Toyota reveals new Corolla cross SUV to be built in Durban

In 2020, Toyota announced its plans to invest around R2.43-billion in building a new passenger vehicle, the Toyota Corolla Cross, in South Africa in the fourth quarter of 2021.

The vehicle will be built at the Prospecton Plant in Durban and may work in the favour of unemployment in the community as more than 500 jobs will be available at Toyota and a further 1000 jobs will be added to local manufacturing.

Toyota aims to build on the toughness of the Toyota Hilux legacy with the Corolla Cross. The vehicle will be exported to 43 countries in Africa and is expected to push Toyota’s export numbers to 15-20% per annum.

“The Corolla Cross is based on the acclaimed new Corolla TNGA platform and will be built on our passenger car production line alongside the Corolla Quest,” said Toyota SA Motors (TSAM) President and CEO, Andrew Kirby.

After launching the new generation Hilux in 2016, Toyota realised that they needed to upskill their team and allowed them to excel by sending them on extended assignments in Japan, Thailand and Europe.

“This is a significant milestone for Toyota South Africa. It’s not often that we get to produce a brand-new body shape in our factory; plus it is the very first time that we will be manufacturing a Hybrid model which I believe will fast become a very popular choice. And it’s the first time for us to manufacture using the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) – which allows us to keep up with global technology and trends,” adds Nigel Ward.

The Corolla Cross has been strategically positioned to expand the local SUV line-up of Fortuner and C-HR and it boasts a higher ground clearance and other attributes normally associated with an SUV.

According to Kirby: “This is an ideal vehicle for our market. It provides an exceptional balance between drivability, roominess, comfort and high-tech features – truly a game-changing SUV. It combines everything you love about Corolla with the utilitarian and rugged aesthetics of a segment-leading SUV.”

The vehicle will be built for South Africa as well as the rest of the African continent, in both right-hand drive and left-hand drive formats.

Picture: Motorpress