Mazda Toyota Manufacturing and its 2,000 team members have started production of the all-new 2022 Corolla Cross. MTM, the joint partnership between Mazda Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp., will be the sole producer of the Corolla Cross and another as-yet-to-be-announced Mazda vehicle.
“This is the moment MTM and our North Alabama community have waited for since we broke ground in November 2018,” said Mark Brazeal, vice president of administration.
MTM is expected to assemble up to 300,000 vehicles a year at the Huntsville plant. MTM’s investment increased to $2.3 billion when the parent companies announced an additional $830 million commitment in the summer of 2020 aimed at bringing cutting-edge technologies into the manufacturing process.
Currently, the plant has a more than 2,000 team members, and it is actively seeking to hire more than 1,700 additional employees when it reaches full operation next year.
“Our team members exhibit a true commitment to safety and quality, and it is a big day for them to watch the Corolla Cross drive off our line ready to be shipped,” said Janette Hostettler, vice president of production.
Toyota has produced the Corolla for more than 50 years. It is the manufacturer’s all-time, best-selling vehicle in the world, recently hitting the 50-millionth Corolla sold. The 2022 Corolla Cross will join that family of vehicles in October when it hits the dealerships.
“With the all-new Corolla Cross, we are building upon that foundation and offering even more versatility and creature comforts to make everything from a daily commute to a weekend escape more memorable,” said Lisa Materazzo, group vice president of Toyota Marketing.
The Corolla Cross will start at MSRP of $22,195 for the front-wheel drive base grade and will go up by $1,300 for the all-wheel drive version. The compact SUV sports a 169-horsepower 2.0-liter Dynamic Force engine. The vehicle will be offered in three grades — L, LE and XLE — and will have seven exterior color finishes available. Wheel options range from 17-inch steel on L to 18-inch alloy on XLE.
The interior includes a power moonroof, single- or dual-zone automatic climate control, 60/40-split folding rear seats and a roomy cargo area. It also a multimedia touchscreen and a vast array of in-car entertainment and connected functionalities. Available accessories include a roof rack with crossbars, activity mount for carrying items like bikes, a tow hitch and all-weather floormats. The Corolla Cross is capable of towing up to 1,500 pounds.
