Best SUV in Pakistan? A comparison of Toyota Corolla Cross with Hyundai Tucson AWD

The long-awaited Corolla Cross is finally here and as per Toyota Indus Motor (IMC), vehicle deliveries will begin from the 1st of July. The bookings of the vehicle, however, started on April 10, 2021. Made by Japanese automaker Toyota, Corolla Cross is a subcompact crossover SUV that made its global debut in July 2020.

In Pakistan, it will be imported as complete built-up (CBUs) units by Indus Motor and is set to compete in the market with other compact crossover SUVs like the Honda Vezel/BR-V, the Nissan Juke, the Toyota C-HR, the KIA Sportage, and the Hyundai Tucson.

In a bid to find out the best SUVs in the Pakistan market, we offered a comparison between KIA Sportage AWD and the Toyota Corolla Cross Premium variant in the previous article. The battle was easily won by KIA Sportage thanks to its premium looks, comfort, engine performance, and affordable prices.

Today, we are here with a comparison of the newly launched Corolla Cross Premium High Grade and Hyundai Tucson AWD. Both are the latest variants of the two SUVs. Though Corolla Cross is a Completely Built-Up (CBU) unit, and Tucson AWD is a Completely Knocked-Down (CKD) unit. Still, they are each other’s potential rivals. Let the battle begin!

Engine & Transmission: The Toyota Corolla Cross has a 4th generation, 1.8-liter hybrid engine. Combined with an electric motor, it produces 168 hp at 3600 RPM and 305 Nm of torque at 3600 RPM. It is a front-wheel-drive (FWD) and all the power is sent to only the front wheels via an e-CVT automatic transmission.

Meanwhile, the Hyundai Tucson AWD is powered by a 2.0-liter MPI petrol engine that produces 155 horsepower and 196 Nm of torque. The 1.8L hybrid engine of Corolla Cross beats Tucson’s 2.0L petrol engine as it delivers more power and fuel economy.

Similarly, Corolla Cross combines the power of its engine with Electro Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT). Hyundai Tucson has a 6-Speed Automatic Transmission. Thus, Corolla Cross Premium’s robust powertrain is better than that of Hyundai Tucson AWD.

Drivetrain: Toyota Corolla Cross is a Front Wheel Drive (FWD) with four drive modes (Power, Normal, Eco, and EV), while Hyundai Tucson is an All-Wheel Drive (AWD). Though AWDs are preferred around the world for safety, Corolla Cross has an advantage due to its EV mode that comes in handy in case your car is out of fuel.

Exterior: Both SUVs come with projection LED headlamps. The Premium version of Cross features LED fog lamps whereas the Tucson AWD variant supports halogen ones. Tucson has an ‘edge’ with cornering lights over Corolla Cross.

While the Corolla Cross Premium has a standard sunroof, the Tucson AWD has a panoramic one. Tucson also has an advantage because of advanced tires and 18-inch alloy wheels in contrast to Corolla Cross Premium’s 17-inch alloy wheels. Both cars come with an alloy spare wheel.

Interior: Both vehicles are head to head with cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, rain sensors, and a dual-zone auto air conditioning system.

Although Tucson AWD’s 10-inch floating touchscreen is better than Cross Premium’s 8-inch standard touchscreen. But, Corolla Cross Premium has a slight advantage because of its 7-inch LCD for Multi-Information Display (MID) over Tucson AWD’s 4.2-inch MID.

Corolla Cross Premium does offer a rearview camera, but it is a standard one and nothing in comparison to Hyundai Tucson’s rearview with dynamic guidelines. Basically, it’s a navigation system that prevents accidents while parking the car. Hyundai Tucson AWD also has an additional feature of wireless device charging.

Corolla Cross Premium’s driver seat is 6-way electric adjustable, while Tucson AWD’s driver seat offers 8-way electric adjustment. While Cross Premium has a pedal-type parking brake, the Tucson AWD has an electric parking brake. Hence, Hyundai Tucson makes driving more fun.

Safety: Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) plus Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), and Hill Start Assist (HSA) is present in both SUVs. However, Hyundai Tucson has auto-hold brakes, while Corolla Cross Premium lacks them. On the other hand, The Corolla Cross Premium comes with much-needed seven airbags for maximum safety, while the Tucson AWD has only two. Toyota’s SUV will be safer than Hyundai’s, in case of emergency.

Price: Price becomes the verdict of the comparison battle when there is not much difference in aesthetics and mechanics. The price difference between the two cars is pretty huge as the Premium High-Grade variant of Corolla Cross costs Rs.8,399,000, whereas the price tag of Hyundai’s Tucson AWD is just Rs.5,599,000, making the Corolla Cross Premium Rs.2.8 million more expensive than Tucson AWD.