[Canadian Shopper]

Darn.
I had really hoped to get a Toyota Cross. I read or watched about 40 reviews. I knew all the trims and details better than half the salesmen I met. It took a long time before I could find a model to test drive (what's that about Toyota?) and that's where it fell apart but first some surprising homework results.

One of the things I checked out was what my insurance costs would be switching from a used Honda Civic to a Toyota Corolla Cross. I talked to my insurance company and while I paid $1400 for my 2002 Civic it was going to be $2105 per year for an LE AWD Cross. Part of that was that it was going to be a brand new car but why the $700 jump per year I asked. I was told that Corolla is a starter brand that a lot of new drivers buy, they have a lot of accidents and so the insurance costs are higher. I explained I had 30 years of driving and that it should be on the driver not the car but they said that's what the actuaries had decided.

So I had decided the safety features, cargo room and reliability of the Cross was worth another $700 per year (eeek) in insurance but I really didn't want to plunk $35k (Cdn) down for an LE AWD Cross without test driving the thing. Which turned out to be very smart.

I'm 6'2" and the car fit me fine both in the front seat and back. However my 5'4" wire in the passenger seat COULD ONLY SEE THE DASHBOARD AND SOME SKY. The front passenger seat was loooooooow and there was no way to raise it. She wasn't about to buy a car that forced her to look at the glove compartment every time she was a passenger. We talked to the salesman afterwards and he suggested a cushion but we told him we weren't going to spend $35k and have to keep putting a cushion on the passenger seat depending on who was sitting there.

The other big issue was that while the Cross has an impressive range of safety features it seems to have, in my opinion, a SMALLER THAN EXPECTED REAR WINDOW. We'd been spoiled by the Honda HRV's big rear window which is great for shoulder checking before lane changes and were surprised that the Cross window seemed quite a bit smaller. (Note - I own the Civic but borrow an HRV for weekend trips and cargo runs.)

So we decided NOT to buy a Cross. Sorry guys. It's been great reading your comments and research all these months but I'm switching back to Honda and shopping for a used HRV now. I didn't expect to go from being a Cross fanboy to writing this so long message but I thought I should close the loop.

My final recommendation. Love the design but ALWAYS go for a test drive to see whether the car "fits" you and your needs.

Thanks and so long.

 

[waynorth]

I was shocked when my insurance broker found me insurance for my new 2020 crv awd for 82 bucks a month ; 30 bucks a month cheaper than my previous provider for my 2016 crv awd . The better rate she found was through CAA

I guess if you found a cheaper rate it doesnt solve the seat height issue on passenger side though .

The rear window view is something thats always going to seem a bit off when going for a test drive because your used to your good ol' hrv or civic's view . After a few days of owning the cross your senses would get used to the new enviroment .

you mention civic and hrv ; which one do you own ?

 

[Canadian Shopper]

I was shocked when my insurance broker found me insurance for my new 2020 crv awd for 82 bucks a month ; 30 bucks a month cheaper than my previous provider for my 2016 crv awd . The better rate she found was through CAA

I guess if you found a cheaper rate it doesnt solve the seat height issue on passenger side though .

The rear window view is something thats always going to seem a bit off when going for a test drive because your used to your good ol' hrv or civic's view . After a few days of owning the cross your senses would get used to the new enviroment .

you mention civic and hrv ; which one do you own ?

I own a 2002 civic and borrow a 2016 HRV from a relative when I go to the cottage or need to make a run to Home Depot for lumber. (I'll edit to make this clear. Thx) This reminds me that I never did figure out why Toyota is/was reluctant to provide the total cargo space with the rear seats folded down. I also could never figure out how the HRV had a flat floor with the seats folded while the Cross had about a 6 inch bump along the whole width of the back seats. The HRV also has more leg room in the rear even though it's 5 inches shorter. The HRV has less safety features I think and its controls and radio pale in comparison in reviews. But my wife can see down the road in one and that's what matters. I should also mention that while I take your point that you can get used to smaller rear windows over time they are an important factor for shorter people like my wife. Doing a shoulder check when you're 5'4" is a bigger deal when you have to look around tall seats and then through a smaller window...or at least that's what she found. Thanks for your interest.

 

[jrlbus02]

I own a 2002 civic and borrow a 2016 HRV from a relative when I go to the cottage or need to make a run to Home Depot for lumber. (I'll edit to make this clear. Thx) This reminds me that I never did figure out why Toyota is/was reluctant to provide the total cargo space with the rear seats folded down. I also could never figure out how the HRV had a flat floor with the seats folded while the Cross had about a 6 inch bump along the whole width of the back seats. The HRV also has more leg room in the rear even though it's 5 inches shorter. The HRV has less safety features I think and its controls and radio pale in comparison in reviews. But my wife can see down the road in one and that's what matters. I should also mention that while I take your point that you can get used to smaller rear windows over time they are an important factor for shorter people like my wife. Doing a shoulder check when you're 5'4" is a bigger deal when you have to look around tall seats and then through a smaller window...or at least that's what she found. Thanks for your interest.

Regarding the low passenger seat. The seat moves higher as it is pulled forward. The driver's seat is manually height adjustable. My Cross LE passenger seat as well as the driver's seat were way back when I took delivery. I immediately raised and pulled the drivers seat forward to fit. Then I pulled the passenger seat forward to about even with the drivers seat and the passenger seat is now about the same height as the drivers. And of course by pulling the seats forward it also increases the rear leg room.

 

[SDH-65]

I was also all ready to pull the trigger on a Corolla Cross XLE AWD, but changed my mind after being able to compare/test both it & a 2022 Mazda CX-30 AWD Carbon Edition in-person. Both are nice vehicles (& both are definitely nicer looking in-person than what you see online in videos & pics), but I found the CX-30 CE a better & more-premium feeling vehicle in almost all respects at the same basic price point. That's my opinion anyway. I traded in a 2020 TNGA Toyota Corolla SE sedan (w/only 9000 miles on it) that I haven't been especially happy with for a variety of reasons over the last 2.5+ years, so that may have also been a factor in moving me away from modern-day Toyota. Shame really, because my 2015 Toyota Yaris SE 5-MT hatch (w/added TRD rear sway bar) was a GREAT little car (that I regret ever trading for the Corolla). On the bright side, in our current crazy, upside down used car market, I was able to get just as much trade value as my Corolla was priced for brand new in late 2019, while paying only base MSRP for my CX-30. No dealership +$2-5K "market adjustment" markups over MSRP that are comon currently. Win-Win.

So, now I'm the happy new owner of a Mazda CX-30 AWD Carbon Edition instead. Best of luck to everyone at finding the particular vehicle that best suits them as individuals.

After driving my 2022 CX-30 CE 6-AT for a few weeks & playing around with it some, below are some of my notable comparisons/observations compared to my traded-in 2020 Corolla SE 6-MT sedan (some of which may apply to the Corolla Cross, since they share certain similarities in mechanics, interior, electronics, etc.):

• Better/More-Refined push-button start system on CX-30 (Better tactile feel, dash position & it starts on first push every time unlike my Corolla). I was also on my third brand new OEM replacement battery for my Corolla after less than 2 years (despite being driven an ample amount to keep it healthy), but Toyota said everything was "normal".
• Headlight visibility & illumination at night on the CX-30 is MUCH BETTER than it was on the Corolla. Perhaps the higher elevation of the CX-30 is a factor in that (& perhaps the design).
• NOT a fan of the Mazda key fob design with buttons on side. Way too easy to accidentally push them & it makes the FOB somewhat awkward to handle/carry. But then, I hate smart keys & proximity/auto-sense lock/unlock systems in general on all newer cars.
• CX-30 is my first automatic transmission vehicle ever. It acts like a regular 6-speed automatic should (in both normal & sport) & I'm glad it's not a belt/chain CVT automatic. Will miss some of the fun of manual driving though. Would have loved a manual version of the CX-30 CE. Manuals are just a lot more fun to drive, except in gridlock type conditions.
• More comfortable/premium interior in the CX-30 CE. Has a strong luxury vehicle feel to it & the dark wine/burgundy pseudo-leather seats (w/black interior) are gorgeous.
• Like the higher, softer ride & quieter cabin in the CX-30 CE. The Corolla SE Sedan was more buzzy/noisy w/rattles in the cabin, & with a harsher ride on those 40 profile tires.
• The Corolla SE sedan was more agile/tight on corners & such, & easier to drive aggressively - not surprisingly since it sits much lower & has very low-profile tires.
• Like the lower profile, sleeker infotainment screen, it's dash positioning/integration & the non-touchscreen knob control station on the CX-30 much better, versus the clunky/protruding & very dated-looking Corolla touchscreen system.
• Like the climate control system layout/controls better in the CX-30 than my Corolla.
• Love the Mazda sporty & classic dual-exhaust set-up (one exhaust pipe integrated on each side, each with a nice, sexy exhaust tip trim piece). Toyota really needs to learn how to make an exhaust system sporty & attractive on all their vehicles.
• Great to have a hatch again & solid compact-class hatch cargo space.
• Unlike the Corolla SE sedan, the CX-30 CE came with the under hood fiber insulation/dampening pad standard from factory (had to purchase the XSE factory one separately for $250 for my Corolla SE). Toyota has been cutting little corners more & more over the years, since my previous 2015 Yaris SE 5-MT hatch had one standard from the factory.
• Worse MPG in the CX-30 (averaging about 31 MPG around town), but that was expected with the beefier 2.5L engine & heavier vehicle. My 6-MT Corolla was averaging around 38 under the same around-town driving conditions.
• The TNGA 2.0L engine in the Corolla is a better design IMO - with both direct & port injection smartly working together. Most automakers (including Mazda) use straight direct injection, so cleaning additives in fuel aren't getting to certain parts in the engine & that means professional deep-cleaning of the engine may be required at a certain point to remove the eventual carbon build-up. The current Mazda Skyactiv engines are designed to run a bit hotter though in key areas to help slow/reduce the carbon problem, so that's good I suppose.
• Daytime running lights on both CX-30 & Corolla are pretty uninspired - basically, just the core round LED headlights are turned on. Still, better than some vehicles which sport ridiculous, over-the-top stupid/cheesy/obnoxious looking LED accent lights as daytime running lights.
• Both vehicles use gloss piano black plastic trim in their interiors. Good luck keeping that clean & scratch free, without any alterations (such as a vinyl/film wrap). Just not a practical interior design decision on the part of Mazda or Toyota for real-world use. Looks good when clean (& not yet scratched) though I suppose.
• The Polymetal Gray Metallic paint of the CX-30 is much nicer than the Toyota Super White paint, & the plastic painted pieces actually match the metal painted parts on the CX-30 (unlike on the Super White Corolla). Not sure what the problem was with Toyota on my Japan-built Corolla, as my 2015 France-built Super White Yaris SE hatch matched properly. Toyota seems to be getting more sloppy on their newer vehicles (IMO), & cutting more little corners.

 

[SDH-65]

With regards to the opening poster on auto insurance rates, I'm not sure who your carrier is, but you should shop around some. When I was checking rates with GEICO for a new vehicle switch (who I have been with for about 40 years now), a 2022 Corolla Cross was $396 per 6 months for the exact same solid full coverage policy as my 2020 Corolla SE 6-MT Sedan (which was $364 per 6 months). The rates for my brand new Mazda CX-30 Carbon Edition for exact same coverage as those two was $344 per 6 months. I was shocked that it was lower than my 2.5+ year old Corolla sedan despite being a noteably more expensive/premium MSRP vehicle. I'm guessing that driver age/type demographics & claim/accident rates for Corolla buyers is higher than it is for typical CX-30 owners, which resulted in somewhat higher policy pricing for the Corolla nameplate (though all 3 are priced pretty reasonable IMO for my history & record with GEICO). No wild price swings here on insurance.

 

[dchev]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! Comparing Mazda CX-30 and Toyota Corolla Cross could be very difficult. It all depends what you are looking for in a vehicle. Friend of mind had a Mazda CX-30 as a rental car, and she was not happy with it, traveling 500-600 miles.... I checked it out, and it really looked very premium inside; however, I adjusted driver seat to my specks (only 173 cm tall) and space behind driver seat was horrible. Corolla Cross is not spacious in the back, as well, but it has more space then Mazda CX-30. In addition, space in the trunk was very small in Mazda CX-30 compared to my Corolla Cross. It felt like the space in Toyota CH-R.
I have got 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross XLE FWD, and I believe this vehicle is very quiet. I traded in my 2021 Toyota Corolla Hybrid, and believe me that this car was very quiet, almost as a Camry. So, I was very surprised by quietness of Corolla Cross XLE FWD. People have been complaining that Corolla Cross XLE AWD is not quiet vehicle; however, FWD model is very quiet - I believe it is better than a Camry in that regard.
As far as gas millage, this is the only issue that Toyota should improve in Toyota Corolla Cross. If you drive long distances every day (10-15 miles or more), you could get 34-42 MPG. My best millage was 42.1MPG on a 24 Miles trip. If you do short trips (up to 5 miles), you will not have good millage - probably around 26-30 MPG. My worst gas millage was 25MPG, but I "achieved" it in cold weather on a short trip of 3 miles.
Many people would be happy with a millage like that; however, I am coming from a Corolla Hybrid, and its average gas millage for first 10K miles was 54MPG.
I really doubt that Mazda CX-30 would get better gas millage than Corolla Cross; however, both of vehicles are Japanese, so we all know that they always try to produce fuel efficient vehicles.
At the end, I would say enjoy your Mazda CX-30 or Corolla Cross and have fun with it