Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs Toyota Corolla Cross

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer presented a traditional SUV aesthetic, sharing its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer. This resulted in a tall hood, broad shoulders, trapezoidal wheel arches, and an upright profile reminiscent of the smaller 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The Grand Wagoneer distinguished itself with a standard black roof, model-specific hood, front fascia, and a forward-leaning grille with laser-etched knurling. It featured 20-inch wheels as standard, with 22-inch wheels available on higher trims. The interior boasted high-end materials, including Nappa leather upholstery, with options for Palermo leather and American Walnut wood trim. The Grand Wagoneer offered 24-way power front seats with memory, massage, lumbar support, and four-way power headrests, along with heated first- and second-row seats and a heated steering wheel.

In contrast, the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross adopted a more conservative design approach. While it featured a snub nose reminiscent of the Toyota Tundra and obligatory SUV elements like a tall ride height and plastic fender flares, its overall look was understated. The Corolla Cross was shorter than the RAV4, making it truly compact, yet larger than the Toyota C-HR. It offered more interior space than the C-HR, with subtle styling details like scalloping around the rear door handles and hidden Corolla Cross logos throughout the vehicle. Base models came with 17-inch steel wheels, while higher trims featured 17-inch or 18-inch alloy wheels. The interior mirrored the Corolla sedan and hatchback, with oversized door handles and SofTex leatherette upholstery on higher trims, though material quality was noted to be below that of the Corolla sedan and hatch.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was powered by a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine, delivering 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, enabled the Grand Wagoneer to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in approximately six seconds, despite its hefty weight of around 2,900 kilograms. The Grand Wagoneer came standard with a Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive system, featuring a two-speed transfer case and electronic limited-slip differential. It also included the Quadra-Lift air suspension system, which was height-adjustable for various driving conditions. With a maximum ground clearance of 25.4 centimetres, the Grand Wagoneer could tackle off-road challenges, although its size limited its trail capabilities.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross was equipped with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 169 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. It featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with an actual first gear for improved acceleration. While the Corolla Cross offered responsive acceleration from a stop, it exhibited typical CVT issues at higher speeds, such as engine droning and rubber-banding. The optional all-wheel-drive system, shared with the Toyota Camry, could send up to 50% of torque to the rear wheels. Despite its SUV-like ground clearance of 20.8 centimetres, the Corolla Cross was not designed for off-roading and had a maximum towing capacity of 680 kilograms.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer accommodated seven passengers with standard second-row captain’s chairs or eight with an optional third-row bench seat. It offered more third-row headroom and second-row legroom than competitors like the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, and Infiniti QX80. However, front-row space was more limited compared to these rivals. The Grand Wagoneer provided 775 litres of cargo space with all seats in place and 2,007 litres with the third row stowed. Its maximum towing capacity was 4,472 kilograms, slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to the Grand Wagoneer's additional weight. Standard features included a sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross offered increased passenger and cargo space compared to the Corolla hatchback. It provided nearly identical front headroom and legroom but added 5 centimetres of rear legroom and 3.5 centimetres of rear headroom. The Corolla Cross featured 750 litres of cargo space with the rear seats up and 1,890 litres with them folded. While it compared well to rival crossovers in terms of interior space, legroom in both rows was slightly below average. The interior was noted for its hard and unsupportive seats, and the tall driving position felt SUV-like but not ideal for long trips.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer featured a comprehensive infotainment system with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a McIntosh audio system. It supported simultaneous pairing for two Bluetooth-enabled phones and offered a 4G-LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Second-row passengers had access to a 10.25-inch centre console touchscreen, and an optional rear-seat entertainment system added two 10.1-inch screens. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system, with an Android-based operating system, provided over-the-air software updates. However, the screen response was noted to be slow, and the instrument cluster graphics were considered plain.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross came with a standard 7-inch touchscreen on base models, while higher trims received an 8-inch touchscreen and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility were standard, along with Bluetooth and SiriusXM satellite radio. The XLE trim featured a nine-speaker JBL audio system. The infotainment system was user-friendly but lacked sophistication, with plain graphics and slow boot-up times. The optional digital instrument cluster was cluttered, and the wireless charging pad, standard on the XLE, had limited space for larger phones.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer had not yet received crash-test ratings from the IIHS or NHTSA. Standard safety features included a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors. Optional features encompassed intersection collision assist, driver-attention monitor, night vision, traffic-sign recognition, and advanced driver-assistance systems. The Active Lane Management System combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centring, with a hands-free version planned for future release.

Similarly, the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross had not been rated by the NHTSA or IIHS. It came equipped with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, offering forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and Lane Tracing Assist. The LE trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the XLE included front and rear park assist with automatic braking.