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Toyota Corolla Cross, Nissan X-Trail, Mazda CX-5 and the other most important 2022 models for Australia's biggest brands

Given our love of SUVs, the Toyota Corolla Cross could outsell even the perennial Corolla.

It’s been a rollercoaster ride for the car industry the last two years, with the global pandemic causing a variety of issues that have dented sales.

The ongoing semi-conductor shortage coupled with the global supply chain bottlenecks makes it hard to predict how each car brand will fare in 2022.

But what we do know is what new models are scheduled to arrive, and what each will mean for the major brands. So, we’re taking a look at the models that shape to be the most important new arrivals for the biggest selling car makers in Australia – and what impact they could have on those looking to buy a car in 2022.

Toyota Corolla Cross

After avoiding the compact SUV market for so long Toyota has not only played catch-up to its rivals, but is not finding ways to get ahead. The all-new Corolla Cross is due in the second half of the year to bolster the ranks alongside the Yaris Cross and C-HR.

As the name implies, this new SUV will be a Corolla-sized crossover, which will likely carry a price premium over the brand’s long-serving hatchback, but will also probably out-sell it regardless.

Details and pricing aren’t confirmed yet, as it won’t arrive until the second half of the year, but expect a hybrid engine option along with a conventional petrol choice.

Mazda CX-5

Yes, another SUV probably doesn’t sound exciting (that’s a whole separate story, literally), but there’s no questioning the significance of the new CX-5 to Mazda’s 2022 hopes.

The Japanese brand has been hit hard by the popularity of the Toyota RAV4 and hopes this facelifted model will help reduce the gap between the pair. The challenge for Mazda will be to lure more buyers without any major changes, with the powertrains carrying over largely unchanged.

This means there won’t be a hybrid option to compete with Toyota’s popular RAV4 version, and that could hamstring the CX-5.

Mazda will be hoping the refreshed looks, revised suspension and tweaked model range will be enough to rejuvenate its mid-size SUV when it arrives sometime in the first half of the year.

Kia Sorento Hybrid

While the arrival of the all-electric EV6 will no doubt attract plenty of attention, the limited volume and high price will make it a niche proposition for the ascending South Korean brand.

Which is why the Sorento Hybrid is our pick as Kia’s most important model of ‘22, because it will make electrification more widely available to potential buyers.

There will actually be a pair of Sorento hybrids, due in the first quarter of the year, with a conventional hybrid and a plug-in version. The former will pair a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine with an electric motor, while the latter gets a larger battery pack to allow for more EV-mode driving range.

Given the popularity and importance of the Sorento to the brand already, adding an advanced hybrid duo will be crucial to laying the foundations for Kia’s electrified future.

Ford Ranger

This is a no-brainer, given the sheer volume that the Ranger makes up of Ford Australia’s total sales. As we’ve reported in the past, the Ranger makes up approximately 70 per cent of all Fords sold in this country, so it’s not a stretch to say that if the Ranger is a flop, it could impact the very future of the brand.

Fortunately for Ford, the recently-revealed new Ranger looks highly unlikely to be a failure. The Blue Oval has given it more of what people want – a bigger V6 engine, a tougher, bolder look and more technology.

There’s every reason to believe this new Ranger will continue the success of the out-going model, as long as Ford can secure enough supply when it’s due to hit showrooms in the middle of the year.

Nissan X-Trail

It will be a big year for the Japanese brand with the arrival of a new Qashqai, Pathfinder and Z, but without question the most important of the incoming models is the all-new X-Trail. Not only is the brand’s popular mid-size SUV overdue for an update, but it will introduce Nissan’s much-hyped e-Power hybrid system to Australia.

This unique system uses an electric motor to drive the wheels and a petrol engine to charge it, in a similar way to a plug-in hybrid. However, the difference is there’s no plug-on on an e-Power model, you have to use the petrol engine so you can fill it up like a conventional car.

While Nissan will need to be clear and clever about how it pitches this new form of hybrid, in theory it means no behavioural change (no need to use a power point or have off-street parking) but offers fuel economy benefits - so it could be a big boost for the brand.