In an age where power and prowess are all the rage, it can be tough to find love for the affordable and practical 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross.

This subcompact SUV is light on frills but powerful on value and efficiency. One of its standout features is mileage: 31 city / 33 highway.

And if you can still find one on dealer lots, you just might (maybe) get into the base L trim for around $25K US.  It’s perfect for tight spaces, which many LGBTQIAA++ spaces tend to be.

That said, finding love for the Corolla Cross is a challenge.

For starters, it does get a little cramped inside.  As you know, I am Bear-size (read: not a petite).  I was okay inside this car, thanks in part to my use of an injection pen which uses the song Magic by Pilot for its commercials.  Yes, I have lost some weight, so I can get into cars more easily than I could back when I was going to Bear parties all over the U.S.

Space-wise, there is 46 cubic feet of space when you fold down the backseats, and just 20 cubic feet when you leave them up.  Thusly, arrange your Costco bags of toilet paper and paper towels carefully.

Also, keep in mind that this year’s Corolla Cross is meant to be practical (read: no frills).  I mean, there are a few frills:roof rails, 17-inch alloy wheels, and even rear seat cupholders.

There is also the standard Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 package, which contains Blind Spot Monitoring, Lane Departure alerting, Adaptive Cruise Control and Automatic Emergency Braking.

Another standout (for me) is the infotainment system. Toyotas still have buttons and knobs that are easy to access, just like the knobs on the center console of your old Ford Pinto or Chevy Vega.  No need to ask for help from Siri, Shazam or whoever is the voice of your Artificial Intelligence.

Sadly, there is no CD player, but syncing your phone is easy.  Once synced, it can be the 1980s again, because Girls Just Wanna Have Fun while they are Walking on Sunshine going down Electric Avenue.

Some automotive professionals on the World Wide Web say the steering, braking and responsiveness are, shall we say, lacking. Okay, fair point if you are comparing the Corolla Cross to a Ferrari.  But remember, this is a simple get-around-town car.  Performance is just fine, nothing spectacular.

Indeed, the 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross is not the fastest girl in homeroom.  She isn’t flashy, and she’s easy to pass over, which is why many car reviewers (who get paid much more than I do) consider this car to be dull and boring.

However, keep in mind that (often) dull and boring is a better way to go when you want something (or someone) to do important work for you, like keeping you and those around you safe.

Hillary Clinton was considered a dullard to many.  Kamala Harris was considered too smart for her own good.  Yet both were excellent at their work.

So, the moral of the story here is this: maybe you don’t need flash and empty promises concerning the price of eggs, but rather dependability, reliability and constant good performance, even when you are the type who’s drawn to the shiny sharp object at the deep end of the pool.

Just sayin’.