Making the switch to hybrid

My husband and I have grown old driving conventional gas or diesel motor engine vehicles. We learned to drive manual cars and it took sometime before we reluctantly switched to driving automatic cars. We do not easily switch to new technology until we see proof that the technology makes sense. I am still skeptical of electric vehicles because of the lack of charging infrastructure.

What has caught up is the hybrid technology that Japanese car manufacturers, particularly Toyota, has refined from its first commercial release of its hybrid technology in the Prius in 1997. Back then it was already game changing, but the cost was prohibitive. Toyota has further refined the technology. Its hybrid vehicles are in their fifth generation and have proven their efficiency and improved their road capability.

We like Toyota. Our RAV 4 is already 11 years old. It still looks good, but it is a gas guzzler, providing a fuel economy of only six kilometers a liter of premium gasoline. The new Toyota RAV 4 hybrid retails at over P 2 million, quite pricey even as it offers fuel economy, new technology, and the convenience of exemption from “coding” restriction during work days.

We were wary about hybrid engines, its maintenance and battery life. When the battery expires, it will be a big expense to replace and the resale value might be compromised because of the EV component. Still, Toyota quietly introduced the Corolla Cross G Hybrid (HEV) variant. It was advertised as the base model of a Corolla Cross hybrid variant at a price of P1,508,000 – reasonably affordable compared to the Rav 4.

The Corolla Cross is a slightly smaller crossover vehicle, considered in the B class of the Toyota vehicle range. It was Elvin Luciano of Toyota Motor Philippines who explained to us the practicality of the Corolla Cross G HEV, pointing out that its hybrid battery has an eight-year warranty at present, while those sold in the US carry a 10-year warranty.

The Corolla Cross G is a base hybrid model, but in reality it has the same amenities of the higher spec Corolla Cross models except for the leather seats, 360-camera, automatic hatchback door, and sensors that comprise Toyota’s “safety sense,” such as lane assist and cruise control, all of which we can live without. The most important factor is that the hybrid power plant is the same as the rest of the higher Corolla Cross variants.

To experience the capability of the Corolla Cross, Elvin allowed us to test the vehicle and validate the hybrid’s efficiency and performance. Upon seeing the car, we had to admire the appealing design of the vehicle, with ample space for both passengers and cargo. In my opinion, it actually looked far better than the sharp edged design of the new RAV 4.

When you start the engine, it is very quiet, and the first few meters of running the vehicle is on EV mode. The shift from EV mode to the internal combustion engine is so seamless, you can barely feel the shift. The only telltale sign is the rumble of the internal combustion engine. The vehicle fuel economy indicator gave a reading of 20 km/liter. If you do the math, that’s a usage of five liters per 100 kilometers, based on my husband’s calculations.

If premium gas is P70/liter, that’s P350 for every 100 kilometers, or a running cost of only P3.50/per kilometer. Our diesel SUV runs nine kilometers per liter. That is 11.11 liters of diesel for every 100 kilometers. If diesel costs P60/liter, that is P666/100 kilometers, or P6.66/km running cost, which translates to a P3.16 savings driving the Corolla Cross. If you run the vehicle to 100,000 kilometers, it saves you P316,000, more than enough to buy a new hybrid battery when the battery expires. The fuel economy arithmetic, according to my husband, makes sense to buy the Corolla Cross G.

How does the Corolla Cross run? When you touch the lever of the driver’s door of the Corolla Cross G, you realize it is a modern luxury vehicle. All doors unlock automatically. You press the start/stop button and everything comes alive automatically. The air conditioning turns on, the radio, even the headlights and park lights, if needed, all automatically switch on without having to manually do so. The windscreen wipers are automatic. If it detects a drizzle or rain, it automatically turns on. Slot it into drive mode and the parking brakes will disengage automatically. Vice versa, when you slot it into park mode, the parking brakes engages automatically.

For the first few meters of driving the car, it runs very quietly on EV mode. Then as you push the accelerator pedal, it responds quickly and you hardly realize you are running on its internal combustion engine. No matter what other people say, this is not a timid car, its responds very well, and it has speed and acceleration, overtaking slow buses or trucks is not an issue.

Steering feel is very sharp as you can feel and hear the road, the tires. The road feel is present. What it lacks is more floorboard insulation to lessen road noise. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as it promotes driver awareness. Steering is sharp and precise, and on tight curves or twists, you can feel the tires planted on the road, except for some slight body roll. The suspension shock absorption is stiff, and with the lack of noise cancellation material, you can hear the thuds and road imperfections.

What few realize in such a floorboard set-up, is the pleasant whine and roar of the Corolla Cross engine, it is close to exhilarating. You hear a moderately potent power plant that encourages you to keep on giving more to the throttle, and its response is instantaneous acceleration and speed. It’s a fast car, in my husband’s opinion. Surprisingly, the Corolla Cross hybrid is more economical and fuel efficient in stop and go traffic than in the open highway. This is probably due to its use of EV mode in traffic, and its use of its internal combustion engine in the highway. A perfect city car.

The batteries are located underneath the rear passenger seat. Replacing them is a simple procedure. Maintenance of the hybrid batteries’ health requires ensuring cooling air circulation. Beside the batteries is a cooling fan that has an air filter in its intake. All one has to do is to clean the filter regularly.

Our fear of hybrid technology has vanished. The Toyota Corolla Cross G HEV is a comfortable and extremely fuel efficient “luxury” vehicle. For now, we feel it is the most “value for your money” vehicle to use in the city and out of town trips.