Toyota Yaris Cross
Toyota takes on the Ford Puma with an efficient new small SUV that we’ve driven in prototype form On sale September Price from £22,515
New small SUV guns for the class-leading Ford Puma with frugal hybrid power
AS THE LATEST model from a manufacturer that popularised hybrids, brought us decade after decade of SUVS and knows a thing or two about small cars, the outlook for the Toyota Yaris Cross is pretty rosy.
Based on the regular Yaris hatchback, the Yaris Cross is taller, longer and wider to create a roomier interior and the kind of raised driving position that people love these days. Power comes from a hybrid set-up that combines a 114bhp 1.5-litre petrol engine, a CVT automatic gearbox and a couple of electric motors. Unlike with most rivals, there’s the option of a four-wheel drive version, with the rear wheels powered by a third electric motor.
Both versions officially return more than 60mpg and emit less than 110g/km of CO2. Since the regular Yaris set a record in our True MPG efficiency tests, thanks in part to its staggering 80mpg urban economy, we expect to see impressive real-world figures from the Yaris Cross, too.
As with the regular Yaris, the front-wheeldrive Cross we tried feels nippy around town, thanks to the instant punch of its electric motors. Acceleration tails off a little as speed increases, but there’s plenty of shove to get you up to motorway speeds quickly enough. Sure, the Ford Puma’s 1.0-litre Ecoboost Hybrid 125 engine feels even punchier and doesn’t need
‘It’s super-quiet under electric power, and the petrol engine joins in smoothly when you ask for more punch’
working as hard to make brisk progress, but that rival is much less economical.
The Yaris Cross sits higher off the ground than a regular Yaris to emphasise the SUV impression. It also has softer suspension, and you’ll notice a fair bit more body lean and a little less agility. Grip is still strong and the steering is precise, but the Puma is more fun to drive.
You’ll have a comfier time of things in the Yaris Cross, though. It smothers urban ruts and bumps more effectively than the rather firm Yaris hatch and is calmer on the motorway. The suspension still twangs a little when you hit particularly nasty potholes, though, and the Skoda Kamiq does an even better job of smoothing out scruffy surfaces.
The Yaris Cross is super-quiet under electric power and the petrol engine joins in very smoothly when you ask for more punch. You’ll clearly hear its distinctive thrum, though, particularly when you accelerate hard, whereupon the CVT gearbox sends the engine revs soaring and holds them high until you settle at a cruising speed.
Most of the dashboard is shared with the regular Yaris and is solidly put together and easy to use. What is new is a 9.0in touchscreen infotainment system with sharper graphics and more intuitive menus than the 8.0in system seen in many other Toyotas. It’s a work in progress, so we won’t comment on its responsiveness yet, but it certainly seems to be a big step forward.
The driving position is very good and you’ll have no issues with forward visibility. The rear pillars are rather chunky, but a rear-view camera is standard on all models to help mitigate that. As for space, there’s plenty up front for the driver, a passenger and their clutter. Rear space isn’t quite as good; a sixfooter will feel rather pinched. We’d point you towards the Kamiq if your family is lanky.
Both the Puma and Kamiq have more luggage space overall, but a clever touch is the Cross’s two-piece adjustable boot floor; it divides in line with a section of the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat so you can retain a minimal loading lip on one side while being able to carry taller loads on the other.
It would be unfair to give the Yaris Cross a star rating yet, given that the car we drove wasn’t quite production ready and a few loose ends still require attention. We like what we’ve seen so far, though, and its potential for great economy can’t be ignored.
Just bear in mind that there are more spacious, comfier small SUVS out there, and we know that the Yaris Cross won’t be the cheapest to buy. Still, if there are competitive PCP finance deals on the table, it’ll be well worth your consideration.