Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid.

[Haliotis]

Finding the boot of my C-HR very tight when loading wife’s walker into the boot (where it takes up whole floor space),   I have now been thinking that it may be necessary to consider a folding electric buggy in the near future - she has a spinal injury from a fall and is permanently disabled. She already has a blue Badge.

So I have this weekend looked at a Corolla Sport estate - 2024 1.8 hybrid Excel.  Like the car but a little cramped on height after the C-HR.    However, I have since had a look at the Corolla Cross, and this appears to be the ideal solution.  Only problem is, this model does not seem to be available on the UK market.  I can find reviews, which I think are good, but these are on You Tube in Ireland.  I wonder, and indeed hope, if this model will soon arrive in the UK?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Toyota GB decided not to import the Corolla Cross into the UK market.

[Parts-King]

Not going to be imported into the UK 

[forkingabout]

Have a look at a Yaris Cross - bigger boot then C-HR.

Missus got one the other week & her father's folding electric buggy thing fits in the boot.

[SDR]

Anyone know why?   Perhaps because it may have taken sales from the C-HR?

I would certainly have considered a Corolla Cross if they had been available here.   I find the seating position in the Corolla just fine but the roofline low for getting in and out (and I ain't getting any younger...).

[FROSTYBALLS]

See Devon Aygo's post below (who works for a Toyota dealer):

 

[Cyker]

They weren't going to bring the new Prius here either so never say never!

However, I think it's less likely as there is already so much SUV range and overlap - AygoX, Yaris Cross, CHR, RAV4, bz4X

[TonyHSD]

2 hours ago, SDR said:

Anyone know why?   Perhaps because it may have taken sales from the C-HR?

I would certainly have considered a Corolla Cross if they had been available here.   I find the seating position in the Corolla just fine but the roofline low for getting in and out (and I ain't getting any younger...).

Actually it’s the Corolla TS that would take the hit by Corolla cross if become available in uk and this model is the back bone of the Toyota uk manufacturing, so they can’t afford any internal cannibalism. 
 

[FROSTYBALLS]

14 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Actually it’s the Corolla TS that would take the hit by Corolla cross if become available in uk and this model is the back bone of the Toyota uk manufacturing, so they can’t afford any internal cannibalism. 

The Cross was introduced in Europe in 2022, so 2023 was the first full year of sales.

When you look at Toyota's European sales for 2023, the above effect on Corolla HB/TS sales doesn't seem to be borne out:

HB & TS sales: 111,046

Saloon sales; 70,048

Cross sales: 47,026

Even the C-HR sold 117,549

Full article: https://newsroom.toyota.eu/toyota-motor-europe-posts-all-time-sales-record-of-1173419-vehicles-in-2023/

[dannyboy413]

I have no idea of how it would work as regards Irish taxes and UK taxes, or import duties etc., but would it be worth looking at importing a Corolla Cross from Ireland? Just a thought. 

[Haliotis]

13 hours ago, dannyboy413 said:

I have no idea of how it would work as regards Irish taxes and UK taxes, or import duties etc., but would it be worth looking at importing a Corolla Cross from Ireland? Just a thought. 

Been thinking about that!   I would imagine that the Corolla Cross has owners in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.  Would not a N.I. Based Cross already have paid taxes under English rules, and also free from import duties?  These would, I think, have already been paid when the Cross transferred across the RoI border?  There might be some difference in manufacturing legislation compared to UK rules - don’t know what effects that could have.

Since Toyota are producing R/H drive Cross’s for the RoI market, surely it would benefit Toyota volume-wise to encompass the UK market as well?

If taxes were not a problem, I wonder how easy it would be, if a Cross could be located at a N.I. Dealership, to simply visit N.I., buy the vehicle, and drive it on the ferry back to the UK?  There is the issue of changing the vehicle to UK reg. plates, but I believe there is a period of grace here.

[Parts-King]

Dead easy to buy NI cars and bring back to England, my pal buys in England and takes back to Belfast. The problem lies in the original import into NI from ROI where taxes etc would be due. Also cars from ROI usually have a much lower specification, so you need to ensure they have the spec you need, do not assume it might be the same as an EU/UK spec, ROI cars have generally over the years taken much lower specifications, don't know if that still applies but must be looked into 

[Haliotis]

That’s useful info, Kingo.   I suppose it should be fairly easy to check the RoI v. UK specs for compatibility.  Might any deviation cause insurance premium problems - knowing insurers are keen on finding anything that bumps up premiums?

I am considering finding N.I. dealerships on line and, if I found the right Cross, give them a call and ask the “question”.

Her indoors thinks I am crazy - “why can’t I just find a suitable car locally” - bit irritating when my search is mainly to satisfy her disability.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Bear in mind that Northern Ireland is still Toyota UK, whereas the Republic is Toyota Ireland - so as regards the Cross (which isn't sold by Toyota UK) would have thought you would need to explore Republic dealers for new Corolla Cross.

Presume the speedo would need conversion from kph to mph.

NB: Toyota Ireland is a privately owned company and not owned by Toyota.

[Haliotis]

The 2024 Corolla that I viewed (roof line too low) was top of the range.  It had digital speed in MFD, and head-up display.  The speedometer showed only mph, so I would expect the digital and head-up display to have switchable facility to kph, otherwise there would be no ability to change when travelling abroad.  Accordingly, I would expect the RoI model to be similarly switchable.

[FROSTYBALLS]

34 minutes ago, Haliotis said:

The 2024 Corolla that I viewed (roof line too low) was top of the range.  It had digital speed in MFD, and head-up display.  The speedometer showed only mph, so I would expect the digital and head-up display to have switchable facility to kph, otherwise there would be no ability to change when travelling abroad.  Accordingly, I would expect the RoI model to be similarly switchable.

Expectations are sometimes different to reality - eg:

 

[sportse]

On my icon it has kph permanently displayed at the bottom of the screen, so you have both main mph and kph on the screen together. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

1 hour ago, sportse said:

On my icon it has kph permanently displayed at the bottom of the screen, so you have both main mph and kph on the screen together. 

Which is a UK spec car and EU spec cars (as a Corolla Cross would be) may differ   ....

[simond64]

2 hours ago, sportse said:

On my icon it has kph permanently displayed at the bottom of the screen, so you have both main mph and kph on the screen together. 

You can choose kph or mph same as can choose bar or psi for tyres

[dannyboy413]

My previous Yaris Cross only displayed kms and there was no way to get imperial figures. Yet my current C-HR, bought from the same dealer, allows me to have either metric or imperial figures! I just can not understand why there has to be a difference in the different models. I wonder if the new C-HR is just the one version for all countries in the European continent markets, with different levels of trim?? To my way of thinking, it would certainly make more economic sense.

[Chippy01]

With regards to the Corolla Cross 1.8 hybrid. I have one. Sol trim, or top Irish spec.
A 2.0 version is also available in all trim levels.
Look on toyota.ie for info.

Alas, the speedo comes as Kph only. I don't know if it can be converted.

You can't compare like for like (UK/IRL) CC's, as the UK doesn't sell them and that includes N.I.

You used to be able to buy new 'Irish' Toyotas for export, which you would be charged base price without all the taxes added on here, but you would have to pay UK import charges and various taxes they impose on new vehicles. Whether you can still do that I don't know. You would have to contact Toyota Ireland.

Or you could strike lucky and find one in N.I. that has previously been exported/imported and is on N.I. plates and do the import that way without all the palava of taxes. The only thing is, it would be a second hand car.

It's virtually identical to the 1.8 Corolla Saloon, except it's wearing a different Shell, and it's much handier to get in and out of.

I think Toyota UK has dropped the ball on not importing the CC, as it's the perfect alternative to the YC, which might be a bit small; or the RAV4, which might be a bit big, or the CHR, that isn't quite all that it appears to be.

[SDR]

2 hours ago, Chippy01 said:

 

I think Toyota UK has dropped the ball on not importing the CC, as it's the perfect alternative to the YC, which might be a bit small; or the RAV4, which might be a bit big, or the CHR, that isn't quite all that it appears to be.

Absolutely! 

[sportse]

Yes, it’s surprising they don’t sell it here. VW sell loads of t-rocs as well as the golf so I would have thought it ideal.
 

I suppose the chr sells well, and they don’t want to take sales away. But I don’t get on that well with chr as I’ve spent a few weeks driving them as hire cars on holiday and much prefer the Corolla for handling, space and economy. 
 

I’ve also had a Yaris cross for a week on holiday, I liked that better but a Corolla cross would be ideal. The 3 cylinder engine was a bit slow to react, didn’t run as smoothly and I got 5-10mpg less than my Corolla. 

[Haliotis]

I cannot understand Toyota’s strategy at all.  The Corolla Cross, if introduced into the UK, would fill a gap in the range which I think would appeal to many buyers, and it would be a challenge to many other makes with similar specs.

Wake up Toyota - we want the Cross here in the UK.

[Cyker]

TBH I think the niche is too small between the RAV4, CHR and YC and Toyota UK probably feel the same way but, as I said to the people lamenting Toyota UK's decision not to bring the new Prius to the UK, the only way to get them to change their mind is by showing them there is enough demand, e.g. by writing a polite request to cr@toyota.co.uk.

It worked for the Prius - They didn't bring it here originally but changed their minds after they saw there was a lot of interest in it (Although it doesn't seem to have sold well; I haven't seen any sales figures, but I bet it's been dwarfed by the Corolla again, and more telling I haven't seen a single one on the road so far, which doesn't bode well for the Corolla Cross' chances. I do wonder if any of the people who whined about not getting the Prius Mk5 on this forum actually bought one when Toyota UK changed their minds...)

It costs them money to bring another model here so there'd have to be enough demand to make it worth their while and I just can't see it being worth it with all the current SUVs they have out.