Toyota Corolla Cross Nasu: SEMA concept adds off-road ability to small SUV

The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid Nasu Edition, a concept car that gives the small SUV a bit of mountain-trekking off-road ability, will be on display at this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas next month.

Developed by Toyota’s Service Parts and Accessories Development, the Corolla Cross Nasu was built using a mix of off-the-shelf components, and specially made parts that are either 3D printed or CNC machined.

The concept is said to be inspired by the “adventurous spirit of Mount Nasu in Japan”, a place that reportedly attracts people seeking outdoor adventure, hikes, and hot springs.

The Nasu concept rides on 255/65 Toyo Open Country all-terrain tyres wrapped around black 16-inch alloy wheels with retro Toyota script on the centre caps. The nobbly tyres are complemented by wider wheel-arch extensions, and a redesigned lower body kit.

To help it get over rough terrain, the concept has a custom-made raised suspension system and rock sliders. Toyota hasn’t revealed how much extra ground clearance the Nasu has or whether there’s toughened up underbody protection.

Up top there’s a cargo tray and an articulating roof rack, which can accommodate the custom downhill mountain bike that accompanies the concept car.

For extra illumination, light bars and fog lights are fitted to the front fascia, while puddle lamps and illuminated sills help to light up a camp site. In the boot, Toyota has fitted a one-off set of drawers, and a fridge on a sliding tray.

According to Mike Tripp, Toyota USA’s head of marketing, “This concept demonstrates that possibility isn’t limited to our trucks and body-on-frame SUVs”.

Although there’s a bonnet scoop, the concept has an unaltered 2.0-litre four-cylinder hybrid drivetrain, with the showroom-spec setup making 146kW, coupled to an all-wheel drive system.

The concept is wrapped in a distinctive multifaceted purple wrap in a nod to nasu, which also means eggplant in Japanese.

MORE: Explore the Toyota Corolla Cross showroom