On first impression, the all-new RV generation 2022 Honda HR-V grabs your attention with its snazzy looks and youthful appeal. The e:HEV RS hybrid variant also boasts of higher performance than archrival Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.

The Toyota, being a Toyota, is the anti-thesis of the Honda. Where the Honda appeals to your heart, the Toyota is designed to appeal to the sensible accountant in you.

The Toyota is not the fastest nor has the most features, but that’s partly because it is built according to a very different set of requirements – practical and comfortable enough for a family of four, hard wearing cabin materials that will not age prematurely under our punishing sun, and to last long enough for you to pass it down to your children.

All these also means that the Corolla Cross’ cabin looks rather average. What is not average however, is how it ages. We don’t need to explain further about Toyota’s proven reputation in Malaysia.

Where the Toyota’s conservative cabin loses out on style and features count, it hits back with superior seat quality that offers better support on long distance drives, an airier cabin thanks to its taller roofline, plus a larger 440-litre boot (no official figures provided for the local specs Honda HR-V).

All the above are obvious enough to a buyer shopping between the Corolla Cross and the HR-V. What’s less obvious however, is the fine print in the two brand’s warranty’s terms and conditions.

If you are the type who want the best, range topping variant, you will be looking at hybrid variants of both models.

The Honda HR-V e:HEV RS is covered by a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty. The high-voltage hybrid battery is covered by a separate 8-year unlimited mileage warranty running in parallel with the vehicle warranty.

It’s the same for the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, except that Toyota covers not just the high-voltage hybrid battery, but also the inverter and hybrid vehicle control computer. In contrast, Honda’s 8-year hybrid battery warranty covers only the battery. All other components fall under the 5-year unlimited mileage warranty.

Toyota also offers customers a choice to upgrade to a longer 8+2 years extended warranty (legally, the company calls it ‘Assurance’) that covers all hybrid-related components, for RM 2,950. The extended warranty (assurance) is transferrable to the next owner, so it helps in resale value.

Based our WapCar team’s own experience with a problem-free (wear-and-tear mechanical parts aside) 10 years old Toyota Prius, you don’t really need Toyota’s extended warranty / assurance but it’s a small fee to pay for added peace of mind, so we still recommend it anyway.

Also read: Used hybrids are really cheap, so should you buy a used Toyota Prius, Camry Hybrid or Honda Insight?

Toyota hybrids are used as taxis all over the world and the 2ZR-FXE 1.8-litre powertrain in the Corolla Cross Hybrid has been proven since 2009, starting with the ZVW30 generation Prius.

Across the Causeway, Toyota hybrid taxis there are driven 12 hours daily, clocking over 10,000 km per month, nearly 500,000 km in 5 years.

Also read: Toyota doesn’t sell hybrids in Cambodia, so why is Phnom Penh Southeast Asia’s Prius capital?

Closer to home, recently a savvy car buyer looking for a good quality used Toyota Prius (which uses the same powertrain as the Corolla Cross Hybrid) did some random search on online classifieds and uncovered many units with tampered odometers, but the post inadvertently revealed just how reliable the Prius is, with one unit that has clocked over 310,000 km, and another nearly 200,000 km, proving the longevity of Toyota hybrids in local driving environments (which are a lot more punishing than Singapore, or even Japan).

To be fair, Honda hybrids sold in Malaysia have been equally reliable, as confirmed by independent hybrid specialists who work on many of such cars, but since Honda don’t do fleet sales to taxi operators, its hybrids don’t get the stamp of approval in real-world experience by mega-mileage clocking taxis.

Also read: Used 5-year-old Honda City Hybrid GM7 from RM 60k – Your first hybrid?

Like any warranty, validity of the warranty is contingent on users maintaining their vehicle at an authorized service centre, according to the recommended service interval of 6 months / 10,000 km, whichever comes first. The keyword here is ‘whichever comes first.’

Any form of modification is also not allowed. You may think installing that powerful after-market speakers or changing to larger wheels are unrelated to the engine, but modifications can sometimes result in indirect, secondary damage, and the manufacturer has every right to deny a claim if such a link can be proven.

Of course, the warranty doesn’t cover flood damage, so make sure you tick the Special Perils coverage in your motor insurance renewal.

But in case in you are wondering how a hybrid vehicle fares in a flooding situation, the video below is self-explanatory. In short, it's no different from a regular car. Don't treat like it's a Toyota Hilux and you will be fine.

Starting this year, UMW Toyota Motor has rebranded its after-sales services under a new 'Extra Mile' umbrella, which without going into too many words, simply means promising a Toyota customer benchmark-setting, peace-of-mind ownership experience.

In summary, the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, like many Toyotas on sale, is not a car that wows you on first impression, and neither will it win any on-paper comparisons. It is however, a safe, sensible purchase, and if you take good care of the car, it will last long enough to be handed down to your children.