Corolla Cross, “Toyota’s First Hybrid Crossover in the Philippines”-- Anything named as the country’s first gets me intrigued. A new product always piques my interest that it made me visit my branch, the same dealer where I got my other Toyota cars - Yaris and Fortuner. I learned that the new Cross is based on the marque’s 54-year-old nameplate, the Toyota Corolla. 

As I excitedly walked in a Toyota dealership, I was greeted by a familiar marketing professional who, so kindly, walked me through the new crossover SUV, Corolla Cross. I asked about the usual overview like the look, then I got into the more specific features but more importantly, I got to test it out on a drive myself!

Exterior. It has a powerful, sleek,  and sophisticated appearance. The styling is reminiscent of the larger RAV4. It has a body made for greater stability yet light enough that it enhances fuel economy and driving performance, so it’s not bug-at when I drive compared to other SUVs. The height is just right for my petite structure; yet high enough for flood-prone areas here in Cebu; exactly my everyday route going to my clinic.

Interior. It has ample head clearance which gives me a spacious feeling. I love that I can clearly see what’s in front of me with its high eye-point. Did I mention that it has a wide trunk and larger door openings? Yes, sayun ra i-access ang doors and as the MP mentioned, it has a class-top luggage space capacity that’s bigger than most (487L to be exact). Plus the height, again, is just perfect for loading.

Performance. Ang Corolla Cross dali ra i-maneuver ‘cause of its elevated driving position which also helps minimize blind spots. Moreover, with its minimum turning radius, easy-breezy kaayo ang tight turns, especially with Cebu’s narrow roads. As I experienced, its optimized suspension truly added to its smooth driving performance.  

Safety Sense. As comfortable and as it is fun to drive, the Corolla Cross has safety technologies, which they say, has been inherited from the Corolla series such as Automatic High Beam, Pre-Collision System, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, among others. Well, tanan Toyota, for that matter. I mean, talk about peace of mind when you have these features! 

Environmental Benefit. Okay, it gets even more interesting -- let’s talk about the Corolla Cross’ hybrid model.

So, what are hybrids? As explained by my MP, hybrid vehicles are called hybrids because they use both a small Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and an electric motor to obtain maximum power and fuel economy with minimum emissions. A hybrid generates electric current, stores it in a battery, and uses it to run the engine. Ang the best gyud ani is when you are stuck in the usual Cebu traffic, it won’t consume gas as it powers on its electronic motor when you are running under 30 kph.

What’s more, nindot kaayo how quiet the engine is when started. Both the gasoline-powered and hybrid models boast class-leading environmental performance. A balance of fuel-efficiency and quietness. 

What more can I say? Toyota Corolla Cross is compact yet sophisticated and comfortable. It’s a classy utility yet affordable, and more importantly, it’s the country’s very first hybrid SUV from Toyota. Indeed, something to take pride in when cruising the busy streets of Cebu. Just perfect for me. 

The Toyota Corolla Cross is now available all over the country and in the whole of Cebu through Toyota’s official dealerships – Toyota Cebu City, Toyota Mandaue-North, Toyota Mandaue-South, Toyota Talisay, Toyota Mabolo, and Toyota Lapu-Lapu. Click here to see your nearest dealer’s contact details. To explore the vehicle online, visit www.toyota.com.ph/showroom.