Toyota Indus Motor Company launches new crossover SUV in Pakistan
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Last year, Toyota Indus Motor Company (IMC) announced that it would introduce the Corolla Cross Hybrid crossover SUV in Pakistan soon. Various reports, at that time, stated that the vehicle shall make its official debut in Pakistan by the end of December 2020.
However, due to some reason, the launch never came to pass, and as per the latest update shared by the Chief Editor of Monthly Automark Magazine link Hanif Memon on his social media, IMC now has plans to launch the new Corolla Cross in Pakistan next month.
For the uninitiated, Toyota Corolla Cross is a subcompact crossover SUV that made its global debut in July 2020. The vehicle goes head-to-head with other compact crossover SUVs, such as the Honda Vezel/BR-V, Nissan Juke, and Toyota C-HR, with which it shares most of its underpinnings. ------------------------------
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Reports suggest that the Corolla Cross shall be sold n Pakistan as a Complete Builtup Unit (CBU) import from Thailand. The vehicle has a 1.8-liter 4-cylinder hybrid petrol engine that combined with the electric motor generates 168 horsepower at 3600 RPM and 305 newton-meters of torque at 3600 RPM. All of this power is sent to the front wheels only via an e-CVT automatic transmission.
The vehicle shall reportedly be offered in Pakistan in two variants. Both variants will come with a panoramic sunroof, a shark fin antenna, a rear wiper with auto sensors, push start, smart entry, multiple drive modes, ABS, Hill Start Assist, parking sensors, passenger seat sensors, and driver and passenger airbags.
The top-of-the-line variant shall feature seven airbags instead of just two, 8-inch touchscreen infotainment, leather seats, Dual-Zone Climate Control, rear AC vents, and power + kick sensor trunk door.
It bears mentioning that the Corolla Cross is set to be a pricey package, as the reports say that the vehicle – being a hybrid CBU crossover SUV – shall come with a starting price of a whopping Rs. 8.5 million. ------------------------------
The price tag makes the vehicle more expensive than all the new SUVs in the market, such as KIA Sportage, Hyundai Tucson, DFSK Glory 580, Proton X70, and the MG HS, all of which are arguably better overall value compared to the Corolla Cross. It is also a lot more expensive than its own bigger sibling, i.e., the base trim Toyota Fortuner, which is more practical, has seven seats, and costs Rs. 7.7 million.
Given the aforementioned factors, the odds seem to be stacked against the Corolla Cross.
