Toyota Yaris Cross

Head-turning Cross adds a touch of muscle to Yaris range

Toyota has added an SUV option to the Yaris –and it has plenty to offer, as Andrew Walker discovered...

Toyota’s Yaris family – supermini and hot-hatch – now has a small SUV option, with the arrival of the Yaris Cross. Think Yaris on steroids.

As you might guess from that description, it’s quite a bit larger than its supermini brethren, and is almost as spacious inside as the larger CH-R. It offers company car drivers tax-friendly CO2 emissions from 102g/km, and Company Car and Van got to grips with one recently and here’s what we thought.

What is it?

Built on the same TNGA platform as the other Yaris models, it’s powered by a 1.5 litre three cylinder petrol engine with a CVT transmission.

The front axle features an electric generator and motor that gives the Cross it’s hybrid powertrain.

As a whole, it’s 240mm longer than the standard Yaris, with 60mm added to the front and 180mm to the rear. The ground clearance is 30mm higher and the vehicle is wider and taller overall by 20 and 90mm respectively.

Model range and spec

There are four model choices available, beginning with Icon as the entry model, then Design, Excel and finally Dynamic.

All come generously equipped with Icon offering 16” 10-spoke alloys, Toyota Safety Sense, Toyota Touch 2 multimedia system with 8” touchscreen, DAB, Bluetooth, six-speaker audio system, Smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android, AutoSmart entry, push-button start, a reversing camera, automatic air con and a 4.2” multi-information display.

To this equipment the Design adds 17” dark grey/machined five-double-spoke alloys, LED projector headlights, rear lights and sequential indicators, light blue ambient cabin lighting, aluminium roof rails, black headlining, a 7” multi-information display and rear privacy glass.

Excel enhances this further with the addition of 18” dark grey/machined five-triple-spoke alloys, a power tailgate with kick sensor, 9” Toyota Smart Connect multimedia system, Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Alert with auto brake, intelligent parking sensors, a heated steering wheel and front seats, an auto dimming rear view mirror and dual-zone climate control.

Finally, the range-topping Dynamic offers a more distinctive SUV appearance and can be specified with front or all-wheel drive.

It features, in addition to the Excel trim level, 18” dark grey five-triple-spoke alloys, a bi-tone paint finish with black roof and the option of intelligent all-wheel drive. All-in-all, it’s an equipment level to rival those of its rivals.

Safety

All Yaris Cross models benefit from Toyota Safety Sense active safety and driver assistance systems as standard.

The package includes a Pre-Collision System with pedestrian and cyclist recognition and Emergency Steering Assist; full-range intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control; Lane Departure Alert and Lane Trace Assist; Road Sign Assist and Automatic High Beam.

Yaris Cross also come with eCall which can automatically summon emergency services assistance in the event of a serious impact.

Engine, performance and economy

We were testing the Dynamic model, which features a three-cylinder 1.5 hybrid engine, which comes with 114bhp, with the electric motor producing up to 79bhp. Top speed is 105 mph with 0-62mph reached in 11.2 seconds. Fuel consumption is a claimed 54.6- 56.5 mg, with CO2 emissions of 112-117.2 g/km.

Interior

The cabin features plenty of black, grey and chrome and is unmistakably a Toyota. Quality is good, with decent materials used throughout and solid, straightforward switchgear.

The dashboard is dominated by the touchscreen, which is a huge jump up in quality for Toyota compared to previous tech used in its models. There are very clear graphics and fast response to inputs. Underneath the touchscreen, sit narrow air vents and separate climate controls, with a single USB input.

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Located between the front seats are the gear stick, electric hand brake, Drive and EV mode buttons.

Practicality

The 397-litre boot features a heightadjustable luggage deck, which can be divided in two. The luggage compartment also has a new flexible belt system to keep items secure when driving.

The cabin feels more spacious than the larger Toyota CH-R and comes with a glove box, centre cubby, under armrest storage, four small door pockets and a couple of drinks holders located between the front seats.

The increased size created by the car’s extra 240mm is most noticeable in the cabin, with those in the front seats spoilt for both head and legroom. The rear seats will take three, but only really on shorter journeys. However, those in the back do have good headroom, but taller passengers will struggle if sat behind a tall driver for legroom.

The extra 25mm of height gives the driver a decent driving position.

Driving modes and economy

In common with many hybrids, the Cross will drive in EV mode up to 30mph, at which point the petrol engine will kick in. There’s a default driving setting, plus Eco, Power, EV and B, instigated by pulling the gear stick all the way towards you, which increases the regenerative braking effect.

We tried them all out, sticking to Eco mode on the motorway and utilising EV mode and B in town on slower, local routes. Power gives you a little bit more oomph when joining a motorway. A week and 300-miles driven, 200 of which were on the motorway, saw us average 55.3mpg.

On the road

The Cross’s small stature means it feels nippier than it actually is. City streets are its bread and butter and the chassis and wheels coped well with the pot-holed and worn-out tarmac locally.

Put your foot down and you may notice the CVT gearbox groaning a little. However, once you are up to speed the Cross will sit quite happily at motorway speeds.

The on-board Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Alert and Lane Trace Assist, work well on the motorway, but are best turned off for town and country driving.

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“The cabin feels more spacious than the larger Toyota CH-R ... the increased size created by its extra 240mm is most noticeable in the cabin, with those in the front seats spoilt for both head and legroom ... the extra 25mm of height gives the driver a decent driving position...”

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Talking of the motorway, we tended to set the cruise at 70mph, sit back, relax and let the Cross do the work for you.

My travel companions had no complaints about the car’s ride or any excess cabin noise upsetting their journey, and the bonus of a decent sized boot meant that I was able to transport four adults plus bags to a local tennis match in some comfort.

Overall, the Cross won’t set your pulse racing, being more of a solid performer than a superstar. But its light, positive steering and decent road handling are stand out features that make it an enjopyable car to drive. EV mode will take you a good 30 miles if used carefully and we reckon that if we hadn’t been bombing along the M6 for 200 miles, we could easily have achieved 60+ mpg.

Pros

It looks good from every angle and also all

PRICE POINT

Yaris Cross

Yaris Cross Icon FWD £22,515 Yaris Cross Design FWD £24,140 Yaris Cross Excel FWD £26,745 Yaris Cross Dynamic FWD £26,465 Yaris Cross Dynamic AWD-i £28,825

Two limited edition models are available for 12 months Yaris Cross Premiere Edition FWD £28,185 Yaris Cross Premiere Edition AWD-i £30,545

versions come very well equipped. Highlight is the much improved infotainment system over Toyotas of old. From a practical perspective, it feels at least as spacious inside as the larger CH-R and it’s easy to drive. Long journeys were comfortable and the Yaris Cross offers good fuel economy and low CO2 emissions.

Cons

We still don’t like the CVT gearbox, although we will concede that it does work better in smaller Toyotas. The exterior looks are striking but all those sharp angles won’t appeal to all. The interior is little bland.

Conclusion

Existing Yaris and CH-R customers, plus Renault Captur, Hyundai Kona, KIA Stonic and Nissan Juke drivers, should take a closer look. You won’t be disappointed. The Cross feels like a grown-up Yaris, with room on board for four adults and a family-sized boot.

Decent fuel economy and low CO2 give those fleet customers not yet ready for full-electric an opportunity to save some money. Most importantly, we think it’s a great looking car that punches above its weight on practically and price.

CC&V VERDICT

A great bridge to low CO2/economical motoring for those not ready to go full EV just yet. Great in the city and you’ll love the space on offer inside.