Toyota Yaris Cross
As Toyota enters the small-SUV marketplace, can it use its hybrid knowledge to upset one of the stalwarts of the class?
MODEL TESTED: Toyota Yaris Cross 1.5 VVT-i Design
PRICE: £24,140 ENGINE: 1.5-litre 3cyl petrol hybrid, 116bhp
THE Yaris Cross is the smallest model in Toyota’s SUV line-up. It slots below the C-HR, starts from £22,515 and is around £3,000 more, model for model, than the Yaris supermini. Here we’re testing the Design model, which sits in the middle of the range and costs £24,140.
Design & engineering
LIKE the supermini of the same name, the Yaris Cross uses Toyota’s TNGA-B platform, and UK models are built in the same French factory as the hatchback, too.
There’s one powertrain option available, which again is the same one found in the Yaris: Toyota’s 1.5 VVT-i hybrid set-up with a three-cylinder petrol engine, electric motor, compact battery, CVT gearbox and front-wheel drive. There’s a modest 116bhp on offer, but that’s adequate for a model such as this.
On the outside, the Yaris Cross foregoes the supermini’s curves for a chunkier look. It rides 30mm higher than the supermini, and the off-road appearance is further emphasised by the gaps between the wheels and the arches. There are the usual additions of black plastic cladding and silver roof rails, while Design trim comes with chunkylooking 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. Our car’s Urban Blue paint is a £250 option, while higher-spec versions can be had with a contrasting black roof.
Inside, there are clear similarities between the Yaris and Yaris Cross. The dashboard is pretty much identical, with the same switchgear, steering wheel, air vents and touchscreen infotainment system in place. You get heavily sculpted door cards that add a touch of flair to the cabin’s appearance, while silver trim around the gearlever and a piano-black finish for the curved section above the climate controls give the cabin a bit of a lift.
Go for mid-spec Design trim and you get a fairly healthy selection of kit. Climate control, a reversing camera, LED headlights, a digital dashboard and smartphone connectivity are all included, while our car was fitted with Toyota’s nine-inch infotainment system, a £500 upgrade in place of the standard eight-inch set-up. However, the only other options on offer are paint; if you want more kit, then you need to move up to another grade.
Driving
AS with any Toyota hybrid, press the starter button in the Yaris Cross when there’s even a small amount of charge in the battery, and you’re greeted by a beep from the dashboard, the word “READY ” illuminated in green in the dials, and absolute silence.
Toyota has years of hybrid experience and the transition from electric drive to petrol assistance is smooth in the Yaris Cross. At low speeds the car favours electric drive as much as it can, and when its engine cuts in, there’s a remote hum from under the bonnet, and the switch is smooth. Go faster and that engine becomes more vocal, with a familiar thrum from the odd number of cylinders. It’s not intrusive, though, and actually gives the Yaris Cross a bit of a sporty flavour.
That’s not to say that the car is quick. A 0-62mph time of 11. 2 seconds is similar to the Niro’s
11.1-second 0-60mph figure, so while the Yaris Cross has enough power to keep pace with traffic, it’s not going to set the world alight.
A 200kg weight saving when compared with the Niro helps the car’s performance, while the Toyota feels agile in bends, too. There’s not much lean in corners, the Yaris Cross feels stable, and the driving position gives you that SUV-style view.
Unfortunately, comfort isn’t a strong point. Although the ride is reasonable at low speeds – better than the Kia’s – the faster you go, the worse it gets. Rough stretches make the car fidget, while different road surfaces have a major impact on cabin noise. Concrete motorways are especially bad.
Practicality
A TALL, narrow body means the Yaris Cross is undeniably compromised inside. While space up front is fine, storage isn’t so great. The heavily sculpted door cards feature awkwardly shaped bins that make it easy to lose smaller items inside, while the centre console only has a couple of modest trays.
Access to the back seat is a bit of a fiddle, because of the narrow door openings and curved roofline, and once you’re in there you’ll find it’s a squeeze for three. The middle seat is particularly narrow, while legroom is in short supply.
That won’t be so bad if you’re only carrying kids in the rear seats on occasion, but there are further disappointments in the back. There’s no interior lighting for the rear seats, while the Yaris Cross comes with a flimsy fabric parcel shelf as a load cover. The back seats fold 40:20:40, but you need to move to a higher trim to get a false boot floor, which provides hidden storage and a level load lip.
Ownership
BUY a Toyota and, according to owners who got in touch with us via the Driver Power ownership survey, you’re pretty much assured of excellent customer service. However, you might have an even better experience from Kia. The Korean brand came second in our 2021 manufacturer ranking, while Toyota finished fifth. It’s a similar story in terms of dealer satisfaction, with these two ranking third and sixth respectively.
Running costs
WE managed a respectable 56.1mpg in the Yaris Cross, and it’s impressive how often the car runs on electric drive alone; there’s a small EV logo in the dash that illuminates to show you that you’re doing exactly that.
A “B” mode on the gearbox offers some extra resistance to plough back more energy, although we found the engine was more eager to fire up in this mode, which cancels out any benefit it might offer.