If you want driving excitement, you won’t find it in the 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, but you will find something that makes your drive better.

Nothing about the Toyota Corolla lineup makes you think that this car or SUV will be fast, powerful, and exciting, but the hybrid version of the Corolla Cross offers something for everyone. Instead of the low-powered, plodding nature of the regular Corolla Cross, the hybrid version adds three electric motors to the mix, increasing power to 196 horsepower to deliver a much better drive with better efficiency and quickness. Let’s see what this compact Toyota SUV has to offer.

More excitement and great Toyota qualities

Toyota gives this new hybrid SUV the power to be much quicker than its traditional counterpart while adding the expected package of driver assistance and safety features. You’ll see an attractive 8-inch touchscreen display in the center of the dashboard and a spartan cabin design that’s comfortable and functional for most small families. This isn’t the most exciting Toyota SUV, but its much better than the regular model that only produces 169 horsepower and isn’t nearly as efficient as the hybrid version.

New items added to this Toyota SUV

The 2024 version of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid SE and XSE trims receive updated wireless smartphone charging pads, giving these trims desired added benefits. The SE trim could be the right model for most drivers with an impressive package of standard equipment, including:

• Tinted windows
• Roof rails
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Paddle shifters
• AWD

If you move up to the XSE trim, you’ll enjoy the benefits of:

• Faux leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• A power driver’s seat

Does the Corolla Cross Hybrid accelerate quickly?

Toyota includes a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, the same found in the regular Corolla Cross, in the hybrid version. The powertrain difference is found in the addition of three electric motors that combine to produce 196 horsepower. This hybrid model is slightly more efficient than the regular model, but not dramatically so. The greatest differences are the standard AWD and faster acceleration. The hybrid model hits 60 mph in only 7.3 seconds compared to 9.2 seconds for the standard model. The hybrid also features a slightly sportier suspension, which is good, but don’t expect the Corolla Cross to receive GR treatments anytime soon.

How efficient is this hybrid Toyota SUV?

Toyota claims the Corolla Cross Hybrid returns 45 city/38 hwy mpg with a combined figure of 42 mpg. The high city rating is typical of hybrid vehicles and is nearly 15 mpg better than the city rating for the nonhybrid AWD version of the Corolla Cross. The combined figure is 12 mpg better, which makes it easy to drive farther and save fuel when behind the wheel of this Toyota SUV.

Going inside isn’t a treat, but it works

You won’t be blown away by the styling elements found in the Corolla Cross Hybrid, but you will find a functional interior that gets the job done. The basic look helps keep the price affordable, making this a useful and enjoyable Toyota SUV to drive. The Corolla Cross Hybrid has 21.5 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row compared to the 13.1 cubic-foot trunk of the sedan.

Although the lower trims are very basic, the top-tier XSE trim comes with desirable upgrades, including:

• Faux-leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• Sunroof
• Ambient interior lighting
• Flip-down center armrest for rear-seat passengers

The 8.0-inch infotainment system runs the latest software, including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio in all trims. When you move up to higher trims, this SUV can be had with:

• Wireless smartphone charging
• Rear-seat USB charging ports
• A JBL stereo system

Does Toyota make this hybrid SUV look cool?

If you want a sportier appearance package and visual flair on your Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, the Nightshade edition gives you the desired look. This version has dark exterior accents and interior upholstery, which is accented with red trim to provide the dramatic appearance you’re after.

The Corolla Cross Hybrid also comes with the benefits of a rear-seat reminder feature which tells you if there’s a pet, child, or package left in the rear seat when you park and get ready to walk away.

Is the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid the SUV for you?

This impressive hybrid Toyota SUV has more power than its nonhybrid version, and it comes with standard AWD. These items could be more than enough to make it the right choice for many drivers to pick the hybrid model over the traditional version, will you?