Toyota’s newest vehicle in the lineup is the Corolla Cross, and it’s a compact SUV that will take on many competitors in the American auto market. That being said, just like almost every Toyota being sold in America, the Corolla Cross will also be built in America. Here’s a look at exactly where the automaker is building the Corolla Cross.

A brief introduction to the Toyota’s new vehicle

While the Toyota Corolla Cross was named after the best-selling compact sedan, this SUV is much bigger than a sedan. As a compact crossover, the Corolla Cross is competing against the Honda CR-V and the Kia Seltos. However, while Toyota is using the Corolla name to help make its new model popular, the two have some similarities.

For example, their interior designs are very similar. When it comes to their powertrains, the Toyota Corolla Cross has an engine roughly the same as one found in the Corolla. Another area where the two cars are the same is that they’re both built in America. For instance, the main plant that assembles the Corolla is located in Mississippi. 

Where is the Corolla Cross being built?

According to Toyota, the plant assembling the Corolla Cross is located in Alabama. This plant is located in Huntsville, the same city that hosts Toyota’s other manufacturing plant in Alabama. That being said, interestingly, the plant that’s assembling the Corolla Cross is co-owned by Mazda.

Toyota and Mazda team up on occasion, and that’s what the two Japanese auto giants have done here. Both companies have a 50% share of the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA plant in Alabama, and the two automakers will produce their vehicles there. This plant represents a multi-billion dollar investment from the two Japanese automakers, and it employs many people.

Currently, about 2,000 workers are working at that factory to make the Toyota Corolla Cross. However, a section of the factory is being reserved for Mazda’s upcoming CX-50 SUV. When Mazda starts production on that, the factory should have a workforce of about 4,000 employees. If all goes well, they should assemble about 300,000 cars per year in total. 

An overview of the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross

Overall, the Toyota Corolla Cross is a pretty solid SUV for its price tag, according to Car and Driver. It starts at about $23,500, and there are three total trims available, including its base trim. The top trim is the XLE, and it starts at about $27,500. Still, the Corolla Cross comes with the same engine and quite a few features, no matter the trim.

The Corolla Cross has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 169 horsepower. While not very fast or powerful, this provides fuel economy ratings of 31 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on highways, which is pretty good. For the 2023 model year, Toyota will also offer a hybrid option that makes it even more practical.

Its interior design is nearly identical to the Corolla, but of course, there’s significantly more cargo space. The Toyota Corolla Cross also comes with a 7-inch touch screen display and an extensive suite of smart safety features. Overall, the Corolla Cross is a good SUV that only costs a few thousand dollars more than the Corolla. Folks who like the Toyota sedans but want a bit more space may want to consider the Corolla Cross.