The Most Affordable Corolla Cross Has An Age-Old Feature

Toyota just developed the Corolla Cross, a taller, more practical variant of the Corolla.

It’s a basic, unobtrusive, and cost-effective crossover geared towards young families. As a result, the list of standard safety features on the base model, which includes an old-school twist key, impressed us much.

Corolla Cross
Toyota

Adaptive cruise control, a pre-collision system with pedestrian/cyclist recognition, lane trace assist, lane departure alert, and road sign assist are all standard on all models in the range.

A touchscreen interface with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa is included on all models. For a crossover that costs roughly $23,500, that’s not bad, but why include all of that and give us an old-school key?

Corolla Cross
Toyota

 

Surprisingly, the base model does not include a push-button start. We assumed this technology had progressed to the point where it was as inexpensive as plain ABS, which is why most manufacturers include it as a standard feature.

The standard model, on the other hand, opens and closes the doors with an old-fashioned key with buttons. And consider this: you must insert the key into the ignition and turn it to start the car. Isn’t that old school? In all seriousness, physical keys draw notice when they cross your path because push-button start buttons have become so widespread.

We believed it was due to cost, but after the recent launch, The Drive conducted a more detailed examination.

Other cost-cutting methods can be seen if you look closely at the Corolla Cross. Basic halogen headlights, a basic black grille, no engine cover, and 17-inch steelies with silver covers come standard on the base model.

Corolla Cross
Toyota

In a nutshell, it’s a financial issue. Given the vehicle, it makes sense. When space and safety are your primary concerns, the physical exertion of turning a key isn’t a big deal.

Data aggregation has resulted in the way cars are specified. If an item isn’t standard, it’s likely that purchasers won’t utilize it very often. That’s why a 4×4 system is available as an option on many large SUVs, such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee. There’s no need for 4WD if you’re merely going to take the kids to school.

Corolla Cross
Toyota

The cost of replacing a key linked to a push-button start is also discussed in the post.

Edmunds stated in 2014 that the cost of replacing such a key ranged from $75 to $125. It’s easy to see why the base Corolla Cross has a simple twist key. Replacing one unit may not seem like a big deal, but multiply that cost by thousands, and it’s easy to see why.

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