Top 5 easy-to-drive crossovers

There is no denying that cars are getting larger and larger. There is also no denying that cars are much easier to drive now more than ever. Crossovers are also popular, and people have been buying new models left and right. The segment is just rife with great options that are great to drive to begin with. 

Because of that, we decided to put together a list of the top 5 easiest-to-drive crossovers available in the Philippines. Some of the criteria that we used in determining whether a car was easy to drive included easy to manage dimensions, good tech features, and of course, an automatic transmission. 

The smallest and most affordable Chery is a pretty manageable car. The Chery Tiggo 2does have a few caveats that keep it from being one of the best cars, but it has a lot of features that overachieve in its price point and its segment. In terms of safety, it grants peace of mind, and it has just enough tech features. For most people, a backup camera more than enough to help you get in and out of parking lots, but this Chery gets a set of rear parking sensors, so you get double the peace of mind. On top of that, you get one of the longest warranties that you can get in the Philippines, in the form of the 3-year service plan, 5-year general warranty, and 10-year powertrain warranty. Nothing like being able to drive a car without worrying about when you’re going to need a service. 

This car took the Philippines by storm when it was first introduced, and it has become quite a staple on Philippine roads. While the Geely Coolray a bit pricey compared to the other two smaller crossovers, with its size comes a powerful turbocharged 3-cylinder engine. It is the most powerful on this list with 171 hp and 255 Nm of torque. Then you also get a premium interior, especially with the Sport variant, but the best feature that makes it easy to drive is its 360-degree camera that is dynamic and can display your car in three dimensions with clever bits of software. It’s very novel, and the only item that we wished we had was Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the large 10.25-inch infotainment screen. 

We were able to drive the Kia Stonic around for a while, and from our first encounter with it, the crossover was an easy-driving vehicle. Sharing the same engine as the Soluto, the 1.4-liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder is pretty smooth and it also has good fuel economy to boot. In terms of dimensions, it is the smallest crossover in the Kia lineup, coming in at a length of just 4,100 mm, a width of 1,735 mm, a height of 1,532 mm, and a wheelbase of 2,570 mm. It’s even smaller than the Kia Seltos, which is already an easy-to-handle crossover. On top of that, you’re also getting a rear-view camera and to top it all off you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard for all models, which means that you can display your music, maps, and other applications on your phone on to the infotainment screen for the utmost convenience.

For Toyota’s Corolla Cross, you get a high amount of refinement and comfort from the crossover. Plus if you do decide to splurge and get the hybrid system, the fuel economy that you get plus the light steering and effortless stop and go thanks to the electric motor, make the Corolla Cross a really easy car to drive. As was stated earlier, it is a bit pricey. It is the most expensive model on this list, especially when equipped with the 1.8-liter hybrid powertrain that is also shared with the Toyota Corolla Altis. Though, you get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a backup camera, and even a Toyota badge for that added peace of mind. 

Ford really hit the nail on the head with its Territory. It’s bigger, yet doesn’t feel as big as a subcompact. You get compact crossover dimensions, but with a stance and a drive that feels smaller than it actually is. Light steering and even a turbocharged engine make this model a pretty peppy drive, and it also has a great number of tech features such as a 360-degree camera, and even Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The steering is exceptionally light, and you won’t have to worry about the smoothness because this model comes with a CVT automatic, making it one of the smoother-driving models even if it has a capable 1.5-liter turbocharged motor under the hood.