Compare the2024 Honda HR-VVS 2024 Toyota Corolla Cross

The Honda HR-V has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the HR-V and the Corolla Cross have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the HR-V is safer than the Corolla Cross:

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda HR-V is safer than the Corolla Cross:

The Honda HR-V has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Corolla Cross was last only a “Top Safety Pick” in 2023 but no longer qualifies.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the HR-V’s reliability 14 points higher than the Corolla Cross.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

The HR-V has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Corolla Cross FWD’s standard fuel tank (14 vs. 12.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The HR-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the HR-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Corolla Cross:

The HR-V’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Corolla Cross L/LE’s standard 65 series tires.

For superior ride and handling, the Honda HR-V has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Corolla Cross 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The HR-V has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the HR-V flat and controlled during cornering. The Corolla Cross 4x2 suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the HR-V is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Corolla Cross.

The HR-V uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Corolla Cross doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The HR-V has 10.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Corolla Cross (98.7 vs. 88.4).

The HR-V has .8 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front hip room, 3.9 inches more front shoulder room, 5.7 inches more rear legroom, 3.6 inches more rear hip room and 2.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Corolla Cross.

The HR-V has standard Push Button Start that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Corolla Cross LE/XLE offers a Smart Key System.

The HR-V’s variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Corolla Cross L’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

Consumer Reports rated the HR-V’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Corolla Cross’ headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The HR-V has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Corolla Cross has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the LE/XLE.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Honda HR-V and the Toyota Corolla Cross, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Honda HR-V outsold the Toyota Corolla Cross by 72% during 2023.