YearToAvoid

2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 4 Corolla Cross years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross ranks worst of 4 model years, with 174 complaints and a complaint index of 100. Engine (60%) and electrical system (48%) issues dominate, including sudden engine shutoffs, plus 4 recalls covering airbags and instrument panels.

Complaints
174
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
6 / 0
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
32
31 city / 33 hwy

Top 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine104 (60%)
  2. Electrical System83 (48%)
  3. Steering44 (25%)
  4. Visibility & Wipers26 (15%)
  5. Other24 (14%)
  6. Brakes13 (7%)
  7. Collision Avoidance & Cameras11 (6%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain11 (6%)
  9. Airbags10 (6%)
  10. Fuel System7 (4%)

What owners report

  • Engine stalls or shuts off suddenly while driving, sometimes accompanied by a 'Steering Power Low' warning.
  • Vehicle loses power and steering assist at stoplights or during slow-speed turns, especially in rainy weather with wipers running.
  • Dashboard screens go black along with multiple warning lights (oil pressure, engine, lane departure, tire pressure, airbag) during a reported system failure.
  • Airbags fail to deploy in crashes reported as severe enough to total the vehicle.
  • Auto-stop/start feature appears linked to unexpected engine shutdowns at traffic lights.
2023 Toyota Corolla Cross complaints: complaints filed per month50Jan 2023Jun 2023Nov 2023Apr 2024Nov 2024Jun 2025Jan 2026Jul 2026
342 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2023 to Aug 2026; peak Mar 2023 (50).

2023 Toyota Corolla Cross recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 25V040000Jan 29, 2025Airbags1,716 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver clockspring/spiral cassette

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, Lexus RX350, 2023-2024 NX250, and NX350 vehicles that may have been incorrectly repaired under previous NHTSA recall number 23V-480. An electrical connection inside the steering column's spiral cable assembly may be insufficiently welded, causing the connection to separate and deactivate the driver's air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk: A deactivated driver's air bag will not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2025. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 25TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 25LA02.

  2. NHTSA 23V864000Dec 20, 2023Electrical System12,575 vehicles

    Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Corolla Cross vehicles that were previously inspected at a dealership under recall 23V-384. The instrument panel may have been produced without the required perforation, which could result in the front-passenger air bag not deploying properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk: An air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the instrument panel as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 26, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TA16. Vehicles previously inspected under 23V-384 will need to return to the dealership for additional inspection.

  3. NHTSA 23V480000Jul 12, 2023Airbags152,927 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver clockspring/spiral cassette

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, Tacoma, 2023 Lexus RX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX500 Hybrid, 2023-2024 Lexus NX250, NX350, and NX350 Hybrid vehicles. An electrical connection inside the steering column's spiral cable assembly may be insufficiently welded, causing the connection to separate and deactivate the driver's air bag. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk: A deactivated driver's air bag that does not deploy as intended increases the risk of injury during a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the spiral cable assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TA08. Lexus' number for this recall is 23LA02.

See all 4 recalls for the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross →

2023 Toyota Corolla Cross fuel economy and fuel cost

City
31 MPG
Highway
33 MPG
Combined
32 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,050
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2023 compared with other Corolla Cross years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)02550751002022202320242025
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2022Good3346231
2023Avoid100174432
2024Caution6744032
2025Best019032

All Toyota Corolla Cross years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross reliable?
Among the 4 model years with data, 2023 ranks worst, with 174 complaints and a complaint index of 100, the highest of any Corolla Cross year.
What are the most common problems with the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross?
NHTSA complaints show Engine issues lead at 60% of complaints, followed by Electrical System at 48% and Steering at 25%. The engine problem area has a median failure mileage of 1,250 miles.
Does the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross have any recalls?
Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2023 Corolla Cross, covering airbag spiral cable assemblies and instrument panel perforation defects. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2023 Corolla Cross compare to other years?
The 2023 model has a complaint index of 100 and is rated Avoid, while 2022 (index 33, Good), 2024 (index 67, Caution), and 2025 (index 0, Best) all rank better.
What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross?
EPA rates it at 32 mpg combined (31 city / 33 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,050.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.