This Toyota sport-ute wears Corolla name with pride

Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen here and in the Cruisin’ News, "Oregon, Nevada and California's classic auto news & marketplace."

Sacramento, California -- OK, if you're going to put "Corolla" -- a name that equates to millions of motor vehicle sales over a long period of time -- on the vehicle, you better be doing something right.

Fortunately, Toyota does a lot of things right with this compact sport-ute.  My recent week in the 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross HV Nightshade radiated quality inside and out ... all for a very reasonable price of $34,498.

Toyota really jumped in with both feet on this Nightshade concept, a motif dripping with black.  Black components include badging, roof racks, mirrors, alloy wheels ... You get the idea.  Even the Toyota promotion photos emphasize the theme, with the Corolla Cross emerging from a creepy-looking fog in the night.

SUV as a secret agent?  Yeah, I'm on board.

Beyond the Nightshade optics, there are plentiful perks in the SUV.  Fit and finish are excellent. Interior roominess is surprisingly good in this segment. Standard features are state of the art and generous. Loved the color: "Barcelona Red Metallic."

Toyota touts the Corolla Cross as having the functionality of a larger crossover, and I have to agree.  I put it through a series of suburban loading/transport chores and found the vehicle capable of matching all that I could throw at it.

Looking for good numbers at the gas pump?  The tester weighed in at 45 miles per gallon in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.  Given everything, including hybrid technology, I thought the sticker price was a bargain.  Auto-reviewing colleagues of mine have said the same.

Oh, almost forgot: it drives like a dream.

The 2-liter, four-cylinder hybrid engine is quiet, efficient and fairly peppy when my right foot asked for more. The power package feels a touch stronger than the advertised 150 horses.

Overall, this Corolla Cross in a black dress is a must-test-drive among those looking for a versatile SUV not costing $50,000 and up.