Mazda Toyota Manufacturing has unveiled the first vehicle in its production lineup — the all-new Toyota Corolla Cross — on the heels of Toyota’s announcement that it was launching the compact crossover vehicle in the U.S. market.
“Our loyal customers love the quality, durability and reliability that has helped make the Corolla the best-selling nameplate in history,” said Lisa Materazzo, group vice president of Toyota Marketing. “With the all-new Corolla Cross, we are building upon that foundation and offering more versatility and fun to adapt to their evolving lifestyles.”
Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, a joint venture partnership between Mazda Motor Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp., has been gearing up to start production and is currently in a hiring boom. The production of the Corolla Cross, along with an as-yet-to-be-announced Mazda vehicle, will begin later this year.
“We are excited to manufacture the all-new Corolla Cross, and I’m proud of our team members’ tremendous work in preparation for the start of production,” said Mark Brazeal, vice president of administration of MTM.
The Huntsville-based MTM will hire more than 2,000 additional employees to join its existing workforce, eventually reaching up to 4,000 once production is in full operation next year. The plant has the capacity to produce 300,000 vehicles a year, evenly split between Toyota and Mazda.
“North Alabama welcomed us with open arms and I hope the community is just as excited as we are about our first vehicle, the Corolla Cross,” said Janette Hostettler, vice president of production. “This will truly be a product of Alabama, assembled right here and sold all over the country.”
MTM’s investment increased to more than $2.3 billion when the parent companies committed an additional $830 million to the plant last summer. The additional investment went toward more cutting-edge technologies in its manufacturing processes.
The Corolla Cross will be available in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive and sport a 2.0-liter Dynamic Force engine with a maximum 169 horsepower. The Corolla Cross will be available in three grades — the L, LE and XLE — with wheel options ranging from 17-inch steel to 18-inch alloy. Key design elements include a distinctive black grille flanked by LED lighting with black body accents and a higher line-of-sight thanks to the high-strength TNGA-C platform.
Inside, it can be outfitted with a power moonroof, single- or dual-zone automatic climate control and standard heating and air conditioning vents for rear-seat passengers. The Corolla Cross will provide storage space with a 60/40-split folding rear seats that come standard with all grades, as well as available power liftgate with height adjustability. And all grades are capable of towing up to 1,500 lbs.
The Corolla Cross also comes with multi-information display and a multimedia touchscreen, as well as in-car entertainment and connected functionalities, including wireless charging or USB media port charging.
Individuals interested in applying for an open position with MTM can visit MazdaToyota.com.
