Toyota has not yet put its new hybrid SUV on sale in Spain and is already preparing its update. Pending the commercial launch of the Toyota Corolla Cross, in distant Japan a major tuning of an SUV called to complete the Corolla family is taking place.
It’s been about a year since Toyota officially present its new and interesting hybrid SUV in Europe. It was in December 2021 when the Toyota Corolla Cross debuted, a compact SUV that is called to play a leading role in the European market and, above all, to complete the Corolla family that is reaping such good results.
The corolla cross It has a certain commercial path behind it. And it is a global model. It is available far from European borders. America, Asia… Just a few months ago it was put up for sale in selected markets of the Old Continent. At the moment it is not available in Spain. The crisis of microchips and semiconductors, added to Toyota’s production capacity for this model, are being decisive in this slow deployment of the Corolla Cross throughout the European territory.
Toyota prepares to update the new Corolla Cross
Its launch in Spain is just around the corner. However, it is striking that, although it is not yet available at our dealerships, Toyota has started preparations for its update. In Japan, an important report has been released that reveals the plans that Toyota has for the “older brother” of the C-HR.
In recent days the Corolla family has been the focus of the headlines. And it is that Toyota has officially presented the renewed range of its successful compact. A range that, as we have previously pointed out, will be completed when the Corolla Cross is available. It is positioned as “the fourth body variant”.
Toyota has not only introduced innovations in terms of design and technological equipment in the Corolla range. The moment has been used to make adjustments to the hybrid engines. In short, a “restyling” manual. Well, the focus for the future update of the Corolla Cross goes precisely in this direction. Introduce small changes that together make up a complete set-up.
Recently the Corolla Cross has undergone a relevant update in North America. However, we cannot take this model as a reference, as is the case with the Japanese version. What can be done is to focus on the Corolla Cross sold in Taiwan. There it is available with the GR Sport trim level, a version that will end up arriving in Europe and the rest of the main markets.
Release date of the new Toyota Corolla Cross 2024
When will the renewed Corolla Cross see the light? It is a long-term project. Toyota must now deal with the challenges of launching the current model. That is why, if all goes according to plan, the new Corolla Cross will be ready to burst onto the scene in Japan in the fall of 2023. That is, it will arrive at our dealerships as a 2024 model.
If these deadlines are met, it will not be a problem that the current version is taking so long to go on sale in Spain. If the order book is opened before the end of the year, Toyota will have more than a year to market the current model. In any case, it is still paradoxical that there is talk of updating a car that is not yet for sale. At least in the Spanish market. We must also leave the door open to a possible change of plans depending on how the aforementioned microchip crisis evolves.
Japanese Toyota dealers are already accepting pre-orders for the new Corolla Cross. However, it should be emphasized again that the Japanese version cannot be taken as a reference. The new model that Japanese drivers will be able to enjoy will resemble the Corolla Cross that we still cannot enjoy in Spain. The same goes for the North American version.
Last but not least, we must underline the fact that these first reports about the future Corolla Cross that will see the light expected at the end of the year 2023, do not clarify whether or not it will be directly linked to the European model. There is a possibility that the development of the version destined for the Old Continent will follow its own path. And in this aspect, we would find ourselves before a specific review for Asia. There are many unknowns waiting to be resolved in the coming months.
Font: BestCarWeb