Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV: sporty yet sustainable

Back in the day, it was sort of expected for sporty cars to be gas guzzlers due to their high-performance engines that required plenty of fuel to deliver their promised power. 

Lucky for us, the Gazoo-fied Toyota Corolla Cross, with an efficient hybrid powertrain, is able to appease our penchant for an athletic-looking ride while benefiting from a sustainable system on the side. 

Here are our thoughts on the sporty crossover after spending some time behind the wheel. 

Exterior: decent sporty appointments 

As its name suggests, the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV is the range-topping variant of the crossover that has been endowed with a handful of Gazoo Racing appointments. The author loved that it was not overdone and that the visible elements added to the grade’s appeal. 

Its fore boasts a blacked-out grille with a honeycomb latticework. The upper portion of the meshwork is surrounded by a gloss black garnish flanked by bi-beam LED projector headlamps with integrated turn signals. 

Meanwhile, the lower portion of the grille is paired with a robust-looking bumper that could pass as a skid plate. To each of its cheeks are LED fog lamps housed in black-colored garnishes with a similar honeycomb pattern. 

Onto its sides are claddings found on the wheel arches and side sills. These are common touch points that protect the vehicle from typical dents and scratches from road debris, as well as from the not-so-mindful car owners you — unfortunately — get to park beside with. The side coverings also get the same brushed metallic treatment and design as the front bumper, which is a nice touch. 

The Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV also gets black side mirrors with repeaters and power-folding function, black pillars, some chrome trims on the window, black roof rails, and a set of body-colored door handles. It rides on 18-inch alloy wheels with a variant-specific two-tone GR-S design. They are wrapped in 225/50 road tires from Michelin. There’s also an e-HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) badge on its side panel, noting its sustainable nature. 

At the back, the crossover gets a roof-mounted spoiler, which provides some shade to its decent-sized rear glass with an integrated third brake lamp. The tailgate is flanked by combination lights with a smoked effect and LED technology.  Here, too, one will find the Corolla Cross nameplate as well as a similar e-HEV badge and the GR-S emblem. 

The lower portion of its hind offers a chunky bumper with reflectors on each side, finished by the similar matte metallic trim found on the front and sides of the vehicle. 

Overall, I love how Toyota added a sporty touch to the Corolla Cross with some cosmetic upgrades from its Gazoo Racing division. The two-tone Emotional Red over Attitude Black Mica paintwork further adds a spirited appeal to the automobile and makes it look fast whether on the road or sitting still in a parking lot. 

But does this carry over the interior? 

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Interior: a tad athletic  

The same sporty vibe continues inside the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV. Striking are its seats covered in leather material, decorated with embossed GR badges on the headrests for the front passengers. Some bolstering and perforation is available too, to help the driver and passengers feel cool and comfortable while cruising in hot weather. A short strip of gray leather material rounds off the decorative appointments of the seats. 

As for the steering wheel, it also gets leather upholstery with matching gray stitching to match the accent on the seats. Available are controls for some of the car’s features, so those driving will not have to take their eyes off the road when adjusting or accessing the crossover’s functions. 

Past the steering wheel is a 12.3-inch multi-information digital instrument panel that feeds relevant data to the driver, like speed, battery level, and fuel level. It is complemented by a floating 10-inch infotainment system with wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto connectivity. These help one integrate their smartphone apps, such as Google Maps and Spotify, which are some technological niceties we can agree have become an important part of our driving experience. 

During the author’s time using the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV, there was no apparent lag or delay when the phone was connected to the infotainment system. 

Other notable features offered by the vehicle include: 

• Push start ignition system 
• Keyless entry 
• Automatic windows 
• Dual-zone automatic climate control 
• Automatic tailgate with kick sensor 
• Panoramic moon roof 

In general, the cabin of the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV effectively echoes the design language of its exterior. It makes one feel like being inside the cockpit of a sports car due to the abundance of black leather trims and the black headliner. 

Sure, a black-on-red interior might have looked and felt sportier, but that template has been way overused. Plus, the gray appliques and piping better suit the character of the hybrid vehicle. 

Now that we can say that the crossover does have some legitimate sporty appeal, does this translate to the driving experience? 

Smooth performance 

Under the hood of the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV is a 1.8-liter gasoline engine with hybrid technology mated to a continuously variable transmission (CVT). On paper, the setup produces the following figures: 

Maximum power output (in horsepower)	120
Maximum torque (in Newton-meters)	142

On the road, this translates to smooth acceleration and performance, with the CVT delivering even power across the rev range. 

While in the city, movement in stop-and-go traffic felt easy with a good forward motion from standstills. As the writer took the crossover on the freeway (in the Cavite-Laguna Expressway to be specific), maintaining power at higher speeds required little pedal work. 

It has three drive modes, which are EV, Eco, and Power. As one can surmise, EV and Eco feel muted and conservative. Power, on the other hand, makes the pedals more responsive, but not enough to blow one off his or her socks. 

In terms of braking, the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV relies on disc brakes all around. The front brakes are ventilated discs while the rear ones are solids — so halts and deceleration were assuring, and it felt like there was adequate stopping power overall. 

Suspension-wise, the crossover gets GR-S-specific MacPherson Struts at the fore and a similarly-tuned torsion beam arrangement at the rear. This combo struck the perfect balance between softness and stiffness that there was enough support when attacking corners and decent comfort when speeding through straightaways. 

Overall, the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV drives like a crossover with an attitude. The various drive modes can help tailor one’s experience, whether the goal is to save gas or have fun while reaching one’s destination. 

Safety: assuring, confidence-boosting 

When it comes to keeping owners safe while on the road, the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV offers the following technologies: 

• Anti-lock braking 
• Electronic brake-force distribution 
• Vehicle stability control 
• Blind spot monitoring 
• Rear cross-traffic alert 
• Panoramic camera 

It is also equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense, which adds the following safety features: 

• Pre-collision assist 
• Automatic high beam 
• Lane tracing assist 
• Lane departure alert 
• Dynamic radar cruise control 

For someone who puts safety as a top priority, especially when roaming around with my family, the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV offers an assuring and confidence-boosting slew of features. 

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Verdict 

At the time of writing, the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV is priced at P1.943 million. 

Its slightly higher sticker price is what one has to pay for reliable Japanese engineering, easy servicing and parts availability, and overall better longevity, versus cheaper crossovers. The company has a long-standing reputation for dependability and reliability, and the Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV confidently carries that credential. 

The Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S HEV does not compromise on looks, comfort, performance, and, in this case, sustainability, which is why it is a good pick for car buyers looking to step into new-energy driving. 

Also read: 

Above average: Toyota Raize G

Toyota Avanza G CVT: Dashingly dependable

Proper commuter: Toyota Wigo G

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