NEXT STAGE: New in 2021

Toyota will become the latest brand to double up in the booming subcompact crossover segment with the 2022 Corolla Cross, giving consumers a midpoint between the subcompact C-HR hatchback and the top-selling compact RAV4. The new model shares the TNGA-C platform with the Corolla sedan and borrows the powertrain from the car's sportier grades. The 169-hp inline-four engine is mated to a continuously variable transmission and is capable of towing up to 1,500 pounds. With standard front-wheel drive, the Corolla Cross is expected to be rated at 32 mpg combined. All-wheel drive is optional. The Corolla Cross will come in three trim levels — the base model L, midlevel LE and top-end XLE. All models come standard with the Toyota Safety Suite, while blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warnings are standard on the upper two trim levels. Toyota is building the Corolla Cross at a new joint-venture factory it operates with Mazda in Huntsville, Ala. While the vehicle is expected to begin heading to dealer lots this fall, that could slip into early next year, depending on production issues.