In a rare moment of automotive honesty, Andrea Carlucci, Toyota Europe’s head of product strategy and marketing, has acknowledged that the Corolla Cross needs a more zesty design if it’s to sell in higher numbers. Speaking to Auto News, Carlucci didn’t mince words: “We don’t have the perfect Corolla Cross for Europe, in the sense it’s a global model. If we bring more European zest, sales will be up.”
This admission comes as no surprise to Australian automotive observers who’ve watched the Corolla Cross struggle to capture hearts and minds in our increasingly competitive small SUV segment. While the vehicle delivers on Toyota’s traditional strengths of reliability and value, it’s become apparent that today’s buyers want something more – they want character, excitement, and yes, zest.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
The European market provides a telling glimpse into what happens when bland meets brilliant. Toyota’s more striking C-HR outsells the Corolla Cross by four to one in Europe, despite being smaller and less practical. This stark disparity highlights a fundamental shift in consumer preferences that Australian buyers share with their European counterparts.
Our local market has become increasingly sophisticated in its tastes. Gone are the days when Aussie families would settle for purely practical transportation. Today’s SUV shoppers want vehicles that reflect their personality, make a statement in the school pick-up lane, and deliver an engaging driving experience alongside their daily utility.
The Corolla Cross, despite its undeniable merits, has struggled to ignite this emotional connection. Car and Driver describes it as “one of the dullest choices in the class”, while Edmunds notes it’s “a vehicle of necessity, not something you buy for emotional satisfaction”. These assessments, while perhaps harsh, reflect a broader sentiment that the Corolla Cross plays things too safe in a segment that rewards boldness.
What “Zest” Actually Means in Automotive Terms
When Toyota’s Carlucci talks about bringing “zest” to the Corolla Cross, he’s referring to something that goes beyond mere styling tweaks. Zest in automotive design encompasses several key elements that Australian buyers have come to expect from their vehicles.
Visual drama plays a crucial role. Modern SUV buyers want their vehicles to look purposeful and confident, with design elements that suggest capability and adventure. The current Corolla Cross, while handsome in an understated way, lacks the visual punch that stops traffic or starts conversations. Its rounded, inoffensive shapes may appeal to focus groups, but they fail to generate the emotional response that drives purchase decisions.
Dynamic styling cues represent another crucial component. Successful small SUVs in the Australian market feature bold character lines, distinctive lighting signatures, and aggressive stance that suggests performance even when the mechanical reality might be more modest. The Mazda CX-30, for instance, manages to look athletic and premium despite sharing basic underpinnings with the humble Mazda3.
Interior ambiance also contributes significantly to a vehicle’s perceived zest. Australian buyers increasingly expect their SUVs to feel special inside, with materials, colours, and design elements that create an emotional connection. The Corolla Cross’s functional but uninspiring cabin fails to deliver this sense of occasion, feeling more like an office than an adventure vehicle.
The Australian Context: Why Personality Matters More Than Ever
Australia’s unique automotive landscape makes the Corolla Cross’s blandness particularly problematic. Our market has become increasingly diverse, with buyers choosing from an enormous range of small SUV options that would have been unimaginable just a decade ago.
The success of vehicles like the Subaru XV (now called Crosstrek) demonstrates Australian appetite for character over pure practicality. Despite being less refined than many competitors, the XV built a loyal following through its distinctive appearance, outdoor-focused marketing, and promise of adventure. Similarly, the Hyundai Kona’s bold, almost polarising design has helped it carve out a significant market share by appealing to buyers who want their SUV to make a statement.
Even within Toyota’s own stable, the contrast is stark. The C-HR, despite its compromised practicality and rear visibility, generates genuine excitement among younger buyers who appreciate its coupe-like silhouette and dramatic styling details. The fact that it outsells the more practical Corolla Cross by such a massive margin in Europe suggests that Australian buyers might respond similarly if given the choice.
Our changing demographics also play a role. Younger Australian families, who represent a crucial growth segment for small SUVs, have grown up in an era of automotive abundance. They’ve been exposed to exciting designs from Korean, European, and even Chinese manufacturers that push boundaries and challenge conventions. Against this backdrop, the Corolla Cross’s conservative approach feels increasingly outdated.
The Performance Problem
Beyond styling, the Corolla Cross faces a more fundamental challenge in the form of its underwhelming performance. With just 169 horsepower from its four-cylinder engine and a 0-60 mph time of over nine seconds, it struggles to provide the engagement that modern Australian drivers expect.
This performance deficit becomes particularly apparent on Australian roads, where highway merging, overtaking slow-moving trucks, and navigating hilly terrain are daily realities. Reviewers consistently note that the Corolla Cross feels underpowered, with one describing the need for “planning” when attempting freeway passes.
The continuously variable transmission (CVT) compounds these issues. While CVTs can provide excellent fuel economy in ideal conditions, they often fail to deliver the responsive, engaging driving experience that Australians associate with their favourite vehicles. The transmission’s tendency to hold the engine at high RPM during acceleration creates an unpleasant droning sensation that reminds drivers of the vehicle’s mechanical limitations.
Competition in the small SUV segment has intensified dramatically, with rivals offering significantly more engaging powertrains. The Mazda CX-30’s refined engines provide notably more performance and character, while the Hyundai Kona offers turbocharged options that transform the driving experience entirely.
Learning from Global Success Stories
Toyota’s challenge with the Corolla Cross isn’t unique to Australia or Europe. However, examining markets where the vehicle has found greater success provides insights into potential solutions.
In Southeast Asian markets, where the Corolla Cross was initially launched, the vehicle’s conservative approach aligns better with local preferences and market conditions. Buyers in these markets often prioritise reliability, fuel economy, and value over emotional engagement, making the Corolla Cross’s straightforward approach more appealing.
The hybrid version of the Corolla Cross tells a different story entirely. With 196 combined horsepower and standard all-wheel drive, the hybrid variant addresses many of the regular model’s performance concerns. More importantly, it comes with “zestier S/SE/XSE trio of trims” that suggest Toyota understands the importance of visual excitement.
The hybrid’s success in markets where it’s available demonstrates that the Corolla Cross platform has inherent potential. The challenge lies in translating this potential into variants that resonate with Australian buyers who expect both efficiency and engagement from their vehicles.
The Competition Conundrum
Australia’s small SUV segment has become intensely competitive, with established players fighting newcomers for market share. The Corolla Cross faces challenges from multiple directions, each highlighting different aspects of its personality deficit.
The Mazda CX-30 represents perhaps the most direct challenge to the Corolla Cross’s positioning. Built on the same TNGA-C platform as the Mazda3, it manages to feel significantly more premium and engaging despite similar mechanical underpinnings. Mazda’s focus on driving dynamics, interior quality, and design coherence has created a vehicle that commands emotional loyalty alongside rational consideration.
Hyundai’s Kona approaches the challenge from a different angle, using bold, almost aggressive styling to create a distinctive identity. While some find its appearance polarising, this willingness to take risks has paid dividends in terms of brand recognition and customer loyalty. The Kona proves that personality can overcome objective shortcomings in areas like refinement or build quality.
The Honda HR-V presents a more subtle challenge, combining practical advantages with Honda’s reputation for reliability and resale value. While not dramatically more exciting than the Corolla Cross, Honda’s marketing has been more successful at positioning the HR-V as an aspirational choice rather than merely a practical one.
Even budget-focused options like the Mitsubishi ASX and Nissan Qashqai manage to offer distinctive personalities that help them stand out in crowded showrooms. The fact that these older, less sophisticated vehicles can compete effectively against the technically superior Corolla Cross highlights the importance of character in purchasing decisions.
The Platform Potential
Carlucci’s comments about Toyota’s TNGA platform allowing regions to develop different upper bodies for different markets hint at exciting possibilities for the Corolla Cross’s future. The TNGA-C architecture that underpins the vehicle has proven remarkably versatile, supporting everything from the conventional Corolla sedan to the dramatic C-HR.
This flexibility suggests that Toyota could relatively easily develop a more visually striking version of the Corolla Cross specifically for markets like Australia and Europe. Such regional customisation wouldn’t require fundamental engineering changes but could dramatically alter the vehicle’s appeal through revised bodywork, different proportions, and more distinctive design elements.
The precedent exists within Toyota’s own lineup. The current-generation Camry demonstrates how conservative mechanical underpinnings can support dramatically more exciting styling, while the C-HR proves that the TNGA-C platform can accommodate truly distinctive designs without compromising functionality.
Regional customisation could extend beyond mere styling changes. Different suspension tuning, powertrain options, and interior treatments could help create versions of the Corolla Cross that feel specifically designed for Australian conditions and preferences rather than compromised by global requirements.
The Hybrid Solution
The Corolla Cross Hybrid may provide a glimpse into the model’s potential future. With its more powerful hybrid powertrain and sportier trim levels, it addresses many of the criticisms levelled at the standard model while maintaining Toyota’s traditional strengths.
The hybrid’s additional power transforms the driving experience, eliminating the sluggish acceleration that has been a consistent complaint about the standard model. More importantly, the hybrid’s standard all-wheel drive system and improved performance create opportunities for more adventurous marketing and positioning.
Toyota’s decision to offer the hybrid with more sporting trim levels suggests the company recognises the importance of visual differentiation. These sportier variants, while still conservative by some standards, represent a step toward the kind of personality-driven approach that has proven successful for competitors.
The hybrid also aligns with broader Australian trends toward environmental consciousness and fuel efficiency. While performance and personality remain important, increasing numbers of buyers are seeking vehicles that reflect their environmental values without requiring significant compromises in other areas.
Marketing and Positioning Challenges
The Corolla Cross’s struggles extend beyond product development into marketing and positioning challenges that reflect broader issues with Toyota’s brand perception among younger Australian buyers.
Toyota’s marketing has traditionally emphasised reliability, value, and practicality – messages that resonate strongly with certain demographics but fail to inspire younger buyers who take these qualities for granted. The Corolla Cross’s advertising has followed this familiar pattern, focusing on practical benefits rather than emotional appeals.
Competitors have been more successful at creating aspirational narratives around their small SUVs. Subaru’s focus on outdoor adventure, Mazda’s emphasis on design and driving pleasure, and Hyundai’s celebration of bold individuality all create emotional connections that pure practicality cannot match.
The challenge for Toyota lies in evolving its marketing approach without alienating traditional customers who value the brand’s reputation for reliability and sensibility. This balance requires sophisticated messaging that acknowledges practical needs while creating emotional desire.
The Road Ahead: What Change Might Look Like
Carlucci’s suggestion that Toyota could develop different upper bodies for different markets using the TNGA platform opens up intriguing possibilities for the Corolla Cross’s evolution. Such changes could address the personality deficit without requiring wholesale platform changes.
Visual modifications could include more aggressive front and rear styling, distinctive lighting signatures, and bold colour options that help the vehicle stand out in crowded car parks. Interior changes might focus on premium materials, distinctive colour schemes, and design elements that create a more emotional connection with occupants.
Performance improvements could come through powertrain options that better suit Australian driving conditions. While the hybrid represents one solution, other markets have seen turbocharged engines and different transmission options that could transform the driving experience.
Regional customisation could also extend to suspension tuning that better suits Australian road conditions and driving preferences. The current setup, optimised for global markets, may not provide the best compromise for our unique combination of urban commuting and weekend adventure requirements.
The Broader Implications
The Corolla Cross situation reflects broader challenges facing global automotive manufacturers in an increasingly fragmented market. The days when a single global product could satisfy diverse regional preferences are clearly ending, replaced by a need for sophisticated local adaptation.
Toyota’s admission represents a significant shift for a company that has historically succeeded through global standardisation and efficiency. The willingness to acknowledge regional preference differences suggests a more flexible approach to product development that could benefit Australian buyers across the entire Toyota range.
This evolution comes at a crucial time for the Australian automotive market. With manufacturing having ended, our market has become increasingly important as a testing ground for global products. Manufacturers who can successfully adapt their offerings to Australian preferences often find success in similar markets worldwide.
The small SUV segment’s continued growth makes getting the formula right increasingly important. Success in this category can drive broader brand perception and market share, while failure can have lasting consequences for manufacturer credibility and dealer relationships.
Consumer Expectations and Future Trends
Australian automotive consumers have become increasingly sophisticated in their expectations, demanding vehicles that excel across multiple dimensions rather than focusing solely on traditional priorities like reliability and fuel economy.
This evolution reflects broader cultural changes that have seen Australians become more design-conscious and experience-focused in their purchasing decisions. The success of premium brands in segments once dominated by volume manufacturers demonstrates this shift toward emotional and experiential value.
The rise of Chinese automotive brands, many of which prioritise bold design and advanced technology, has further raised consumer expectations around vehicle personality and features. These newcomers often offer dramatic styling and comprehensive equipment levels that make conservative approaches seem outdated.
Social media and digital marketing have also changed how automotive purchases are made and justified. Vehicles that photograph well and generate positive social media engagement have advantages that extend far beyond traditional automotive metrics.
The Path Forward
Toyota’s acknowledgment that the Corolla Cross needs more zest represents an important first step toward addressing the vehicle’s market position. However, translating this recognition into meaningful product changes will require careful balance between maintaining Toyota’s traditional strengths and developing new forms of appeal.
The company’s global resources and engineering expertise suggest that effective solutions are achievable. The challenge lies in implementation speed and market timing, as competitors continue to evolve their offerings and consumer expectations continue to rise.
For Australian buyers, the situation creates both challenges and opportunities. While the current Corolla Cross may not satisfy those seeking personality and engagement, Toyota’s recognition of these issues suggests that future iterations could address these concerns while maintaining the brand’s traditional strengths.
The broader automotive landscape continues to evolve rapidly, with electrification, advanced technology, and changing consumer preferences creating both challenges and opportunities for established manufacturers like Toyota. Success in this environment will require the kind of regional sensitivity and product adaptation that Carlucci’s comments suggest.
A Wake-Up Call Worth Heeding
Toyota’s frank admission about the Corolla Cross’s lack of zest represents more than just product criticism – it signals a fundamental shift in how global manufacturers must approach regional markets like Australia.
The challenge ahead involves balancing Toyota’s traditional strengths with the emotional engagement that modern consumers demand. Success will require not just product changes but fundamental shifts in design philosophy, marketing approach, and regional adaptation strategies.
For Australian buyers, this situation offers both immediate challenges and future hope. While current Corolla Cross shoppers must weigh personality against practicality, Toyota’s recognition of the issue suggests that future buyers may not face such stark compromises.
The small SUV segment will continue evolving as manufacturers respond to changing consumer preferences and competitive pressures. Toyota’s willingness to acknowledge the Corolla Cross’s limitations suggests the company is preparing to evolve alongside these changes rather than relying solely on traditional strengths.
Whether this evolution comes through regional body variations, new powertrain options, or completely redesigned future generations remains to be seen. What seems certain is that the days of purely practical, personality-free transportation are ending, even for traditionally conservative manufacturers like Toyota.
The Corolla Cross’s current struggles serve as a reminder that today’s automotive market rewards emotional engagement alongside rational benefits. For Toyota and other manufacturers, adapting to this reality while maintaining traditional strengths will determine success in increasingly competitive global markets.
Australian buyers, meanwhile, can look forward to a future where practical transportation and exciting design are no longer mutually exclusive choices – assuming manufacturers like Toyota follow through on their recognition that zest matters as much as reliability in today’s automotive landscape.
