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Toyota Corolla is more of a brand by itself. And given the hype that surrounds crossovers, the Corolla Crossover gets everything spot-on.

Having sold 50 million Corollas, Toyota must be celebrating within the four walls of their corporate office - and adding different body styles with the same badge on it, is a clever idea. The Corolla deservingly, is the best-selling car in the United States, and all over the world. With the addition of the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross, the Corolla bloodline has gotten stronger, given just how popular crossovers are becoming in every part of the world.

The Corolla Cross has a few tricks up its sleeve: it's value-priced and packs features that aren't usually found in a small crossover. This is where it has what the others don't: an upper hand when it comes to dynamics matching that of a small car, along with the functionality of a big crossover.

The Corolla Cross is based on the hugely celebrated Corolla sedan, and is available at a starting MSRP of $22,445, for the front-wheel-drive base trim. What's more, you get all-wheel-drive for an additional $1,300. It's been assembled in the United States, the Corolla Cross, at the latest Mazda Toyota manufacturing plant in Alabama. The factory has the capacity to belt out 150,000 Corolla Cross crossovers every year.

The only other thing that matches a Corolla for dependability, is perhaps a spray can of WD-40. Let's not forget the Corolla has also proved to be fuel efficient and safe as well. With the Corolla Cross, versatility and added creature comforts have been thrown in for good measure.

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The Toyota Corolla Cross is available in three trims: L, LE and XLE. Whatever you pick, you're going to have a Toyota you'll love looking at. It looks well-built, not flimsy - and there are lots of lines and curved surfaces that give it its own distinct identity, and we couldn't be any happier about that. Thanks to the revised TNGA-C platform, it's got an upright stance.

The notably large grille - not overtly large - fits right in with the front fascia, and is flanked by LED lighting with black body cladding, giving it that all-important SUV look. It looks great from the back too, with some stylish design touches, an integrated rear spoiler and again, LED tail lights. Customers can opt from 17-inch steel wheels (a bit of analogue flair still lives on) for the base trim, and 18-inch alloys on the XLE trim.

The raised impressions on the front and rear fenders give it that much-needed muscle. The horizontal tail lights are a nice finishing touch for those who are going to be trailing the Japanese crossover.

Getting into the Corolla Cross is just as nice as getting into any other Toyota; there are features aplenty, also seen on its sedan and hatchback siblings. The Corolla Cross can be had with a power moonroof, single or dual-zone automatic control; the best part is, all trims get heating and air conditioning for rear seat passengers as standard.

The XLE trim gets a standard 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, allowing for a comfortable seating position. The rear seats can be folded on all the trims, while the XLE models feature a center armrest with two extra cupholders. The Corolla Cross also features a power lift-gate with height adjustability. Additional accessories include a tow hitch, all-weather floormats and a roof rack with crossbars that can be used to carry bicycles.

The Corolla Cross is powered by a Dynamic Force, 4-cylinder, 2.0-liter DOHC 16-valve with Dual Variable Valve Timing. It pushes out 169hp and 151 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT gearbox. The Corolla Cross gets fully independent suspension on the all-wheel-drive models, while the front-wheel-drive ones feature a new torsion beam system in the back.

Again, this being the American market, the Corolla Cross has a towing capacity of up to 1,500 lbs - that's enough to pull a small boat to the lakeside, for a fishing exercise. Customers that opt for AWD, get their Toyota with Dynamic Torque Control, which sends up to 50% of power to the rear wheels - but only if required. The result is great fuel economy.

Bradley from Hotcars drove it for a review a few days ago, and found that the upgrades genuinely made driving it a better experience. He was left impressed with the cabin, the sound system and the cargo storage. But when he drove across Georgia, he found the engine wasn't at its best at high revs, while the CVT, on the other hand, proved to be quite convenient to use. Even the real-world MPG figures didn't impress all that much. He does, however, agree that the Corolla is quite the icon.

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Bradley does not deny admitting that it gets the job done quite well. As far as reliability, versatility and practicality go, the Corolla Cross does a good job of covering everything perfectly. The XLE trim costs more than a RAV-4, but that's hardly going to matter to someone who wants a Corolla, and nothing else.

There's a hybrid version in the pipeline too - and we expect that to add significantly to Toyota's sales pie, purely because it'll have more power, without there being a compromise on fuel efficiency.

Rehan got published for the first time at the age of 17, having written a feature on a Triumph Herald in print. He uses his writing as a tool to express his fondness for all things automotive even today, aged 28. Collecting scale models is a hobby close to his heart, and he wishes to sprinkle pixie dust on them only to see them grow into full-sized cars. He now represents HotCars.com.