Bucket Seat: Toyota Corolla Cross HEV

Toyota's assembly plant in Durban's south basin has been a key economic catalyst for the city since its opening in the 1970's, it saw a number of prominent models roll off the production line, most notably the popular medium sized family sedan, the Corolla. Toyota SA invested millions in upgrading the plant over the past decade to accommodate newer models, and even different drive trains, the big change so the Corolla sedan and hatch end its production here and the new Corolla Cross SUV take over the lines. After a brief setback due to the flooding of the area in 2022 the plant reopened again and continued to push out the Corolla Cross models in great numbers, for local and export purposes. This year saw the much loved model get a significant face-lift and a change in name for its hybrid model, which now is badged as HEV. There is also some new colours offered for the model and I got to spend some time with the HEV in one of the striking new colours, here I my thoughts on the car. 

DESIGN

The overall chassis design remains the same for the Corolla Cross with key changes made to the front grille which now has a solid panel colour coded as the body with perforations in circular shapes for air intake. It makes the car look futuristic and gives off an EV vibe to it. The front headlights also received a design change with an integrated bar which runs along the bonnet line linking the two. The Toyota badge is more pronounced and in the HEV model which I had, the badge has a blue hue to it so you know its a hybrid model. The rest of the outer body remains relatively the same with minor changes to the tail lights. Two new colours are featured in the choices, which are Oxide Bronze and the more striking Desert Gold which was what I had. It really is a striking colour and when the sun hits it at the right angles, it gives off a lovely shimmer. The interior design has subtle changes but nothing that is too eye catching from the previous model. 

PERFORMANCE

The Corolla Cross Hybrid is equipped with a 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine paired with an electric motor, delivering a combined output of 90 kW. Pure petrol engine churns out 72kW with 142Nm of torque. While acceleration is adequate for city driving, the vehicle can feel underpowered during overtaking maneuvers or uphill climbs, where the continuously variable transmission (CVT) may cause the engine to become noticeably noisy. ​The ever annoying grown of a CVT engine would never be one that I would get used to but the Corolla Cross HEV can be forgiven because its main focus isn't power, its fuel economy and that is where this car really shines. In real-world conditions, the Corolla Cross Hybrid demonstrates impressive fuel efficiency, averaging around 5.4 L/100 km. This figure is slightly higher than Toyota's claimed average of 4.3 L/100 km but still represents a significant improvement over the non-hybrid variant. ​Having done quite a bit of mixed driving with the car, I was still able to get an impressive 750km from the 36-litre petrol tank. 

COMFORT

As mentioned earlier in the article, there isn't much changes to the interior Corolla Cross Hybrid, it is designed with practicality in mind. While the dashboard layout is straightforward and user-friendly, it lacks the modern aesthetics found in some competitors. Having the XR model meant a higher trim level which included a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and premium materials, including real stitching on the instrument panel. ​The 10-inch infotainment screen remains the same along with the same UI as before, this for me remains an annoyance since it feels rather outdated, in saying that it does support wireless Apple Car Play and Android Auto so the screen is projecting this most of the time. Toyota have finally upgraded the USB port to a USB C and it includes a wireless charging tray for mobile phones.  The Corolla Cross Hybrid offers ample cargo space, with a generous boot that can accommodate large and bulky items. However, the rear seats do not fold completely flat, which may limit the loading of certain items. Rear passenger space is adequate, though taller occupants may find headroom slightly restricted. ​

VERDICT

The 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid stands out as a reliable and efficient choice in the compact SUV segment. Its combination of fuel economy, practicality, and Toyota's reputation for durability make it a compelling option for urban drivers. While it may not offer the most exhilarating performance or cutting-edge interior design, it delivers where it counts for everyday use. In the South African market, the Corolla Cross Hybrid is priced competitively, with the XS HEV starting at R494,400 and the XR HEV at R545,200. All models come with a 6-services/90,000 km service plan and a 3-year/100,000 km warranty, while hybrid models include an 8-year warranty on the hybrid battery. ​

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine	1.8l Petrol Hybrid
Gear Box	CVT Automatic
Torque	142Nm
Power	72kW
Avg Fuel Economy	4.7L per 100km
Price	R494,400*  base model

BMW X3 xPlore - Plant Rosslyn

Continuing from where I left off last week with the BMW X3 xPlore tour, after putting the locally made SUV's to the test at the X Lifestyle Park it was time to take a trip to see where these cars were put together, at Plant Rosslyn. Many don't know this but the BMW assembly plant at Rosslyn was the first BMW plant outside of Germany to produce cars for the brand. That alone shows you how much faith they had in South Africa from the get go. It was my second time at Rosslyn, the first was when we attended the media launch for the revised F30 3 Series range a few years ago and I can report that a lot has changed in that time! With BMW investing R6.2 Billion in the plant for upgrades and expansion to accommodate the X3 build, it was time for us to take a first hand look at what was done to the plant.

We started the tour at the brand new state of the art training center, built to give workers the skills and knowledge on the operations of the plant. From learning about robotics, to the electrical systems and a general understanding of how the plan operates, everything is taught here in this world class facility. The training center is also open to other manufacturers to get their staff skills brushed up. 

Next up it was time to go into the heart of the beast, now Plant Rosslyn is massive, and while you could walk to where you want to get to, it's much faster for you to take a golf cart and in doing so we went to have a look at an area in the assembly plant where the frame of the new X3 is put together. It was like something out of a Sci-Fi movie with a maze of robots, pick up, turning and tossing these massive parts like they're toys. The various components which form the frame of the car, made with aluminium and steel are fixed together by welds and traditional nuts and bolts. While most of the hard work is done by the robots, there is a human element to this process, which makes sure everything is done perfectly. 

We then skipped on over to the paint shop, where we got a briefing on what changes we made and the addition of a 6 story stacker which stores up to 120 cars at a time. There are various processes to BMW's paint techniques, obviously the finer details were not divulged but we can all agree that their paint work is truly extraordinary and some of the colours offered challenge even the most vast colour palettes. from then on we made our way to part of the plant which has its only extraordinary tale to tell. In this main assembly area where the cars are fitting with their interiors and mechanical components, the roof of the building had to be raised but what made this fascinating is that it was done while the plant was still functioning! By using modern engineering techniques like incremental launching, the contractors tasked with this job successfully managed to complete this feat while BMW were still building the 3 Series sedan. In this area, the cars drive train and engine are also married and lifted into the X3, it is quite an awesome sight to witness. 

We were then taken to the Lego room, and that room means exactly what it reads. It's a room where a full scale model of the plant resides and it built completely from Lego! There is a reason for this, BMW felt that by using these popular children's toy, they could manipulate scenarios if they had to change things in the plant and they could gauge first hand how thing would pan out with this Lego model. It was very cool to see how everything was built to scale and the accuracy of it all. Lastly we were given the opportunity to walk down memory lane at Plant Rosslyn, with a corridor dedicated to the Plants and BMW's achievements over the years both locally and Internationally, including that amazing JD Power award which was handed to them in 2015 for Platinum Plant Quality. 

A rather interesting stat that was given to us on our tour at Rosslyn was that in BMW's aim to make their premises more eco-friendly and adding to their already impressive green credentials of their Head Office in Midrand being 5 star green rated by the GBSA, 30% of the power supplied to Plant Rosslyn is generated from the Bio2Watt plant outside Bronkhorstpruit. The plant which lies on the premises of one of South Africa's larger feedlots, run by Beefcor and provides the facility with proximity to key fuel supplies, sufficient water and access to the grid. Power is generated at the plant with a mixture of cattle manure, mixed organic waste which is then left to sit in two anaerobic digesters in which biogas is produced. This gas then gets fed to a gas engine and electricity is produced and fed straight back into Eskom's grid.  By the end of 2018, 100% of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn's electricity supply will be obtained from renewable sources - in line with the BMW Group's 2020 deadline for all group production locations to transition to fully renewable electricity supplies. 

BMW X3 xPlore - X Lifestyle Park

Last week I was invited by BMW South Africa to par-take in what would be an incredible 3 day journey across 3 provinces in the all new, locally assembled BMW X3. Called the X3 xPlore tour which involved a selected few media, mainly compromising of motoring journalists to experience what the first few models made locally by BMW at their Plant in Rosslyn were like as models that were used in the launch last year were all fully imported. It would be a good gauge to see if the locally made models compared equally to those which were assembled outside South Africa. With the plant being upgraded to accommodate the build of the X3, that would be one of the main point of interest in this 3 day tour, but as I soon found out that there was a lot more that BMW had up it's sleeve for us, which is why I decided instead of giving you one long post about my 3 day journey, rather I break it down into segments that are worthy of a story in it's entirety. 

Day 1 started off at the brand new home of Auto Bavaria in Midrand, one of the flagship BMW dealerships in the country. It was a great way to see what the modern BMW dealership would look like, with a dedicated //M car show room, lifestyle section for BMW clothing and accessories, a big open show room floor with a range of the models, from sports coupes, sedans and the X range. We were addressed by BMW SA CEO Tim Abbott on the importance of this tour and what it meant to them as a company, as they have already had a great history with their Rosslyn plant, being the first outside Germany to contribute to the BMW coach works build and for the first time changing it's product line from the 3 series to the X3. There was a handing over ceremony, where BMW donated two of it's X3 test units, which were marked for destruction as per policy over to the Rhino Orphanage, a non-profit organisation, dedicated to the care and rehabilitation of rhino calves orphaned by poaching. 

First up on the tour was getting a sneak peak at the upcoming BMW X Lifestyle Park, what is this you ask? Well its BMW's very own off road playground. Now I know what you all are thinking, "BMW doesn't make cars that can go off road", well that's where you're wrong. BMW's reason for building this is noting the shift in sales with more than 30% of BMW's global sales being made up by BMW X models. The XLP which compromises of a 1.3km off-road track .The X range of vehicles with xDrive are very capable as I soon found out.  While it may not be a fully fledged 4x4, with BMW's xDrive system, the vehicle is more than capable to tackle the obstacles present at the X Lifestyle Park, most of which are pretty demanding. 

The facility which will be open to the public in November will offer off-road Driving Experience courses from R2,750. Here customers can put their X models through its paces with various obstacles like hill descent, soft sand driving, water wading and rock crawl to name a few. Apart from the off-road track, the XLP will offer various family-orientated lifestyle experiences such as abseiling, zip-lining and park runs. Also on the site will be a BMW Lifestyle store with BMW accessories, a coffee shop and food stalls with it playing hosts to fitness activations. 

Stay tuned to the blog as we will bring you more about our BMW X3 xPlore Experience.