By popular demand: Honda HR-V vs. Toyota Corolla Cross

Honda and Toyota are easily among the most established players in the local market. Today, the all-new Honda HR-V joins the crossover segment that the Toyota Corolla Cross has frolicked in for a couple of years now. 

What makes the comparison between these two crossovers interesting is that while their badges and nameplates are now somehow commonplace, the HR-V and Corolla Cross bring novel tricks to their segment. 

The HR-V has been positioned as a sporty offering, ever since the first iteration was launched in the late '90s. Since then, it has held the promise of being as practical as smaller Honda cars while combining the SUV capabilities of SUVs such as the CR-V. About 3.5 million HR-V units were delivered worldwide as of December 2021. 

 

The Corolla Cross carries the name of what's considered as among the best-selling cars in the world. In 2021, the Corolla series' total sales broke through the 50-million mark. With the Cross moniker, rugged SUV abilities are aimed to be added to the compact Corolla. 

In the 2022 HR-V, sporty driving is still made a priority. The latest model is the first turbocharged HR-V with a 1.5-liter VTEC Turbo engine, which puts out a mighty 177ps and 240Nm of torque. The VTEC is paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels. 

To allow the 2022 HR-V's engine to provide more power readily, a Sport driving mode can be switched on. Econ Mode, which optimizes the operation of the engine to align with driving style to maximize fuel efficiency, and Normal Mode used for general and daily driving, are the other driving modes available. 

Aside from the reliability its compact counterpart is known for, the 2022 Corolla Cross offers a hybrid drivetrain. The 2022 Corolla Cross' hybrid system consists of an e-motor and 1.8-liter gas engine, both of which work in tandem or separately to lower CO2 emissions and up fuel efficiency. 

The 2022 Corolla Cross hybrid variant’s engine is also designed with an Atkinson cycle, which further boosts fuel efficiency. To put simply, this engine cycle uses a different kind of combustion process in order to prioritize fuel efficiency over excessive power output. 

Inside, the 2022 HR-V offers practicality and comfort. Like other Honda vehicles, the 2022 Honda HR-V also boasts its flexible interior space with ULT seats, which are composed of three adjustable modes. 

In Utility Mode, the two rear seats can be folded to increase cargo space. Long Mode folds both the front and rear seats for a lengthy space. In Tall Mode, folding-up of the rear seat cushions make room for vertical objects.  

The 2022 HR-V's air diffusion function allows occupants to direct airflow from the automatic climate control every which way they fancy. An eight-inch touchscreen display audio that's linked to a six-speaker sound system also carries Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. 

Inside the 2022 Corolla Cross, a 6.8-inch display audio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are within the driver and passenger's reach. For rear occupants, they're treated to reclining rear seats and aircon vents. 

Further back, the 2022 Corolla Cross boasts of a more expansive cargo space compared to a traditional sedan, thanks to a larger load bay and 60:40 split folding rear seats. 

Lastly, the two crossovers aim to avoid accidents or even handle them should they inevitably happen.

The 2022 HR-V is equipped with an updated version of Honda Sensing, which includes advanced safety features such as collision mitigation braking system (CMBS), adaptive cruise control (ACC) with low-speed follow (LSF), lane keeping assist system (LKAS), road departure mitigation system with lane departure warning (RDM with LDW), auto high-beam (AHB), and lead car departure notification system (LCDN).

On the other hand, the 2022 Corolla Cross has an equally impressive safety alphabet soup with Toyota Safety Sense. TSS includes adaptive cruise control (ACC), pre-collision system (PCS), lane tracing assist (LTA), automatic high beam (AHB), and lane departure alert (LDA).

Majority of the attractions of the 2022 HR-V and Corolla Cross mentioned here — the latter's turbo power and the former's hybrid system among them — are exclusive to the vehicles' top-tier versions sold here. 

Now that you know what makes the HR-V V Turbo CVT Honda Sensing and Corolla Cross 1.8 V HV special, discover more about these well-known crossovers through their spec sheets below. 

SPECIFICATIONS	Honda HR-V V Turbo CVT Honda Sensing	Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 V HV
Length (mm)	4,385	4,460
Width (mm)	1,790	1,825
Height (mm)	1,590	1,620
Engine Model	VTEC Turbo	2ZR-FXE
Engine Type	DOHC VTEC Turbo Four-cylinder, 16-valve	16-Valve DOHC, 4-Cylinder, Inline, Chain drive with VVT-i
Displacement (cc)	1,498	1,798
Turbo Type	Single Scroll	Without
Engine Maximum Output (ps/rpm)	177/6,000	98/5,200
Engine Maximum Torque (Nm/rpm)	240/1,700 - 4,500	142/3,600
Motor Generator Maximum Output (ps)	NA	72
Fuel Type	Gasoline (Euro4)	Gasoline (Euro4)
Transmission	Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)	Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
Suspension	Front: MacPherson Strut Rear: Axle Type	Front: MacPherson Strut Rear: Torsion Beam
Brakes	Front: Ventilated Disc Rear: Disc	Front: Ventilated Discs Rear: Solid Discs
Tires and Wheels	215/60 R17 96H	225/50 R18 Alloy
Spare Tire	Temporary Tire - Space Saver	Temporary Tire - Space Saver
Headlamps	With Auto On/Off and Auto Off Timer	Bi-Beam LED
Daytime Running Lights	LED	LED Line Guide
Front Fog Lamps	LED Projector Type	LED
Rear Combination Lamp	LED with LED Light Bar	LED (with Line Guide) + Bulb
Outside Rear View Mirror	LED, Door Mirror Integrated	Power Adjust + Auto Fold + Reverse
Front Grille	Black Mesh Type	Gun Metallic
Windshield Wiper	Front: Variable Intermittent Rear: Intermittent with Washer and Reverse Link	Rain-Sensing
Door Window Frame Molding	Black	Black + Chrome
Seat Material	Leather	Leather
Seat Type and Adjustment	Driver: Slide, Recline, and Height Adjustment Front Passenger: Slide and Recline Adjustment Rear: ULT Seat (Utility, Long, and Tall Mode) Reclining, 60:40 Split Type	Driver: 8-Way Power Adjust Front Passenger: 4-Way Manual Adjust Rear: 60/40 Folding + Reclining
Meter Cluster	Seven-inch Digital Display	Digital + Analog
Instrument Cluster Content	Warnings, Range and Fuel, Speed and Time, Maintenance, Settings, Safety Support, and Customize Display	7-inch TFT  Multi-Information Display (MID)
Steering Wheel Switches	Audio + Phone + Voice	MID + Audio + Phone + Voice + Adaptive Cruise Control + Lane Tracing Assist
Inside Rear View Mirror	Auto-Dimming	Auto-Dimming
Shift Lever and Knob	Straight Type	Straight Type
Tonneau Cover	With	With
Illuminated Entry System	Room + Cupholder + Front Door Trim + Center Tray	Room + Cupholder + Front Door Trim + Center Tray
Keyless Entry	Smart Entry	Smart Entry
Ignition System	Push Start System	Push Start System
Drive Mode Select	Econ, Normal, and Sport	Eco + Power + EV
Power Windows	Auto Up/Down + Jam Protect	Auto Up/Down + Jam Protect
Power Door Locks	Speed-Sensing	Speed-Sensing
Airconditioning System	Single Zone Automatic with Air Diffusion System	Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
Rear A/C Vent	With	With
Cruise Control	Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)	With
Audio Type	Eight-inch Touchscreen Display Audio	8-inch Display Audio
Smartphone Connectivity	Apple CarPlay and Android Auto	Apple CarPlay + Android Auto + Smart Device Link (SDL)
Audio Function	Bluetooth, Hands Free Telephone (HFT), Audio Streaming, and USB input	AM/FM / Bluetooth / USB / Voice Command
Speakers	4 + 2 Tweeters	6
Accessory Outlets	12V Socket and Rear USB	12V Socket and Rear USB
Pre-Collision System (PCS)	With (Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS))	With
Automatic High Beam (AHB)	With	With
Lane Tracing Assist (LTA)	With (Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS))	With Steering Assist
Lane Departure Alert (LDA)	With	With Steering Assist
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)	With	With
Blind Spot Monitor (BSM)	Without	With
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA)	Without	With
SRS Airbags	Front and Side	Driver + Front Passenger + Side + Curtain Shield + Knee (Driver)
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)	With Brake Assist and EBD	With Brake Assist and EBD
Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)	With Traction Control	With Traction Control
Hill-Start Assist Control (HAC)	With	With
Seatbelts	Front: 3-point ELR with Pretensioner and Force Limiter Rear: 3-point ELR	Front: 3-point ELR with Pretensioner and Force Limiter Rear: 3-point ELR
Child Restraint System	Isofix and Tether Anchor	Isofix and Tether Anchor
Emergency Brake Signal	With	With
Immobilizer	With	Immobilizer + Horn
Camera	Multiview Reverse Camera	Reverse Camera
Clearance and Back Sonar	With	Front and Rear
Available Body Colors	Ignite Red Metallic, Meteoroid Gray Metallic, Premium Opal White Silver Pearl, and Platinum White Pearl	Platinum White Pearl Mica, Red Mica Metallic, Metal Stream Metallic, and Attitude Black Mica
PRICE	P1,598,000 (+P20,000 for Premium Opal White Silver Pearl and Platinum White Pearl)	P1,665,000 (+P15,000 for Platinum White Pearl Mica)

 

Photos from Honda Cars Philippines, Inc., Toyota Motor Philippines, Toyota, and Kent Flores