Launched in Taiwan in September, the Toyota Corolla Cross GR Sport has now made its way to Thailand, adding a sportier design to the popular SUV. A total of 27,794 units of the regular Corolla Cross have been sold in the Land of Smiles – a figure which Toyota says is the highest in the B-segment – and the addition of the hybrid GR Sport model will only serve to broaden its appeal in the region.
As expected, this variant sits at the top
of the lineup and commands a 50,000 baht premium over the HEV Premium
Safety, priced at 1,240,500 baht. For that, you get a 98 PS/142 Nm
2ZR-FXE 1.8 litre Atkinson-cycle petrol engine and a 72 PS/163 Nm electric
motor that combine to deliver a total system output of 122 PS. Fuel consumption
is rated at 23.3 km per litre.
The GR Sport bodykit is exactly the same
as in Taiwan and is mostly centred around the redesigned front fascia. There’s
a new grille with a horizontal bar and a thick gloss-black surround that leads
into the headlights, much like Mazda’s Kodo grille. Further down, you’ll find a
more aggressive triple air intake design, plus a beefier decorative skid plate.
The latter is repeated on the sides and rear of the car, where clear LED
taillights are also fitted. Rounding off the exterior changes are the black
roof and unique 18-inch turbine-design two-tone alloy wheels. Inside, you get
black leather seats with a white centre stripe and GR-embossed headrests, a
perforated leather-wrapped gearknob, gloss black interior trim and a smattering
of GR badges.
Also included are some chassis tweaks,
consisting of retuned steering and a lower strut bar. Last but not least, the
GR Sport adds a low-speed stop and go function for the adaptive cruise control
– a feature that has also been extended to the regular HEV Premium Safety
variant.
