The refreshed Toyota Corolla Cross Gazoo Racing Sport (or GR-S) is on sale in South Africa.
The company’s best-selling crossover range comprises seven models aimed as family wheels, but only two models wear the sportier GR-Sport nameplate, available in petrol or hybrid drivetrain guise.
The new GR-S has newly designed mesh grilles, LED headlamps with sequential turn signals, front and rear skid plates, 18-inch wheels and black Cross lettering. If you like a sportier driving position, you’ll not get one. You sit at a regular crossover height which lowers down enough for a balanced perch.
The hybrid model I drove exclusively at the launch has a powered driver’s seat, while the passenger side is manually operated.
The interior of the Corolla Cross GR-S has visual appeal and a well laid-out dashboard with a mix of buttons and rotary toggle switches. The colourful main display screen with concise menus is touch-operated, while the cavernous living space has good-quality black leather upholstery with red stitching.
The boot with 434l capacity has a powered tailgate with a kick sensor, and standard features include seven airbags and other Toyota safety sense tools, auto-high beam assist, wireless Android-Auto and Apple CarPlay, panoramic view monitor with reversing camera, dual-zone climate control, parking sensors and roof rails.
Both GR-S models feature a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, paddle-shifts for the petrol GR-S, aluminium sport pedals, red seat belts and plenty of GR motifs. They share most of their mechanical underpinnings with contemporary Cross models, but not the muscular and core Toyota Gazoo Racing models such as GR Yaris and Corolla.
On the road, you don’t have to work the 72kW and 142Nm hybrid 1.8l engine that drives the front wheels hard to get it moving. The car starts off in electric mode if there’s enough juice in the battery, and the petrol motor takes over at speeds above 40km/h. The petrol model, which I didn’t get to drive, features outputs of 103kW and 173Nm.
Both models are equipped with the continously variable transmission (CVT) and are not performance-orientated despite the badge. They’re ultimately best used in a regular driving fashion to maximise fuel efficiency. The company claims 6.7l/100km and 4.3l/100km for the petrol and hybrid GR-S, respectively.
The suspension felt cushy and the steering feel is perfectly weighted for urban driving conditions. The damping also made light work of the decayed roads in the Valhalla district in Tshwane the launch route passed through, while the body control was sufficient at faster highway paces.
The overall first impression is positive. The new Corolla Cross range continues to be the sensible, well-engineered and top-selling family crossover in the niche. The new GR-Sport models add sportier aesthetics without compromising the winning recipe.
Three bi-tone colours of Glacier white, Chromium silver and Arizona red, paired with a black roof, are available for the GR-S. Both cars are sold as standard with three years/100,000km warranty, six-services/90,000km service plan. The HEV model comes with an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty.
Prices
Corolla Cross 1.8 GR-Sport — R527,000
Corolla Cross 1.8 HEV GR-Sport — R569,000 -- Business Day
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