Toyota is reportedly testing a new, smaller electric platform using a heavily modified Corolla Cross prototype. Spy shots show a vehicle resembling an updated Corolla Cross, but with several key differences suggesting it is a test mule for a new architecture.
Suspicious details include incorrect headlights, a significantly shorter wheelbase compared to the standard Corolla Cross's 103.9 inches (2,640 mm), the absence of exhaust tailpipes, and a visible frame under the floorpan. This indicates that Toyota is not developing an electric version of the current Corolla Cross, but rather using the existing bodywork to conceal a new platform in its early development stages.
This camouflaged SUV is believed to be testing Toyota's new "multi-pathway" platform, which was recently confirmed by the automaker. Unlike the current e-TNGA platform for electric vehicles and the TNGA platform for combustion and hybrid models, the new architecture aims to accommodate both EVs and hybrids on a single hardware set. This strategy could streamline Toyota's development and production processes, allowing for more flexible production volumes across different powertrains in response to shifting customer demand.
Toyota states that this new platform will not compromise any single powertrain type. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid models built on this architecture are expected to achieve 15 percent lower fuel consumption, utilizing a new 1.5L inline-3 engine. The new engines and platform are anticipated to debut next year.