2022 Toyota Corolla Cross vs 2021 Honda CR-V

Even in a grim year, Honda is selling a staggering number of CR-Vs. The CR-V is the best-selling Honda in Canada, edging out the home-built Honda Civic. The CR-V is also the second best-selling compact SUV, just behind the Toyota RAV4. And it was the sixth best-selling vehicle in Canada in 2021.

So, it’s hard to argue against the CR-V formula. Honda’s been at this almost as long as crossovers have been a thing, launching the CR-V in 1997—a year after the RAV4 debuted.

The funny thing is, aside from sales volume, there’s only one thing the CR-V particularly excels at. Aesthetics are subjective, but it would be hard to argue the CR-V is the best-looking vehicle in its class. It’s not the cheapest. It’s not the best equipped, especially at the middle to lower trim levels. It’s not the fastest, nor is it the quietest, or the most fuel efficient. It’s not even the most reliable, showing up nowhere in J.D. Power's Most Reliable list.

So, what makes it so appealing to Canadian consumers? Let’s see if we can figure that out.

Toyota Corolla is the most popular automotive nameplate in history, but the compact cars it’s attached to are slowly being usurped by crossover SUVs. So, Toyota is trying to achieve the best of both worlds by launching a new Corolla model that’s also a crossover.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross seeks to expand the Corolla lineup in much the same way that the Corolla Matrix hatchback did two decades ago, adding all-wheel drive (AWD) and more upright bodywork but keeping the Corolla name for familiarity. The Corolla Cross shares the TNGA-C platform, as well as a powertrain, with the Corolla sedan and hatchback, but the exterior styling is all SUV.

The Corolla Cross launches into a crowded market segment. At its media preview, Toyota said it’s counted 20 competitors, including the Chevrolet Trax, Mazda CX-30, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Kona, and Subaru Crosstrek. The Subaru is likely the Corolla Cross’s closest rival, as it’s also a small SUV derivative of an existing compact hatchback.

Built at a new factory in Huntsville, Alabama, the Corolla Cross is scheduled to reach dealerships in October. It will be available in L, LE, and XLE trim levels, with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) or optional all-wheel drive (AWD). We got a chance to sample all three during a day of driving.