Corolla goes crossover

Popular taste is a fickle thing. One minute the world loves you, the next they never knew you existed. Look at any pop star. (Granted, some of them are immortal, like Cher.)

The same could be said of the Toyota Corolla. This is a car that has sold more than 50 million units in 55 years. Whatever has happened in the world, there's always been a Corolla: affordable, sensibly styled, fuel-efficient and reliable.

Exciting? Occasionally, but not often. That's not its raison d'être. In its longevity, it's every bit the Cher of the car world.

But as the world has gone crazy for crossovers and sedan sales slump, Toyota is trying to maintain its franchise's relevance. It's debuting the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross.

That's right. A Corolla crossover.

With a base price of $22,195, the Corolla Cross fits between the C-HR and RAV4 in the Toyota lineup. The C-HR certainly has its audience, selling 42,936 copies in 2020. But the RAV4 is far more popular, selling 430,387 units in the same period.

The C-HR's Kabuki mask styling and cramped interior likely prevent it from being more popular. It's just not mainstream enough. This is what the 2022 Corolla Cross is meant to address.

Climb behind the wheel of the XLE model, and you'll find an instrument panel cribbed from its sister ship, and this isn't a bad thing. An 8-inch infotainment touch screen (7-inch on L and LE trims) anchors the center of the instrument panel, and is placed above a simple row of climate control buttons bookended by rotary knobs. This is mass market design at its finest, and feels more natural in the Corolla Cross than in the Corolla sedan.

As you'd expect, the Corolla Cross' interior is comfortable and quiet. Front seat legroom is generous, rear seat space is adequate and the cargo hold is ample. The easy-to-use infotainment screen comes with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa. USB ports are numerous, and an onboard Wi-Fi hot spot is available as part of Toyota's wireless telematics service.

When it comes time to drive, you'll find something familiar under the hood: Toyota's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, rated at 169 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. It's matched to a continuously variable transmission fitted with a conventional first gear to improve performance off the line.

Front-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive is a $1,300 premium. Towing is rated at 1,500 pounds. And it comes with the requisite driver-assistance safety systems. But there's one more thing to consider: Front-wheel-drive models get a live rear axle, and all-wheel-drive trims get an independent rear suspension, and this makes a noticeable difference.

Opt for the front driver and you'll find handling is decent, safely scrubbing off speed when you take on a too-challenging corner. Obviously, this is no sports car; it's a suburban schlepper, one that's more than up to the task.

The driveline has adequate power, although manual shifting helps maintain the power band when you need it, such as when you're driving uphill. That's when engine power is marginal. Floor the pedal, and you'll find the engine moans but there's little power. Towing on hills would make it even worse. But for those who have driven Corollas before, this won't come as a surprise. In fact, it might even endear the Corolla Cross to them; it will feel familiar.

The new Corolla Cross goes on sale this month, and officials are expecting demand to be strong. While they wouldn't commit to how many they expect to sell, it wouldn't be surprising if this version of the Corolla quickly becomes its top seller worldwide.