Toyota is a brand that’s known for its reliable, safe vehicles that run for years and years, but Toyota is also a brand that knows how to build vehicles that are just sheer fun. Despite all the semiconductor shortages and manufacturing troubles of the past couple of years, Toyota planned well for issues that could interrupt the flow of supply. During the scramble for parts, Toyota motored forward with manufacturing and continued onward with designing new vehicles, all while providing assistance to the medical professionals who needed help. Visit your local Toyota dealer, and you will see that the lineup has a number of exciting new vehicles for 2022. Three vehicles, in particular, caught our eye, and we reveal them here.
2022 Corolla Cross
It may seem a little anticlimactic to get excited about a vehicle inspired by the Corolla, but Toyota may be onto something with a new compact SUV. Toyota has a booming lineup of small SUVs already, but the 2022 Corolla Cross is offered at the lowest MSRP of all SUVs at just $22,195. In addition, much like its sedan sibling, the Corolla Cross has a great fuel efficiency of 32 MPG combined for front-wheel drive models. Available all-wheel drive lowers that efficiency to a combined 30 MPG, but that’s still excellent for a gas-powered SUV of any size. The engine powering this dynamic little vehicle is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder number that produces 169 hp with 151 lb-ft of torque.
Along with its fuel-conscious nature, the Corolla Cross has a fully independent suspension system. When equipped with all-wheel drive, the Corolla Cross has more responsive handling and delivers an excellent ride quality. Available features like a powered moonroof, heated seats, and dual-zone climate control are similar to the offerings of the Corolla sedan, though the 2022 Corolla Cross will come in just three trims: L, LE, and XLE. Expect all models to have features like LED lighting, Toyota Safety Sense driver-assist technology, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Of course, the world might stop turning if an SUV didn’t have available roof rails or accessories like a mounted bike rack, so those are part of the packaging as well.
2022 GR86
For 2022, the old 86 is redesigned and renamed as the 2022 GR86, a fantastic little sports car that is a joy to drive. Now that Toyota has gone over every inch of the new GR86, many of its former parts have been replaced with lighter materials. In particular, more aluminum has found its way into body panels, and now the GR86 is one of the lightest sports cars in its class. Toyota also tweaked the engine, boring out the old 2.0-liter to increase displacement by almost 20 percent, so the new flat-four 2.4-liter is faster. Seconds have been shaved from the GR86 zero to 60 times, making the manual transmission time 6.1 seconds. In case you need more impressive features to draw you into the fold, the exhaust has enlarged finishers and cabin sound augmentation, lest you forget about the new power the driver can wield.
Two trims await buyers of the 2022 GR86: Base and Premium. It comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission fitting for the fun you can have on twisty roads, but those not clutch-inclined can opt for the automatic with paddle shifters. One nifty feature just for the driver is the specialized lighting for the seven-inch instrument display, which gets highlighted with red when you put the GR86 in sport mode. While you grip the leather-wrapped, three-spoke steering wheel and appreciate the sport-tuned suspension with the limited-slip rear differential, you are likely to break into a toothy grin. Any sports car worth its salt deserves a great audio system, and Toyota provides the 200-watt system with a subwoofer perfect for cruising.
Standard features like Toyota’s Smart Key, which unlocks the GR86 when you approach, and the push-button start are modern amenities suited to the smart styling of the new design. Technology features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included to pair your smartphone with the infotainment. Go for the Premium trim, and the already shapely exterior gains a duckbill spoiler with black wheels. Inside the Premium, you discover the delight of perforated Alcantara on the seats that have dual-mode heat settings. If you ever dreamed of owning a sports car, 2022 is a good year to snag the GR86.
2022 Tacoma Trail Edition
Lovers of off-roading must be celebrating the new Trail Edition of the 2022 Tacoma. Toyota took the standard Tacoma and married it to the off-road TRD Pro to create a less expensive off-road truck. Based on the SR5 trim, the Trail Edition has added elements off-roaders require, like a locking rear differential and skid plates, plus the improved ground clearance from a lift applied to the suspension. Both the front and rear get height adjustments, with the rear gaining an extra half-inch, while the front end is raised up 1.1 inches with taller coil springs. The result: the Trail Edition has better approach, breakover, and departure angles. Off-roaders will know this language well.
With the removal of the front air dam, the Trail Edition has an approach angle of 34 degrees. The departure angle shifts to 23.6 degrees, and the breakover angle moves to 26.4 degrees. Small nudges in the design mean the 2022 Trail Edition has improved upon the trims that are not oriented to off-roading, yet it isn’t full-blown with expensive hardware like the TRD Pro. A happy medium. While this special edition is essentially an upgraded SR5, it is only available as the 4×4 Double Cab. Certain features are dedicated to the Trail Edition, so it stands out, like bronze exterior accents in badging, grille, and wheels, and the black interior has tan contrasting stitching. The choice of four exterior colors is available, and a standard tow package is included for towing up to 6,400 pounds with a Class IV receiver.
Fortunately, Toyota equips the 2022 Trail Edition with the more powerful 3.5-liter V6 engine option, which generates 278 hp with 265 lb-ft of torque to better negotiate slow crawls on trails. Toyota gives the Trail Edition a number of conveniences like lockable bed storage that can also double as a cooler, a 120-volt outlet in the bed, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Lest we forget Toyota’s outstanding safety record, the standard suite of driver-assist technology provides comfort when you leave the trail and hit the open road again.
More From Toyota
In case the vehicles showcased here aren’t quite what you’re looking for this year, Toyota has a smattering of fresh options that may be more to your liking. The Highlander fans get a new Bronze Edition, which seems to be a theme for 2022, and in concert with the bronze exterior accents in the wheels and badging, you also get fuel savings from the hybrid powertrain. Nobody does hybrids like Toyota, and speaking of hybrids, the 2022 Prius gets a new Nightshade Edition with black exterior accents to give it a sporty edge.
The TRD Sport line is now added to the 2022 4Runner lineup, making the already rough and ready SUV into a trail-dominating machine. Fans of speed may find a little delight in the new carbon fiber edition A91 CF for the 2022 Supra, which also gets a duckbill spoiler like the Premium GR86. Grab one fast because this is a limited-run production that isn’t likely to last long. Toyota has many of these new 2022 vehicles at dealerships already, so this is a good time to check inventory to discover what Toyota has in store for the new year.
