Toyota to deliver baby SUV
Toyota has unveiled the new Yaris-based SUV. And it should be here this year, writes Damien O’carroll.
Toyota has revealed its much-awaited small SUV based on the Yaris – the Yaris Cross – and, despite reports that it had been delayed until next year, Toyota New Zealand hopes to have it here before the end of this year.
Slotting in the Toyota lineup under the C-HR, the Yaris Cross sits on the same TNGAB platform as the all new Yaris, but is larger in almost every dimension than the small hatch it shares its name with.
The Yaris Cross has the same 2560mm wheelbase as the Yaris hatch, but is 240mm longer overall, with 60mm added to the front overhang and 180mm to the rear, ensuring more interior space.
The ground clearance is 60mm higher, and the Yaris Cross is 90mm taller and 20m wider overall.
The Yaris and Yaris Cross are the first models to use Toyota’s new 1.5-litre hybrid system that has been developed directly from the 2.0- and 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain used in the Corolla, C-HR, RAV4 and Camry.
This features a new 1.5-litre, three-cylinder Atkinson-cycle petrol engine, which Toyota claims has a rated thermal efficiency of 40 per cent it says is greater than comparable diesel engines and ensures good fuel economy and low CO emissions.
Toyota says that the front-wheel-drive Yaris Cross will produce less than 90g of CO per kilometre, and the powertrain will produce 87kw of power.
In the Yaris hatch, it sips fuel at just
3.3 litres per 100km, so expect similar frugality from the Cross.
Toyota says that ‘‘special attention has been given to practicality and versatility’’ in the Yaris Cross, and that it will feature a powered tailgate, and an adjustable deck height in the boot to allow for a secure underfloor compartment or increased space for larger loads.
The Yaris Cross will be available with Toyota Safety Sense active safety systems and advanced driver assistance functions, which includes a range of driver information, early warnings and, when necessary, automatic braking and steering intervention.
Toyota says the design process of the Yaris Cross brought together a wide team from studios in Europe and Japan.
‘‘When we started this process, we understood that while style is the No 1 purchase reason in the B-SUV segment, customers were also keen to have a high level of practicality. Not easy things to reconcile, especially in a compact package,’’ says Lance Scott, design general manager at Toyota’s EDD studio in Nice, France.
‘‘We went out and interviewed real customers to understand their lifestyles, what they liked, what their daily activities were, and how they enjoyed themselves. After an enjoyable and enlightening process, we came back enthusiastic to design a car that would deliver a vibrant combination of being sophisticated and energetic.’’
Toyota New Zealand expects to introduce the Yaris Cross towards the end of this year. Specification and pricing will be announced near the launch.