After a couple of minutes, though, she was frowning. “I can’t see over the hood,” she complained. Perturbed, she stopped the Toyota, got out and took off her winter coat, which she then folded up and put on her seat. Better, albeit a temporary measure, and we ended up meandering through side streets back to our home, where she removed her seat cushion from the Impreza and put it in the Corolla Cross.
Still, as this was her first experience with all these enhanced features, she found them overwhelming at first, and wanted to continue with shoulder checks and slowly backing into spots. “It’s counter-intuitive to be looking forward at the camera screen while backing up,” she complained. “But I love the parking sensors.
Being the first crossover driven in what will be multiple tests of various subcompact models over the next several months, gaining a sense of which vehicle will best serve her needs will take time.A few notes on the Corolla Cross, however. On the plus side, Di liked the cabin layout, particularly the simple and logical placement of the various dash controls. She liked the way it drove and loved that the XLE model came with a heated steering wheel.
Things that concerned her. First and foremost, “When I stand beside it, it feels big and boxy compared to my Subaru.” Another matter is the size of the rear hatch window. “The big thing is that the rear window appears small. It’s easier to do shoulder checks in my Subaru, but the Corolla Cross’s backup camera makes up for that.”
Diana’s final thoughts as to whether the Corolla Cross stays on the shopping list: “There’s enough I like about it. I had really hoped that I wouldn’t have to use a cushion. But with the cushion and all the sensors, it’s definitely a contender.”