Is The Toyota Corolla Cross A Reliable Car? This Is What Owners Have To Say

With the cost of living continuing to be a pressing issue for many people, buying a reliable car has rarely been as crucial as it is lately. Fortunately for Toyota, its strong reliability record has meant that its cars are often a top choice for buyers who are looking for a trouble-free driving experience. Take the Toyota RAV4. It's a regular in reliable car rankings and has, as a result, been a longstanding favorite among SUV shoppers, even to the extent that it toppled the ever-popular Ford F-150 to claim the title of the best-selling vehicle in the US in 2024.

The Toyota Corolla Cross, though, is a whole different kettle of fish. It's a relatively newer model which still has a lot left to prove in terms of dependability, having fairly recently debuted for the 2022 model year. The fact that its reliability scores are mixed also doesn't exactly help. J.D. Power gave the Corolla sedan-based compact crossover SUV reliability scores of 82 out of a possible 100 in 2022, 77 in 2023, and 79 for the 2025 model year, with ratings between 70 and 80 considered average, while those that fall within the 81 to 90 point range are seen as great.

But as some may be aware, individual experiences can differ from J.D. Power reliability ratings. So, after scoring about average for reliability from J.D. Power, how did things turn out with buyers? According to feedback on discussion sites, the Corolla Cross' reliability is rated positively by many owners overall, with a number of people admitting their experience has been flawless. But there have been some build quality concerns — plus, numerous little nitpicks have also been made.

SlashGear's online research found drivers have many positive views about the Toyota Corolla Cross's reliability. Commenting on Reddit, user @Science92 said: "I've had the L AWD for a year, 13K miles on it. No reliability issues." Another Redditor who owns a 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross AWD LE trim claims the small SUV has been solid. "It has met the challenge of the weather well and I'm not very nice to my car...poor thing. Drive her on some real bad roads too," their comment reads.

However, as with any car, there have been grievances with the Corolla Cross, with interior rattling noises and water building up inside the car doors among the most common complaints. Commenting about their experience on a separate Reddit thread, user @plupeton reports: "a few months ago a rattle started appearing from inside the dashboard when driving between 35-45kmph and at low rpms (trying to maintain the speed when ice is on). I took everything that theres to take out plastic wise, and I'm still not able to determine where the sound is coming from."

"After one year of ownership (2023 CCH), and the only issues are annoying rattles in cabin," noted another Redditor @Richardgm. Additionally, there have been complaints about the Corolla Cross' door panels retaining water for days after it rains or having gone through a car wash. Reddit user @ZookeepergameSoft897 fumed at the "Water issues on doors" of their 2024 Corolla Cross hybrid, saying they wouldn't recommend the small SUV because of it. Others have pointed through comments on the Toyota Corolla Cross forum that the issue is likely caused by clogged drain holes that prevent water from exiting the car doors at the bottom.

A few dissatisfied Corolla Cross buyers have expressed their regret over their purchase, with some wishing they had bought the Toyota RAV4 instead. "I've only driven it a few times and so far I regret buying it," said Reddit user @froglegs74. Another owner revealed: "I think if I could go back, I would've gotten a RAV4..." ActualCommand, meanwhile, were left regretting their decision, partly because the Corolla Cross is "SLOW getting up to speed." They further noted, "If there was a RAV4 and Corolla Cross on the lot I'd probably go with the RAV4. When I got my Cross the RAV4 was on a 8+ month wait."

The gas Corolla Cross' sluggish acceleration is a common pain point among owners, and it's easy to see why. In a Car and Driver test, a Toyota Corolla Cross XLE AWD with the 169-hp inline-four engine needed 9.2 seconds to get from 0-60 mph, making it one of the slowest cars available to US buyers. However, stepping up to the highly efficient, 196-hp Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid model gets you a quicker model that can do 0-60 mph in 7.3 ticks, per a separate Car and Driver test.

0-60 time aside, owners have complaints about the interior looking a little low rent and not being quite as modern as what you'll find in newer rivals. Many others have also encountered issues with the auto start-stop feature where, when used together with the wipers at the stoplight, it can cause the engine to stall, triggering dashboard warning lights. Posting on CarComplaints, one owner stated: "Car would not restart after auto stop/start engaged and wipers on. I had to put car in park, turn off the engine then restart. Third time this has happened."