Earlier this year, Toyota has just taken the covers off the new Yaris Cross, its latest B-segment SUV. The new Yaris Cross is built on the same TNGA-B platform as the Yaris hatchback, sharing the same powertrains too.
The Yaris Cross will be provided with a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid powertrain or a standard 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine, fitted to the Direct Shift CVT of Toyota, speaking of powertrains. Power is supplied to either the front wheels or all four wheels.
Other than the hybrid powertrain, the Yaris Cross is also available with a naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre Dynamic Force petrol engine, mated to a CVT-type automatic or a 6-speed manual. This powertrain is front-wheel drive-only.
In terms of design, there are some of the SUV-like cues in the Yaris Cross sports to distinguish it from the hatchback, including black cladding that runs along the bottom of the vehicle’s body, with squared-off sections around the wheel arches. However, that’s not the only point of differentiation, as most of the sheet metal you see here is unique to the Yaris Cross. The carmaker says it “wanted to keep the strong DNA of Toyota’s SUV line-up but at the same time give the Yaris Cross an identity of its own.”
The SUV has its own bonnet design on the front with recessed creases that fit neatly with the sleek headlamps that have daytime LED running lights near the top of each cluster. The nose is also more upright than on the hatchback with a square mesh design for the grille and the Toyota logo as a leading point. Meanwhile with incorporated fog lamps, the lower apron has a wider second intake and the faux-side intakes are slimmer.
While in terms of the inside view, it shows that the Yaris Cross’ roofline differs from the hatchback due to its length and appears to promote better interior space. Just like the normal Yaris, there is a two-tone paint scheme available for the SUV . Besides, this example rides on the largest available wheels for the model measuring 18 inches in diameter with 215/50 series tyres.
Toyota has fitted the SUV with a powered tailgate and a two-tier cargo area and a flex belt system to prevent items from shifting during driving to push practicality as a major selling point for the Yaris Cross. Although the exact trunk volume is not mentioned, the car comes with a 40:20:40 split-folding rear bench for storage flexibility.
The similarities extend to the powertrain, as the SUV will be offered with the same Toyota Hybrid System II (THS II) setup as the Yaris Hybrid. This pairs an M15A Dynamic Force 1.5 litre engine with an electric motor and a continuously variable transmission.
While Toyota has yet to release detailed information, the hybrid system has a maximum output of 116 PS and can be had in front-wheel-drive or E-Four (electric four-wheel-drive) configurations.
On the technology front, the car will be equipped with the Toyota Safety Sense suite of safety and driver assistance systems, including automatic braking and steering intervention.
In addition, Toyota notes that the Yaris Cross will be built at Toyota Motor Manufacturing France (TMMF) alongside the new generation Yaris hatchback, from 2021, while in Japan, production will be handled by Toyota Motor East Japan.