Is the 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross worth $24,035?

Crossovers remain a top pick for millions of consumers, and the 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross maintains its appeal with a no-nonsense design and affordable price.

Feb 19, 2025 - 20:03

Is the 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross worth $24,035?

Crossovers have continued to sell like hotcakes year after year, regardless of their powertrain. Even in the electrified arena, the Tesla Model Y remains the top-selling model on a global scale, with 1.2 million units sold in 2024. A higher ride height, more interior space, and balanced fuel economy are just a few reasons consumers are choosing crossovers over sedans and SUVs.

Whether you’re a committed enthusiast or don’t have a clue about cars, you’ve heard of the Toyota Corolla. Introduced more than 50 years ago, the Corolla has become a staple of the modern automotive industry thanks to its high efficiency and value-oriented design.

That name recognition is exactly what Toyota was counting on when the Japanese automaker introduced the Toyota Corolla Cross to the field. Essentially a taller Corolla sedan with more interior space, the Corolla Cross brings with it the practical, value-oriented design consumers expect of a Toyota.

Outside of a new finish option, the Toyota Corolla Cross arrives unchanged for the 2025 model year with three gas and four hybrid trim levels. The base Corolla Cross L starts at $24,035, while the Hybrid S trim will cost you $28,395. For our purposes, we’ll be putting the gas-only Toyota Corolla Cross under the microscope this time around.

The Toyota Corolla Cross is a practical crossover, albeit a little underwhelming

When it comes to Toyota, practicality is the name of the game, and the 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross sticks to that formula. That’s definitely not a bad thing, but in such a heated segment, Toyota might be pushing its luck. Starting at $24,035, the Corolla Cross relies on its reputation for reliability, affordable pricing, and its design as a daily driver to win over consumers.

Available in three trim levels, the gas-only 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross offers just one powertrain, a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with front-wheel drive. Power comes channeled through a CVT and sits at a rather lackluster 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque. What the powertrain lacks in performance, it makes up for in fuel economy, with the 2025 Corolla Cross earning up to 31 city mpg, 33 highway mpg, and 32 combined mpg.

While FWD comes standard, all-wheel drive is an available upgrade, but it will tack on an additional $1,300 to the model’s price tag. Making the upgrade will also reduce fuel economy by two miles per gallon across the board. In such a hot segment, the Toyota Corolla Cross is up against plenty of close competitors.

The Honda HR-V starts at $25,400 and comes powered by a 158-horsepower engine that earns up to 28 combined mpg. The Mazda CX-30 starts at $24,995 and boasts a 191-horsepower engine that earns up to 29 combined mpg. The Hyundai Kona starts at $24,450 and features a 147-horsepower engine that’s rated for 31 combined mpg.

Not only does the 2025 Mazda CX-30 start at a slightly higher price compared to the Toyota Corolla Cross, but it comes with a better spec sheet as well. The base Mazda CX-30 2.5 S comes equipped with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. That combination pushes out 191 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque. It also comes equipped with standard AWD, making it one of the best values in its segment.

Who is the Corolla Cross’s closest rival?

If we’re going to do battle with a Toyota, we can’t really ignore Honda, can we? The 2025 Honda HR-V starts at $25,400, nearly $1,400 more than the base Toyota Corolla Cross. Much like its Toyota rival, the 2025 HR-V carries over from the previous model year with a slight price increase.

Both the Toyota Corolla Cross and Honda HR-V come equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a CVT and FWD. AWD is available on both models, with a $1,300 price tag on the Toyota Corolla Cross and a $1,500 price tag on the Honda HR-V.

While both crossovers come with the same size engine, it’s the Toyota Corolla Cross that takes the win when it comes to performance and efficiency. That engine puts out 169 horsepower and 151 lb-ft of torque while earning up to 31 city mpg and 33 highway mpg. The HR-V’s engine falls short, delivering 158 horsepower and 138 lb-ft of torque while earning up to 26 city mpg and 32 highway mpg.

The base Toyota Corolla Cross takes the advantage when it comes to infotainment as well, with an eight-inch touchscreen display, six-speaker audio system, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

The base Honda HR-V arrives with a seven-inch touchscreen display, four-speaker audio system, and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. As for safety, both models come with their respective manufacturer’s suite of active safety technologies.

In terms of interior space, the story is a little different. The Toyota Corolla Cross comes with a near-identical interior to the Corolla sedan, but with more cargo space. The Honda HR-V offers a touch more passenger space, up to 98.7 cu ft., beating out its Toyota rival’s 94.9 cu ft. The HR-V taps in with up to 24.5 cu ft. of cargo space with the rear seats up, just barely topping the Toyota Corolla Cross’s 24 cu ft, and up to 55.1 cu ft. of space with the rear seats folded down.

Unfortunately, Toyota doesn’t provide an interior measurement for the Corolla Cross’s cargo space with the rear seats folded down.

Final thoughts

There’s no denying that the 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross is worth the $24,035 MSRP, largely due to its impressive fuel economy and list of amenities. If you’re looking for a new car that’s as reliable as it is affordable but you need more space than the standard Corolla sedan, the Corolla Cross is the obvious choice.

Much like its sedan sibling, the Toyota Corolla Cross is a crossover focused on practicality as a daily driver over all else. It will get you from A to B, but it won’t have any of the frills or thrills competitors might bring to the road.

If you’re hunting for a more dynamic driving experience, the Mazda MX-30, with its standard 191 horsepower and six-speed automatic transmission, is a great alternative. It also starts at under $25,000, putting it in the same price range as the 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross.

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