When Toyota Motor Philippines launched the Corolla Cross in 2020, the V variant was the gateway to a hybrid electric crossover in the country. Despite being more expensive, the GR-S trim was a solid choice, too. The Gazoo Razing-specific upgrades offer far better handling in a solidly packaged model.

But four years is a long time in the automotive industry, and the landscape has changed. Now, there is a slew of new hybrid electric crossover options.

The Corolla Cross has to contend with many—some even more—affordable options. Models like the Nissan Kicks, the amazing BYD Sealion 6 DM-i, and other upcoming plug-in hybrid crossovers from China.

While the recently launched facelifted version further democratized hybrid technology in the market with the base G variant, getting the more expensive V and GR-S seems harder to justify.

Or is it? I had the top-grade GR-S variant for a week to find out.

First and foremost, the changes done to the new range-topper are minimal. It gets new bi-beam LED projector headlight units. The DRLs are now in the middle of the cluster, while the sequential turn signals are now on top.

The sides look identical, save for the new “Beyond Zero” badging that the Japanese carmaker uses. This replaced the old Hybrid emblems on the front fenders. The rear end is mostly the same as the model it replaces, but with the new HEV badge.

Inside, there’s a bigger 12.3-inch full-digital instrument cluster that’s slightly customizable. I might be nitpicking here, but I feel that Toyota could have done a better job here.

The lack of available widgets can give you the same information in two different places on the screen. And while images of the crossover appear as you go through the drive modes, I wish the car on the screen looked identical to the actual vehicle you’re in.

A new and bigger infotainment display sits in the middle of the dash. The screen resolution is great. Sadly, the sound quality took a hit. Thankfully, the audio system offers several tuning options.

The extra pedal by the driver-side door is also gone because the parking brakes are now electronically activated. It now also gets an auto-hold feature, perfect for crawling through city traffic.

But this variant’s pièce de résistance is the expansive panoramic moonroof that covers both rows of seating. It doesn’t open to let fresh air in, but I believe this is the more practical choice given the erratic weather we’ve been experiencing lately. Plus, there are fewer things to go wrong here.

But mechanically, everything on this newer version is the same as in the outgoing model. That means you have the not-so-powerful 1.8-liter, 97hp engine.

The internal-combustion engine’s power might be underwhelming, but pair this with an electric motor and you get 120hp combined system power and 142Nm of torque. The same e-CVT transfers power to the front wheels just like before.

It’s easy to frown at the lack of oomph the combo produces, but the amazing 27.4km/L average consumption is enough to make you forget about that. It’s so fuel-efficient that climbing up Baguio can get you close to 16km/L, a figure that a conventional ICE-only vehicle would get on the highway.

You’d get more than 20km/L in the city when traffic eases up. On a drive down from Baguio to Agoo, La Union, an amazing 43.5km/L is possible.

These figures make the Corolla Cross one of (if not) the most fuel-efficient hybrid crossovers you’ll find. That’s why you’d still be able to go far with the tiny 36L fuel tank.

But this crossover isn’t just about making the most of every drop of its fuel—it also provides a very engaging drive. Even with the lower variants, you already have a nicely tuned chassis and suspension that inspire spirited driving.

The GR-S, however, ups the ante further. Confidence-inspiring Gazoo Racing-specific dampers sharpen the drive.

This might be blasphemous to some, but I’d dare say the Corolla Cross is the Miata of small crossovers. For one, it doesn’t offer much power. But what it lacks in zing, it makes up for with sharp handling.

It certainly won’t win drag races against the competition, but you can still have as much fun driving without those extra ponies under the hood.

The Corolla Cross GR-S offers more smiles per kilometer than any of its hybrid-electric contemporaries. And if only for that, this variant continues to make a lot of sense.

It may be hard to part ways with P1,917,000 given how affordable some of the Corolla Cross’s rivals are. But where can you get proven Toyota reliability, a tried-and-tested hybrid system, nice handling, good looks, and all of the bells and whistles that come with it?

But if TMP is reading this, please consider installing a bigger battery pack and the Zenix’s 2.0-liter Dynamic Force engine under the hood. In my opinion, that would ba a proper GR model. Don’t you agree?