- You want a mid-size family crossover. But do you go traditional or with a Chinese import?
- Toyota’s Corolla Cross is a dominant model in the mid-size crossover market. And it’s locally made.
- But is the imported Chery Tiggo 4 Cross better value than the Toyota?
The crossover market is so competitive, giving buyers lots of choice. But too many models and trim levels can be confusing, too.
In the mid-size and sub-mid-size crossover market, two models draw the most buyers. One is from South Africa’s most established car brand. The other is from South Africa’s most ascending Chinese brand.
Toyota’s Corolla Cross is built in KZN, which gives it localisation benefits. That means a good distribution of parts and service support. And the real networking benefit of buying a vehicle with the broadest dealer distribution across South Africa, which means wherever you are, you can get official Toyota aftersales and support.
Chery’s Tiggo 4 Cross is perhaps the Corolla Cross’s most competent rival. Chery has invested heavily in growing its South African market share, with a flood of sub-brands and models. And even becoming the first Chinese car company to buy a South African automotive production asset.
But how do you choose between the proven reputation of Toyota’s Corolla Cross, or the impressive tech and generous standard spec of the Tiggo 4 Cross? We unpack the features and specs that really matter when choosing between the Corolla Cross and the Tiggo 4 Cross at the crucial price point of R450 000.
Tiggo 4 Cross Elite
Unlike crossovers from some of Chery’s sub-brands, the Tiggo 4 Cross doesn’t have over-the-top styling and design.
Chery’s popular Tiggo 4 Cross has a neat two-box compact SUV design, with uncomplicated panel surfaces and clean details. And that matters, because it won’t age prematurely, and with those reasonably simple body panels and stampings, it’s not that complicated or costly to repair, if it is involved in a collision.
Powertrain is a big win for the Chery, compared to the Corolla Cross. Most South African vehicle owners are still inland, on the Highveld, and that means high-altitude driving, which degrades the power and performance of naturally aspirated petrol engines.
The Tiggo 4 Cross Elite is powered by a 1.5-litre turbopetrol engine, rated at 108kW, with no power loss at altitude. It delivers much better overtaking performance at highway speeds than a Corolla Cross.
Buy a new or used Tiggo 4 Cross on ChangeCars
Gearbox and safety thoughts
Issues? The 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox and overly sensitive throttle calibration make the Tiggo 4 Cross a bit too jerky at very low speeds. Like when you are in stop-start traffic, or pulling out of junctions. And that dual-clutch transmission is always vulnerable to increased clutch wear if you're driving in heavy daily traffic.
The Tiggo 4 Cross offers a decent 380 litres of packing space, and the rear seats fold completely flat if you need a larger load area. But you don’t get a full-size spare wheel.
Standard safety spec on the Tiggo 4 Cross is way superior to the Corolla Cross Xs. The Chery has adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, and rear cross-traffic alert. All active safety technologies that make a big difference in South Africa’s chaotic daily traffic, which is a high-risk driving environment. There’s also more airbags in the Chery.
A very impressive aspect of the Chery value offering is the Tiggo 4 Cross’s ten-year/1 000 000km engine warranty.
Corolla Cross 1.8 Xs
Typical Toyota build quality, but Corolla Cross’s popularity makes it a theft risk. The 1.8 Xs is a mid-grade version which sells new for just a touch more than R450 000.
Cabin infotainment screens can’t match the Chinese for graphics quality or functionality. The Tiggo 4 Cross has much better smartphone pairing and integration, although some users might find its UX design a bit overwhelming, especially if you are a technophobe.
The dynamic safety spec on the Corolla Cross 1.8 Xs is lower than the Chery's, too. It doesn’t have adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, or rear cross-traffic alert. And crucially, the Corolla Cross 1.8 Xs doesn’t have curtain airbags, unlike the Tiggo 4 Cross.
When it comes to versatility, the Corolla Cross has more luggage space than the Tiggo 4 Cross, but the second-row seating doesn’t fold flat, which is annoying.
Buy a new or used Corolla Cross on ChangeCars
No spare wheel – or turbo
Unfortunately, like the Tiggo 4 Cross, Toyota’s product planners have also chosen not to give the Corolla Cross a full-size spare wheel, which is a crucial safety issue if you drive long distances with a fully laden vehicle. Especially on dirt roads. Why? Because a spare wheel isn’t going to cope with a fully loaded vehicle, in the Karoo, on a corrugated dirt road, during a family road trip, if you get a flat and have to drive a long distance on a space saver.
Mechanically, the Corolla Cross 1.8 Xs is powered by a very reliable 1.8-litre naturally aspirated engine, which makes nearly the same power as the 4 Cross’s 1.5 turbo. But the Toyota loses more than 10% of its power at altitude if you are driving in Gauteng.
An advantage of the Toyota 1.8 versus the Chery 1.5 turbo, is durability and consistent fuel consumption.
The Corolla Cross’s 1.8 engine doesn’t have a turbo, so it has much more predictable fuel consumption, unlike the comparatively thirsty Chery 1.5 turbo. And without a turbo, it’s simpler to maintain in the long term. That goes for the Corolla Cross’s CVT transmission, too, which, although it isn't as reliable as a traditional torque-converter automatic, is less susceptible to component wear than a dual-clutch transmission, if driven daily in heavy traffic.
Insights by Lance Branquinho
