2022 Toyota Corolla Cross vs 2022 Cadillac Escalade

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.

Over roughly two decades in production, the Cadillac Escalade has become the General Motors luxury brand’s de facto flagship. It may share underpinnings with more pedestrian SUVs and pickup trucks from other GM brands, but the Escalade sits at the top of the Cadillac hierarchy in price, size, and—thanks to Cadillac’s constant reshuffling of its other nameplates—name recognition. It’s also an established player in a robust niche of big luxury SUVs.

The Escalade’s competitive set splits into two camps: other truck-like body-on-frame SUVs (Lincoln Navigator, Infiniti QX80, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Lexus LX) and upscale unibody SUVs (BMW X7, Land Rover Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz GLS). In other words, it’s a good time to be shopping for a full-size luxury SUV.

Cadillac has one of the freshest entries in this group. The Escalade was redesigned for the 2021 model year, adding a number of notable features like a 38-inch OLED display screen and GM’s Super Cruise hands-free highway driving system.

Changes for this generation’s sophomore model year are minor. A Buckle to Drive feature that forces the driver to buckle their seatbelt before setting off is now standard, lane-keep assist and lane-departure warning are now standard on the base Escalade Luxury trim level, and Premium Luxury Platinum and Sport Platinum models now get standard puddle lamps. Cadillac also added three extra-cost colours: Mahogany Metallic, Galactic Gray Metallic, and Wilder Metallic.

The Escalade is available in standard-wheelbase and long-wheelbase Escalade ESV body styles (the latter treated as a separate model), with the option of gasoline or diesel engines and five trim levels: Luxury, Premium Luxury, Sport, Premium Luxury Platinum, and Sport Platinum. We hoisted ourselves into a standard-length Premium Luxury diesel model for this review.