Porsche Cayenne vs Toyota Corolla Cross

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross presented a conservative design approach, pulling back from Toyota's recent daring styles. Its snub nose was reminiscent of the Toyota Tundra, and it featured the obligatory tall ride height and plastic fender flares typical of SUVs. However, the overall look was understated, seemingly to avoid overshadowing its larger sibling, the RAV4. The Corolla Cross was notably compact, being 13.5 centimetres shorter than the RAV4, yet larger than the Toyota C-HR, offering more interior space. Subtle styling details included scalloping around the rear door handles and mirrors, and hidden Corolla Cross logos throughout the vehicle. The interior closely resembled the Corolla sedan and hatchback, with oversized door handles akin to the RAV4. Material quality was perceived as below that of the Corolla sedan and hatch, with the base L model feeling basic, while the XLE trim offered SofTex leatherette upholstery and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

In contrast, the 2025 Porsche Cayenne offered a more luxurious and customizable experience. Available as a standard SUV or a sporty Cayenne Coupe, it featured distinct exterior touches across its trim levels. The GTS trim, for instance, boasted high gloss black trim, a unique front fascia with larger air intakes, and tinted headlights. The interior was highly customizable, with options for colour, trim, and even seat belts. The Cayenne's cabin was well-organized, with mechanical controls for essential features and a shifter toggle mounted on the dashboard for additional storage space. The GTS trim included a GT Sport steering wheel and a Race-Tex headliner, with options for Race-Tex or leather interiors. Despite its luxury, the Cayenne only accommodated five people, lacking a third-row option. However, it offered impressive towing capacity and a vast array of optional features, allowing buyers to tailor the vehicle to their preferences.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross was equipped with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, delivering 169 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. It featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with an actual first gear for improved acceleration. While the Corolla Cross performed adequately on highways, the engine worked hard to maintain pace, and the CVT exhibited typical issues like engine droning and rubber-banding. The optional all-wheel-drive system, shared with the Toyota Camry, could send 10% to 50% of torque to the rear wheels, enhancing traction during hard cornering. Despite its SUV-like ground clearance of 20.8 centimetres, the Corolla Cross wasn't designed for off-roading, and its towing capacity of 680 kilograms was modest compared to traditional SUVs.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne, on the other hand, offered a range of powerful engine options. The base model featured a 3.0-litre V6 with 348 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque, while the Cayenne S boasted a V8 with 468 horsepower. The Turbo GT, available only as a coupe, delivered an impressive 650 horsepower. The GTS trim, with its twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8, produced 493 horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque, achieving 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in 4.4 seconds. The Cayenne's handling was exceptional, with precise steering and an active suspension system that maintained agility despite its 2,250-kilogram curb weight. The GTS trim offered a balance between sporty performance and comfort, with adaptive drive modes and optional carbon ceramic brakes for enhanced stopping power. The Cayenne's versatility allowed it to transition seamlessly from a sporty SUV to a comfortable commuter.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross offered more passenger and cargo space than the Corolla hatchback, with an extra 5 centimetres of rear legroom and 3.5 centimetres of rear headroom. It featured standard rear climate-control vents and dual-zone automatic climate control in XLE models. The Corolla Cross provided 750 litres of cargo space with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1,890 litres with the seats folded. While it compared well to rival crossovers in terms of interior space, the seats were hard and unsupportive, and the driving position felt upright and SUV-like.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne, while luxurious, offered limited standard features. The base model included eight-way power-adjustable seats, two-zone climate control, and ambient lighting. The GTS trim added a GT Sport steering wheel and Race-Tex headliner, with options for Race-Tex or leather interiors. The Cayenne accommodated five people, with a comfortable second row and ample headroom. It offered impressive towing capacity and payload, but cargo space was smaller than some competitors. The standard Cayenne provided 772 litres of space behind the second row, expanding to 1,708 litres with the seats folded. The coupe version offered slightly less space, and the plug-in hybrid models had reduced cargo capacity due to the battery.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross featured a standard 7-inch touchscreen in the base L model, with an 8-inch touchscreen in LE and XLE models. The XLE also included a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility were standard, along with Bluetooth and SiriusXM satellite radio. The infotainment system was user-friendly but lacked sophistication, with plain graphics and slow boot-up times. The Corolla Cross offered two front USB-A ports, with additional ports for rear-seat passengers in the LE trim. Wireless charging was available in the LE Premium package and standard on the XLE.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne boasted a curved 12.6-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen display with the Porsche Communication Management system. It included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Spotify, Apple Music, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. An optional 10.9-inch passenger screen allowed for navigation and media control. The Cayenne's screens were well-organized and responsive, with voice control options. A head-up display provided pertinent information, although it appeared dim with polarized sunglasses. The Cayenne featured four high-speed USB-C charging ports and a cooled wireless charging area.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross came with standard driver-assist features under the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 banner, including 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. Crash-test ratings from the NHTSA and IIHS were not available at the time of review.

The 2025 Porsche Cayenne offered standard parking sensors, forward collision warning, and blind-spot monitoring. However, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and lane-departure warning were optional. Porsche's advanced adaptive cruise control system, InnoDrive, was not available for testing. Neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS had rated the 2025 Cayenne for safety.