First making its debut in the ASEAN region, the first-ever Toyota Corolla Cross has finally reached Europe. While it looks largely identical to what America gets, the European version is actually superior in more ways than one.

For starters, the European Toyota Corolla Cross is far more powerful than what the rest of the world gets, including us. Whereas the American Corolla Cross gets a 2.0-liter Dynamic Force naturally-aspirated gasoline engine that produces 169 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque, the European version comes with a more powerful hybrid powertrain.

It's not the same hybrid powertrain that Japan and the rest of Asia get, however. Rather than having a 1.8-liter gasoline engine mated to an electric motor, the European version uses a bigger 2.0-liter Dynamic Force naturally-aspirated gasoline that when combined with the electric motor, produces a total output of 197 horsepower. That's 28 horsepower more than the American version, and it lets this crossover scoot from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 8.1 seconds.

An all-wheel drive (AWD) variant is also available, and this adds a rear-mounted electric motor that produces an additional 41 horsepower. It's not a permanent AWD system, however, and it only activates when it detects slip. Its zero to 62 mph time of 8.1 seconds is the same as the front-wheel drive (FWD) models as a result.

Powertrain differences aside, the European Toyota Corolla Cross is also superior in terms of its tech. Higher variants of the European Corolla Cross gets a 12.3-inch fully-digital gauge cluster, which is more modern than the 7-inch screen found in the American version.

To further add insult to injury, the European Corolla Cross also gets a significantly larger 10.5-inch Audio Multimedia infotainment system. It also runs on Toyota's latest operating system that's similar to what's found in the new Tundra full-size pickup. Along with its more powerful processor, European customers also benefit from wireless Apple CarPlay (but wired Android Auto), over-the-air (OTA) updates, and cloud-based navigation as a result.

As for safety, the European Corolla Cross is one of the first Toyota models to be equipped with T-Mate, which augments the existing safety features of Toyota Safety Sense. T-Mate includes the following advanced safety features:- Pre-Collision System with Acceleration Suppression at low speeds - Intersection Cut-In Traffic Assist- Improved Oncoming Traffic Detection and Intersection Turn Assist.- Emergency Driving Stop System (EDSS)- Enhanced Full Speed Range Adaptive Cruise Control (FSR ACC), Lane Trace Assist (LTA), and Road Sign Assist (RSA).- Blind Spot Monitor (BSM) with Safety Exit Assist (SEA)- Auto High Beam System (AHB)- Parking Assistance with Toyota Teammate Advanced Park hands-free parking- Panoramic View Monitor (PVM),- Rear Cross Traffic Alert with Automatic Braking (RCTAB) - Intelligent Clearance Sonar (ICS).

T-Mate also supports OTA, which means that these safety systems will get better over time throughout the Corolla Cross's life.

Lastly, the European Corolla Cross is made distinct through its sharper LED headlights that look exactly the same as the Japanese-market version. The rest of the body is exactly the same as the American Corolla Cross. The panoramic sunroof and powered tailgate are also present in the Japanese-market Corolla Cross.

With these aforementioned improvements, are you jealous of what the Europeans get? There are chances that these features will eventually arrive in the mid-cycle refresh of the American Toyota Corolla Cross. For now, however, European customers get to enjoy a more superior version of Toyota's popular compact crossover SUV.