Toyota has a new crossover model called the Yaris Cross.; It's based on the global Yaris subcompact rather than the Mazda-based Yaris we get in America. Only Europe and Japan are set to get the. For the time being, the Yaris Cross has been presented solely as a hybrid crossover. It makes use of the Japanese carmaker’s fourth generation hybrid technology, already in use in different. The all-new Toyota Yaris Cross takes the origins of the Yaris city car and turns them into a high-riding crossover. It’s a well-worn formula, yet one Toyota hopes to. The Yaris Cross is a crucial entrant for Toyota in a rapidly expanding light SUV segment. It’s better value than its hatch sibling and sets itself apart by offering the brand’s signature hybrid drive across the range. With a healthy spec and safety complement, too, we have no doubt it will resonate well with Aussie consumers.
Back in April 2020, when it was first unveiled, Toyota’s Yaris Cross was dressed up in an Elegant grade. Now, as it turns out, that won’t be the only choice for Old Continent fans, as the B-segment SUV will also be offered as the Yaris Cross Adventure or Yaris Cross Premiere Edition.
Actually, the latter is just the flagship variant of the Adventure trim, coming to market with “exclusive trim and features,” but only for the first 12 months of sale. So, it’s essentially a launch edition, meaning we can comfortably explore the Yaris Cross Adventure.
This derivative of the hybrid crossover is, as the name implies, a bit more rugged as it “emphasizes the car’s suitability for life beyond urban streets, for time spent exploring and enjoying the great outdoors and open roads.” As such, we can see added protection elements, standard roof rails, new 18-inch dark grey alloys, and a purposeful treatment bestowed upon the interior.
The latter comes with a special Adventure-grade design for the seat upholstery, piano black trimming and headliner, as well as certain elements dressed up in the Yaris Cross’ signature shade of Warm Gold. Under the metal, the new model rides on the same TNGA-B platform as the regular Yaris and comes equipped with the company’s proprietary hybrid powertrain.
The fourth-generation setup combines a 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle mill with an electric motor and outputs 116 ps (114 hp). Better yet, it’s hooked up to an optional AWD-i system, and the intelligent all-wheel-drive system also includes “a manually-selected mode switch for Trail and Snow modes to enhance vehicle stability in tricky road conditions.”
In Europe, the Yaris (a hatchback) is an entirely different story, and it got even more so after in early 2020 Toyota presented a new version of the model, this time tweaked by Gazoo Racing (GR), just like the Supra.
Later in the spring of 2020, Toyota threw another Yaris-badged vehicle into the mix, the Cross. It too is meant solely for the European market (it will likely not make it stateside), this time targeting the small SUV segment that is growing rapidly there.
1Exterior design & features
The Cross is 240 mm longer than its hatchback sibling for a total of 4,180 mm (60 mm added to the front overhang and 180 mm to the rear), is 1,765 mm wide (+20 mm) and 1,560 mm high (+90 mm). The car rides much higher than its sibling, by 30 mm.
Designed to be robust and minimalistic, the appearance of the Cross is inspired by the hatch, of course, but it is not at all the same. The front end looks a lot more tamed compared to its sibling, with the much smaller grille and smoother look of the bumper and hood making it appear more user-friendly.
The side look is pure crossover, with the special wheels surrounded by special cladding (also found at the front and rear). High up above the four doors (the GR has only two) there’s a black roof that contrasts the specially-created paint called Brass Gold.
The part of the Cross that looks more like the smaller Yaris is the rear, where the same sculpted and bulging lines (modified to suit the new dimensions) can be seen.
The Yaris Cross comes with a power back door and adjustable deck height. The deck can also be split into two, meaning it can be used to benefit either from an underfloor compartment or increased trunk space.
There is no official word on the materials used for interior surfaces at the time of this writing, but we are likely to see the same ones as on the regular Yaris.
3Gadgets
The HVAC controls, located right under the center touchscreen (which will likely be at least Android Auto-compatible), still makes use of knobs, but the cockpit is otherwise digitized.
Just like the regular Yaris, the Cross makes use of a hybrid 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine that combined has been rated at 116 hp.
The Cross is offered both as a front-wheel-drive and a all-wheel-drive. Fuel consumption rating for the Cross in the former configuration has been measured at 120 g/km under WLTP, while for the latter the figure is 135g/km.
Toyota Yaris Cross Usa
2021 Toyota Yaris Crossover
The Yaris Cross is packed with the whole range of safety and driver assistance systems Toyota is regularly using, packed in a suite the carmaker calls Safety Sense. It allows to driver to be in the loop with all that’s going on around the car through early warnings, and gives them a helping hand when need be from automatic braking and steering intervention.
Yaris Crossover 2021
Toyota is already a major player on the continent, and has SUVs in most of the available classes. The Yaris Cross allows it to enter the B-segment, and there’s no mistaking the plans the carmaker has for the model: 150,000 of them are planned to be produced each year, accounting for 8 percent of the market.