Toyota’s Corolla Cross EV spotted for the first time [Images]

Toyota is giving its best-selling Corolla a major makeover, and an all-electric version is part of the plan. The upcoming Corolla Cross EV was captured in public for the first time ahead of its expected 2027 debut. The Toyota Corolla Cross is going electric The Corolla has always been “a car for everyone,” Toyota’s former president and current CEO, Koji Sato, said after unveiling the next-gen Corolla Concept at last year’s Japan Mobility Show. Since it went on sale 60 years ago, over 57 million drivers have chosen the Corolla, making it Toyota’s best-selling vehicle ever. The Corolla has undergone 12 model changes since 1966, but the compact car is about to undergo its biggest transformation yet. Although it’s still a top seller, the Corolla has lost some of its appeal as new, more advanced, and efficient options have emerged. Toyota looks to change that with the next-generation model. It will remain “a car for everyone,” as Sato said, but the next-gen Corolla will come in multiple powertrains, including an all-electric version. Toyota CEO Koji Sato reveals the Corolla Concept at the Japan Mobility Show (Source: Toyota) “Whether it’s a battery EV, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, or internal combustion engine vehicle―whatever the power source―let’s make good-looking cars that everyone will want to drive,” Sato said at the Japan Mobility Show last October. Ahead of its expected debut sometime in 2027, a disguised Corolla Cross EV was spotted driving near Toyota’s European headquarters and R&D center. New images from Chinese media outlet Autohome show what’s expected to be the all-electric Corolla Cross, with a closed-off grille and a unique body design. The new Corolla will be the first to use Toyota’s new “multipathway” platform that will support electric, hybrid, gas, and other powertrains. Toyota hasn’t revealed specifics, including battery or powertrain specs, but the next-gen Corolla EV is expected to remain close in style to the Concept. Aside from the massive COROLLA badge on the back, it looks like an entirely different vehicle with a near sports-car-like silhouette. In an exclusive interview with Japanese media NHK in July, Toyota’s current chairman and former CEO, Akio Toyoda, warned that the company “cannot survive” if it does not adapt amid new competition and technology from China. During the special, which went behind the scenes at Toyota’s “top secret” development site, several blurred Corolla Concept body types, including a sedan, hatchback, crossover, and GR model, were revealed in the background. According to a recent Nikkei report, Toyota plans to begin production of the next-gen Corolla in 2028 through its joint venture with Chinese state-owned FAW Group, FAW Toyota Motor. Toyota CEO Koji Sato reveals the Corolla Concept at the Japan Mobility Show (Source: Toyota) The Toyota Corolla EV is expected to be available in single- and dual-motor configurations with a driving range of at least 250 miles. The hybrid version will reportedly use a new 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor. Toyota’s engineers told Car and Driver the system would deliver around 134 horsepower. It’s also estimated to be 10% to 20% more efficient than the current Corolla. Toyota has yet to confirm the electric version will launch in the US. According to Car and Driver, the gas version will likely start at around $25,000, the hybrid around $27,000, and the EV and PHEVs will likely be priced in the $30,000 range. Source: Autohome FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.