The facelifted Corolla Cross now features an almost Lexus-esque frameless honeycomb front grille.
Having been initially launched over three years ago now, Toyota has since decided it was high time to give its rather popular Corolla Cross a big update. And the biggest change with this new mid-life revision is to be its radically redesigned face, which has added a frameless honeycomb grille that makes this sensible mid-sized crossover look (almost vaguely) a product that comes from the Japanese automaker’s Lexus lineup.
Aside from that fancy new front grille, the facelifted Corolla Cross has also brought along with it a more muscular front bumper with prominent air intakes to its sides. New full LED headlights that was previously only available on the JDM versions of this Toyota crossover have since been made standard for all international variants too, with the overall frontal alternations complete new trim slip that connects the two clusters.
As for the changes made to its profile meanwhile, the only new aspect with this Corolla Cross here will be the slightly altered alloy wheel designs. Its rear on the face of it looks to have been similarly left alone by Toyota during this mid-life facelift too, but the more eagle-eyed might spot that there is indeed a slightly revised bumper and a new lighting signature within its revised rear light clusters.
Now moving on inside, Toyota has decided to finally ditch the old-style foot-operated parking brake in the Corolla Cross for an electronic unit with this mid-life update. New too for all variants of this Japanese crossover in the Thai market at least (where this facelift has been debuted) is a newly-enlarged 10.1-inch touchscreen central infotainment that support wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with the higher spec variants to also be graced by a new 12.3-inch full-digital instrument cluster as well.
Other more minor interior changes worth mentioning with this update to Corolla Cross includes the change to USB-C for its charging ports, along with the interior lighting to now be switched over to using LEDs. Occupants within the higher-end variants of this crossover in Thailand will also soon be granted the ability to look straight up to the sky from within thanks to the new panoramic glass roof, while drivers will have an easier time parking with the newly added auto-dipping rear view mirror feature whenever reverse is engaged.
And continuing neatly on the topic of drivers, motive power from this facelifted Corolla Cross is to be exactly the same as what is on its outgoing iteration. This therefore sees for the choice of either a sensible 1.8-litre naturally-aspirated four-pot that makes 138 hp, or an equally sensible 1.8-litre self-charging hybrid mill that outputs a combined 122 hp.
While sales will soon already be beginning in Thailand, there has yet to be any official announcement yet from UMW Toyota regarding the precise time when this new Corolla Cross will be landing locally. Though given the popularity of this mid-sized crossover over here, it will definitely be sooner rather than later for this mid-life facelift to be arriving on our shores.
