No doubt, the Yaris Cross’s biggest draw is its looks. Whereas the Corolla Cross sends you straight to yawnsville, the Yaris Cross and its baby RAV4 lines punches above its weight. Despite it becoming such a normal sight on local roads, it’s still an eye candy. The sharp headlights, oversized trapezoidal grille, and high-mounted LED fog lights all work. The same goes for the square fenders, muscular rear haunches, and formal taillights.

From there, there’s the performance. Its combined output is rated at 111 horsepower (91 horsepower from the 1.5-liter engine and 80 horsepower from the electric motor). It may be a full 20 horses lower than the Corolla Cross HEV, but because the Yaris Cross HEV weighs 140 kilograms less, the power-to-weight ratio is similar (if you’re overly strict, the Yaris Cross’s actually better). Similar 0-100 km/h times (roughly 10 seconds) is a testament to this fact.

The Yaris Cross HEV also comes with three main modes: Eco, Normal, and Power. Weirdly enough, you can combine these depending on how long you press a button on the tiller. I count at least four possible combos: Normal, Normal + Eco, Normal + Power, and the weirdest of them all, Eco + Power. From what I could tell, the only difference is the sensitivity of the throttle.

Subjectively, however, they’re worlds apart. Like any vehicle equipped with a strong hybrid system, the Yaris Cross HEV can propel itself using only electrons during certain circumstances. There’s even an EV Mode switch in case silent running (or emissions) takes precedence over all else. This leads you to think that it’ll just be as quiet and refined as the Corolla Cross. Reality bites, however, when the engine kicks in. No doubt about it: it’s noisy. It’s even more evident when the 1.5-liter revs higher to charge the battery. It sounds like it’s making smoothies out of rocks.

Thankfully, as long as you have a light foot and/or anticipate the traffic or road condition ahead, it’s easy enough to coax the Yaris Cross HEV to run on battery power. And even if it can’t be helped and the gas engine switches on, it delivers stupendously good fuel efficiency figures. After a week of driving, I averaged 23.1 km/L. What this means is that despite its dinky 36-liter tank, it can go more than 830 kilometers before needing to refuel.

Armchair critics are quick to point out the Yaris Cross’ Daihatsu platform. However, I say: don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. Sure, the feel is still one of a Point A to Point B commuter as opposed to being a sporty SUV, but at least it gives a well-balanced driving experience. The steering feels artificial, but is otherwise faithful. Point it and the well-tuned suspension turns in with some confident action. Ride-wise, it can get unsettled by lower frequency bumps, but load it with three people aboard and it’ll settle down nicely.

Equipped with Toyota Safety Sense, but using a dual camera (as opposed to a camera + radar setup), the Yaris Cross is replete with driving assist tech. Better yet, dig through the menu and you’ll find that it’s highly customizable in terms of sensitivity and alert timing (you can even turn some audible alerts off). This allows you to drive without having continuous beeps blaring about the cabin. Thank goodness.

The Yaris Cross HEV’s economy origins are seen in full display inside. The dashboard and its chunky shapes and busy lines are not only similar to what you’ll get in a Raize or Veloz, but there’s just no escaping the copious amounts of hard (but well-wearing) plastics. The tinny, hollow-sounding doors don’t help either. But hey, at least there are attempts to spruce things up with a leather-like strip running across the dashboard and the addition of ambient lighting.

Ergonomically, the Yaris Cross HEV is alright. The powered driver’s seat offers a wide range of adjustment, while the steering wheel moves for both reach and height. At the center, there’s a 10.1-inch screen. The interface looks low-res (as does the 360-degree camera), but going through the various options and functions are manageable enough. In front of the driver, there’s a 7-inch screen with a segmented LED speedometer. The screen part is configurable in four ways and presents information in an easy to digest manner.

Front room is quite alright except maybe for this weird silver-colored trim that juts out to the right of the shifter. It does nothing but eat into the front passenger footwell. The decision to place the engine start-button ahead of the shifter may lend a slightly sporty look, but it also means that the wireless charger is close to being inaccessible, especially for anything larger than a non-Max iPhone. The door bins are large, as are the cup holders. Take note though that the flip-up sleeves, used to accommodate smaller drinks, is flimsy. In fact, one already broke in this demo unit.

At the back, the Yaris Cross HEV can easily seat two adults, three in a pinch. The backrests are adjustable for recline, plus there are AC vents and two USB Type C ports. Generous, all things considered. When it comes to the cargo hold, it’s well-executed too. The decision to mount the high-voltage battery and 12-volt battery underneath the rear seats is a stroke of genius as it allows for a smaller diameter full-sized spare tire under the floor as well as an adjustable floor height. The latter allows you to pick between maximizing the available capacity or having a false floor to keep knick-knacks like an early warning device out of sight. A power tailgate completes the package.

So, should you go for the Corolla Cross 1.8 G HEV or the Yaris Cross 1.5 S HEV? Naturally, these two models have their own strengths and weaknesses. One thing’s for certain, however: Toyota is offering the power of choice. In my best attempt to summarize, the Yaris Cross 1.5 S HEV is for those who prioritize style and features, but are willing to forgo a bit when it comes to refinement and build quality. On the other hand, the Corolla Cross 1.8 G HEV is for those who want solid mechanical foundations, but could live with something that’s barely above poverty-spec.