Before, I didn't care too much about vehicle innovations. What mattered to me was that I had a car that I could use to go from point A to point B. I didn't care about engine specs, how powerful it was on the road, and how a particular vehicle differed from others. I didn't care about car peculiarities until I learned about hybrid vehicles and how they can help save fuel. Now that we are experiencing a global oil crisis, isn't it about time for us Filipinos to consider alternatives like hybrid vehicles?

Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross comes with two powertrain choices – a 1.8G with a pure internal combustion engine;  or an all-new variant, the 1.8V with a hybrid setup. As I got curious about how the all-new hybrid variant differs from the conventional non-hybrid, my friend and I took a Corolla Cross Hybrid for a long drive to Baguio City. At first, I was trying to figure out how different the hybrid was in terms of driving. As it turned out, driving the hybrid variant is the same as driving a regular internal combustion engine. With the obvious benefit of heightened fuel economy going the hybrid's way.

The hybrid though has another advantage when it comes to providing comfort to the driver. Leather seats for the hybrid as opposed to fabrics for the base 1.8G. Essentially, the hybrid comes with adaptive cruise control that not only keeps speed along highways constant but also slows down and speeds up when the car ahead does. However, the 1.8G's four-cylinder engine of the non-hybrid produces 140 ps and 172-Newton meters of torque. This is significantly higher than the 1.8V hybrid's 98 ps and 142-Newton meters of torque from the combined engine and electric motor setup.

Aside from that, the 17-inch wheels of the non-hybrid are wrapped in thick tires which gives it a bias towards a relaxed drive. While the 18-inch wheels of the hybrid Corolla Cross are wrapped in thinner tires which give the car enhanced response and road contact.

Bi-LED headlamps make driving at night with the 1.8V safer as well. Driver power seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Eco, Power, and EV driving modes, Dual-zone Climate Control, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and Toyota Safety Sense features such as Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert,  Lane Tracing Assist, Blind Spot Monitor, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert all add up to make the 362,000 peso price jump to the V justifiable.

The non-hybrid and hybrid variants of the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross have different strengths when it comes to persuading the driver. If the powertrain wasn't enough to convince you to pick one over another, their individual features should be helpful enough to sway you towards a choice that meets your needs.