar finish. 

[AisinW]

Corolla cross is CBU from Japan. It has higher tax rate and becomes more expensive I think. Minimum is €40k in EU. The Corolla TS 2.0L is €35k. I think The TS has more luggage room but  rear passanger comfort of SUV. 

I wish we have Sienna instead. A giant hybrid to replace Peugot diesel van.

[GR KAIZEN]

On 6/7/2023 at 9:35 AM, Don Mac said:

+1 for Tony & DC - this looks like the same reasoning which has removed the Prius from UK sales. Toyota UK doesn't think that they sell enough cars to justify the overlap.

I think its more down to Toyota UK politics than anything (Both cars are sold in Ireland where sales are a fraction of the UK so 'demand overlap' sounds like corporate speak to me) why the Prius and Corolla Cross isn't sold in the UK.

Toyota UK wants to protect the jobs at the UK factories in Deeside where they build the engines that goes into the Derbyshire built Corolla hatch/estate and Suzuki Swace(Badge engineered Corolla estate hybrid produced only to lower Suzuki's corporate co2 fleet average....). Prius plus Corolla Cross would cause UK Corolla sales to nosedive and make the UK factories unprofitable in the eyes of the bean counter execs back in Nagoya Japan.

Ideally Toyota would build the Corolla Cross at the Derbyshire plant as they do have a mothballed production hall (was used to build the Avensis but when sales of non exec salons declined Avensis production was moved to the Auris/Current Corolla line before eventually being discontinued) but that wasn't possible because the entire 1992 era production line height is too low to build taller "suv" sized cars and for whatever reason haven't bothered to upgrade it since the Carina E days to handle modern bigger suv sized vehicles.

Its a shame that Toyota don't build crossovers in the UK which are hugely popular now, Nissan in Washington Sunderland struck gold getting into the soft roader crossover game early when they upgraded their line to build what became the sales topping Qashqai and Juke(this also allowed them to start building the electric Leaf there in 2013 that shares the same line as that car needs huge clearance to slot in the Battery..). That was understandably done out of necessity as the then Sunderland built Primera and Almeria sales was falling off a cliff in the mid 00s.. 

 

Sorry for the wall of text of what looks like pointless trivia but If enough customers made a fuss about this they would sell the Corolla Cross and Prius in the UK instantly and I just wanted to clarify in my opinion the real reason why the Corolla Cross and new Prius are not sold in the UK market is down to internal politics rather than a commercial decision.

 

 

[Don Mac]

13 minutes ago, GR KAIZEN said:

I think its more down to Toyota UK politics than anything ...

Toyota UK wants to protect the jobs at the UK factories ...

Prius plus Corolla Cross would cause UK Corolla sales to nosedive and make the UK factories unprofitable in the eyes of the bean counter execs back in Nagoya Japan.

...

I just wanted to clarify in my opinion the real reason why the Corolla Cross and new Prius are not sold in the UK market is down to internal politics rather than a commercial decision.

Some interesting arguments there. If you're correct I would actually side with Toyota UK for protecting UK jobs/industry.

BUT

Isn't the Corolla Cross offered in all of the other European markets? (please correct me if I'm wrong) From what I've heard on this forum the UK market only accounts for about 15% of the Corollas built here, and waiting lists are still quite long. This would argue against the factories becoming unprofitable because the Corolla Cross took too many sales from the hatchback / touring sports (surely some Cross buyers would have been looking at the C-HR, RAV4 or [gasp] SUVs from other manufacturers anyway?).

[FROSTYBALLS]

Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK is a separate part of the Toyota group to Toyota GB. 

Toyota GB is responsible for sales within the UK, and not manufacturing.

 

[Lindae]

Can you tell me where you found this information please  as I only sent Toyota UK an email a couple of weeks ago about the Corolla Cross and they didn't tell me this?

Thanks in advance. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

36 minutes ago, Lindae said:

Can you tell me where you found this information please  as I only sent Toyota UK an email a couple of weeks ago about the Corolla Cross and they didn't tell me this?

Thanks in advance. 

Devon Aygo, one of our moderators, works for a Toyota dealer, and the information he provided on 25th May would have been within a communication from Toyota GB to dealers.

[Roy124]

The market manipulation strategy only works if your competitors don't have a similar model.

Toyota only has one EV and next year 2 PHEV.  I would buy their PHEV except neither model meets my criteria.  A Ford Kuga PHEV appears a better fit for my needs though.  I could be tempted. 

 

[Pierre25]

On 5/26/2023 at 4:03 PM, Chippy01 said:

No worries. Hop across to Ireland, buy one tax and vat free for export, and import it into Blighty.

Sorted.

 

[Lindae]

Can you tell me where you got the information about the Corolla Cross not coming to UK  please? I have had the following email today from Toyota UK so am rather confused.

'As advised at this stage there is no further information to whether the vehicle will be launched in the UK. 

I am sorry that we are unable to provide a definitive answer and thank you for contacting Toyota GB.'

Many thanks.

[FROSTYBALLS]

3 minutes ago, Lindae said:

Can you tell me where you got the information about the Corolla Cross not coming to UK  please?

See my earlier reply from yesterday.

[AisinW]

I just drove Corolla Cross 2023 in Greece. The rent was pretty good but expensive €60-80 per day.   I got the basic with standard Safety sense 3 and infotainment.  The dash is very cool, like 2023 Corolla and the 2.0L is really reaponsive. Much faster than the 1.8L auris TS. 

The ride is very comfortable, soft, yet grip well in mountainous Halkidiki roads. It fits well for Greece because the parking lots in most beaches are bare soil/sands that often has huge bumps and dips. 

It is still not as sharp on cornering as Corolla TS or even Auris TS and a bit wobblier. The noise level is about the same as Auris TS with lower freq. tone. The main benefit is the seating position for the rear passangers, wide room and comfortable for 3 adults. The trunk is high but not as long as TS.

For UK, we may import it from Ireland but I think RAV4 in every bit is better and more confortable. I still prefer Corolla TS 2.0L  for practicality, comfort, handling, and fuel effeciency.