In terms of sales, there is no denying that the number one car company in the Philippines is Toyota Motor Corporation, as it continuously sweeps the market with its reliable and highly impressive vehicle models. They are always on top of the game, regardless of the fact that they have numerous car models to offer to be the best-selling car company in the country, more than any of its competitors have. And one of the most popular car models ever is the sedan Toyota Corolla, which has gained several accolades over the past decades.

As Toyota would like to relive the legacy and the popularity of the Corolla, they introduced the Toyota Corolla Cross in 2020. The Corolla Cross is a compact crossover that is a larger and more practical alternative to the Toyota CH-R. It has gained rapid popularity not just in the Philippines, but internationally because of its affordability and advanced technology features. Aside from that, the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross comes in two main variant options – the non-hybrid and hybrid. The non-hybrid is just like most of its competitors with internal combustion engines while the hybrid is powered by an internal combustion engine accompanied by a battery.

While the two variants look almost the same and you can barely see their difference at first glance, they have several differences from each other. Aside from their differences in automotive powering properties, they have differences in looks, and you would notice that once you pay attention to the details of their exterior profile. They both have massive radiator vent grilles with a Toyota logo badge on top. While the Toyota logo on the hybrid variant has a blue hue that indicates that you are driving a hybrid Corolla Cross, the non-hybrid variant comes with the regular Toyota logo. That emblem distinction follows the other Toyota logo at the rear of the car. Aside from the Toyota logo, the blue hue is also found inside the LED headlights of the Corolla Cross Hybrid, which give continuity, while it's just plain halogen headlamps for the non-hybrid.

Another difference between the hybrid to the non-hybrid is their wheels. The hybrid variant gets 18-inch wheels with thin tires, which give better driving contact points, while the non-hybrid comes with 17-inch wheels with thicker tires than the hybrid, which makes it more fuel-efficient. The noticeable advantage of the Corolla Cross Hybrid over the non-hybrid is that it comes with more sensors up front and at the back. Aside from that, there are no other exterior differences between the hybrid and non-hybrid variants, except for the hybrid badge found on the side and at the back of the Corolla Cross Hybrid.

Inside the cabin, both variants come in the same interior layout, but they have noticeable differences in materials used and some finishes. Among all those, the first difference that would cross your sight are the seats. The hybrid seats are covered in soft leather while the non-hybrid come in a fabric finish. Plus, the driver’s seat is power-adjustable while all seats are manually-adjustable in the non-hybrid. There are also no air conditioner vents for the rear passengers in the non-hybrid variant, while there are in the hybrid variant along with its charging ports – which is also not available in the non-hybrid.

Paying attention to the dashboard panel of both variants, you will not have a hard time distinguishing their differences they are highly noticeable. Although their steering wheels come in the same leather finish with functionality control buttons, the hybrid variant comes with additional buttons to activate some of the Toyota Safety Sense features, which is not available in the non-hybrid as it doesn’t come with Toyota’s advanced Safety Sense package. Behind the steering wheel, the non-hybrid’s instrument cluster is traditional analog gauges, while it is all-digital on the hybrid variant, which also shows whenever the car battery charges. At the center of the dashboard panel, the infotainment system on the hybrid variant is an eight-inch multi-function touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while the non-hybrid comes with a seven-inch infotainment touchscreen with a CD player.

Under the hood, both variants carry a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine mated to a CVT. That 1.8-liter engine of the non-hybris produces 138 horsepower and 172 Nm of torque output while the same gasoline engine of the hybrid variant makes 96 horsepower, and with the aid of the electric motor, it produces 120 horsepower and 142 Nm of torque power output. Paying attention to the figures, the internal combustion engine has an edge over the hybrid variant. However, the actual performance matters more than the figures.

Aside from the fact that you are giving earth a break from too many toxic chemicals whenever you use a hybrid vehicle over the traditional non-hybrid, it also benefits you in the long run as you will save on fuel costs for sure. After giving the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid and non-hybrid a test drive on the highway, they have a gap in the fuel consumption log. At a speed of 100 kilometers per hour at a 500-kilometer span, the non-hybrid returned 14 kilometers per liter of fuel consumption while an impressive 20 kilometers per liter on the hybrid variant. It is evident that the promise of Toyota is true that every time you let go of the accelerator and step on the brake, the electric motor regenerates the power back to the engine to use again, to save more on fuel consumption.

On the other hand, the advantages of the hybrid versus the non-hybrid do not end there, as it comes with the advanced Toyota Safety Sense to keep all passengers safe on their travels. The Toyota Safety Sense suite includes Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert, Lane Tracing Assist, Automatic High Beam, Low-speed Follow, and Pre-collision System.

Given their differences, it is worth mentioning that the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is better in every way, except its Php360,000 difference from the non-hybrid is still a large amount of hard-earned money to spend on additional automobile features. Nevertheless, if you're to gauge if that price difference is worth it to go for the hybrid, it is impossible to say that it isn’t.

Also Read: Toyota Corolla Cross Continues the Corolla Legacy in Modernity