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Featured Corolla Cross: Could it come to America?

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Jul 9, 2020.

  1. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The cute-ute segment has been having some success, and the SUV segment that has seen the most growth is the 'compact' one. Toyota's SUV line up is light on crossovers.

    Who at Toyota thought plastic cladding that didn't protect the wheel arch corners was a good idea?
     
  2. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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  3. royrose

    royrose Senior Member

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    It is definite, will debut with a 2.0 L gas engine later this year and a hybrid sometime next year:

    2022 Toyota Corolla Cross Makes U.S. Debut and Expands Corolla Lineup - Toyota USA Newsroom

    It will be built at a new Toyota/Mazda plant in Alabama:

    Mazda Toyota Manufacturing unveils first Alabama production model - Alabama NewsCenter

    Mazda and Toyota will share many components. I'm really curious what the Mazda model produced there will be like. Will it be a lot like the Corolla Cross or quite different? Mazda has said that it will offer a Toyota hybrid drivetrain at some point but no other details have been released. I like Mazda Styling, handling and interiors which have gone rather upscale.
     
    #43 royrose, Jun 5, 2021
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2021
  4. royrose

    royrose Senior Member

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    Regarding the Mazda that will be built at the plant where the Corolla Cross will be made, I love this comment by the head of Mazda North America:

    The cars built there will not be “twins separated at birth” — nearly identical vehicles with different badges on the front. Rather, they will be more like children from a blended family: “They’re going to grow up in the same house, but they are totally unique products.”
     
  5. meeder

    meeder Active Member

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    That's what all the manufacturers tell us when they badge engineer cars :)
     
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  6. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    This approach has already been used successfully- the SIA plant in Indiana manufactured Outbacks and Camrys side-by-side simultaneously for years.
     
  7. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    Rebadging Corolla is nothing new. Once upon a time, GM used to purchase them from Toyota and slap on a "Prizm" badge. They were produced in California, so no one took issue with GM being unwilling to produce small cars themselves.

    The reason why is common knowledge. Small cars barely deliver any profit. Some even sell at a loss. The long-term benefit was well worth it though. Those entry-level vehicles were how the automaker established brand loyalty. You catch some new driver when they are young, then hook them for life. Their next purchase was inevitably with the same brand from a vehicle delivering substantial profit.

    GM wasn't the other automaker who did that. Ford did too, but they produced their own entry-level car. That was Escort. Ending production of that put them in a pickle. The latest news is Ford will revive the "Maverick" name to now serve that purpose, but it will be a small 4-door pickup instead of a car.

    It works, especially knowing how most consumers really don't pay attention enough to notice what the automaker is really doing.
     
  8. meeder

    meeder Active Member

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    There is already a rebadged Corolla.

    01-Suzuki-introduceert-Swace-scaled.jpg
     
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  9. Hicksite

    Hicksite Member

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    I put about 150K miles on a GEO Prizm and before that about the same on a Chevy Nova (also a rebadged Corolla, not the original Nova) before getting my 1st real Toyota, a real Corolla handed down from my wife. Probably got close to a half million trouble free miles out of the three of them.
     
  10. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    It worked the other way too. Plenty of people learned how great Toyotas were when they bought certain Chevies, as the post above shows.
     
  11. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Damn...yet another vehicle I really like that we don't get there in the USA. I like the extended wagon look of the Swace.
     
  12. meeder

    meeder Active Member

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    It's exactly the same as the Corolla Touring Sports. In length it is longer than a Gen 4 RAV4.
     
  13. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    US doesn't get the Corolla wagon.
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Could have called it Matrix?
     
  15. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Haha yep...the Corolla wagon is yet *another* vehicle I like that we don't get in the USA. :whistle:
     
  16. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Touring Sports already doesn't cry wagon.
     
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  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yeah but this was Toyota Canada's 2003 Matrix brochure's front cover:

    upload_2021-6-7_15-47-31.png

    and this is its two-page spread

    upload_2021-6-7_15-48-14.png

    So the Matrix was already marketing as a crossover.

    I've seen a page where it says the Matrix is "part wagon, part SUV, part sedan" but I can't seem to find it.
     
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  18. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    The window sticker to my 2004 Matrix had CUV or some three letter acronym in the name.