We had a first drive review in the all-new 2021 Toyota Corolla Cross in Malaysia, and this is what we think of Toyota’s latest SUV.

UMW Toyota has 2 variants of the Corolla Cross on sale – 1.8G & 1.8V; the latter is only available in July 2021. This is why our test drive session was in the entry-level 1.8G.

Early adopters of the Corolla Cross 1.8G will be pleased to know that their vehicle will be fully imported (CBU) from Thailand.

The Corolla Cross is equipped with the 2ZR-FE 1.8-litre naturally aspirated 4-cylinder Dual VVT-i petrol engine paired to a CVT automatic. Output is rated at 139 PS and 172 Nm.

Equipment list that is standard across the range includes leather upholstery, hands-free powered tailgate, 9-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, 360-degree panoramic view monitor and Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

If you’re in the market for a family SUV, would you take this over a Honda HR-V or Proton X70?