2026 Toyota Corolla Cross Gets A Beefier, Angrier Design

The Corolla Cross may be a lifted version of the Default Car, but Toyota’s done its best to give the little crossover a character all its own — or, at least, a character that makes it worth picking out from the crowd of close compact-crossover competitors. For 2026, Toyota is taking that character a step further by giving the Cross a grumpier, harder-edged face. Both the ICE and hybrid versions will look a little sleeker and a little meaner next year, and they’re made all the better for it. 

The ICE-only Corolla Crosses (Corollas Cross?) get a front end that’s reminiscent of the prior-generation Highlander, with a big mustache of a grille over the lower opening. The hybrid cars get a color-matched top grille that blends in with the bumper, rather than having a piece stuck on top like the outgoing car. Overall, both new front ends are a nice change from the prior car.

Inside, both versions of the Corolla Cross transmute some of their center screen’s bezel into usable screen area — on the top trims, at least. The XLE and XSE trims get a 10.5-inch screen, but everything else is stuck with the same old 8 inches unless they grab the Multimedia Upgrade option pack for the SE and LE trims. The exterior of the screen looks to be about the same size as on the lower trims, just with less black plastic around the actual display. 

The Corolla Cross’s facelift isn’t a particularly severe change, but a refinement that’s nice to see. Some new creases, a bit of smoothing over, and the crossover ends up looking sharper than it ever did before — sharper than much of Toyota’s pricier crossover lineup, even. It’s a good look for a good little car.