You've been waiting for it, and now it's here. The compact SUV segment in Malaysia just got a whole lot more interesting with the arrival of the Toyota Corolla Cross. You've probably read and digested all the specifications and features, gone back and forth through the brochure.

Established players such as the Honda HR-V, Subaru XV, Mazda CX-3 (and the Proton X70 to some extent) have had this segment of the market pretty much licked for years, especially after Toyota's own C-HR was pulled from the showrooms. The burning question is, would you pull the trigger, and choose the Corolla Cross over its main rivals?

Worth the price?

If you ask me, the Corolla Cross' admission fee is definitely worth the money. On the surface, it does look quite expensive when compared to its core rivals. It is when you dive into what the Corolla Cross brings to the table, that it starts to make sense. 

Let's compare it with the default choice for so many years, the Honda HR-V. For so long, space and price has been its trump card, but across the variants, the Corolla Cross posseses all the features that the HR-V has, and more. Surprise surprise, the Corolla Cross' bootspace is also more volumous than the HR-V (on paper at least).

Taking a deeper look, the rear wheelarches of the Corolla Cross do seem to protrude more into the boot space. So the boot's ease of use in real-world conditions may not be as good as its theoratical numbers suggest.

Pricing advantage aside, even the range-topping HR-V RS doesn't come with any form of ADAS (Lane Watch being the exception), something the Corolla Cross has in its arsenal. That said, this direct comparison is a tad unfair, as the HR-V is at the very end of its model cycle. Perhaps its successor will bring more ammunition to the table. 

Also read: Comparison with the 2021 Toyota Corolla Cross’ true rival – the 2022 Honda HR-V

With the Subaru XV, it's a more even comparison, as the current XV is still pretty fresh in terms of model cycle. Furthermore, the XV boasts sharp driving dynamics and commendable off-road prowess (something the Corolla Cross can't match). 

However, the Corolla Cross - with its TNGA DNA - is just as talented on the tarmac, and it makes the interior packaging of the XV look and feel positively cramped. Boot space? The Corolla Cross annihilates the XV by close to 100 litres (the multi-link rear suspension and AWD hardware rob the XV of space). Compounding that is the lack of ADAS, even in the range-topping GT Edition, which costs more than the Corolla Cross 1.8V.

On to the Mazda CX-3, one rival that can boast ADAS in its armoury, one that happens to have a premium interior and a fine chassis. So where does the Mazda fall short of the Toyota? Well, the CX-3 seems to have a disdain for interior space.

In this class, the rear quarters are by far the most cramped. It is acceptable for short jaunts, but definitely not long-distance journeys. The Corolla Cross would easily ace this comparison.

Finally, the Proton X70 (yes, because of the price range). As a value-for-money proposition, the X70 is massively tough to beat. It has a fine interior, an ADAS suite, and a turbo engine + DCT combo. What's not to like? 

Well, for one, the X70 actually sits on a pretty aging platform (the Geely Boyue it's based on has been around since 2016), versus the newer TNGA architecture that is pretty cutting-edge, so that's where your money goes to in the Corolla Cross. Plus, the X70 is quite a heavy car (at over 1,600kg), as evidenced by its big appetite for petrol.

The Corolla Cross is patently a more agile and nimble car, that strikes a better balance between being spacious, yet nippy in town driving. And again, you are getting the latest innovations from Toyota with the Corolla Cross.

Peace of mind guaranteed

Unlike Proton, problems like shortage of spare parts and comsumable items can never happen in Toyota, at least not for so long. If this happens in a Japanese company, somebody would have been hung up the wall by now. 

Proton's spare parts shortage has been going on for nearly half year now, far too long to be acceptable by any car company.

Conclusion

As you can see, the Toyota Corolla Cross has the chops to match its asking price. Sure, it isn't the cheapest to buy, but it is also not the most exhorbitant. In almost every metric, the Corolla Cross has the measure of its core rivals. As a value-for-money proposition, or a lifestyle SUV, the Toyota Corolla Cross will be tough to beat.

Me? I will probably put my money down on the Corolla Cross, because it blends spaciousness with TNGA driving dynamics, not to mention that it looks fresh, bold and exciting. We all want the latest and greatest don't we? The Corolla Cross is just that. As a bonus, you can be assured that the Toyota ownership experience will be a drama-free one.