Considering that Toyota has the already very good C-HR, I was surprised to see that their latest SUV is aiming for an even smaller segment.  The 2021 Toyota Yaris Cross is a tiny SUV for the hairdresser, the florist, the modern CBD office worker even.  It commutes well and can handle the open road eagerly, and it does have appeal in that the design is very chic, the ride height is good and the safety kit is comprehensive.

The totally new Toyota Yaris Cross takes all of the goodies you find in the top-end Yaris Hatch and packs these same levels of technology and driver assistance systems into the little SUV.  So you do get Toyota’s Safety Sense driver assist systems standard across the two models.  The Hybrid Limited model rides on 18-inch wheels, while the GX settles for 16-inch alloys – though you could have the snazzy 18-inch alloys on the GX as an option.  However, both models get a nice satellite navigation system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, rear privacy glass, a power tailgate with the handsfree function, LED headlights, stylish synthetic leather upholstery, a powered and heated driver’s seat, a leather steering wheel, keyless entry, push-button start and climate control.  You can also get an optional black roof as well.

Practicality-wise, the little Yaris Cross is not that great for more than two because the rear doors are small, making it difficult to get in and out of, particularly if you are of a larger stature.  Once through the rear doors, however, the seat space is pretty decent for two sizable lads.  The legroom is reasonable for the compact SUV class.  And there are plenty of major players who want to get a slice of the compact SUV cake: the Mazda CX-3, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Venue, Kia Stonic, Ford Puma, VW T-Cross being some of the better ones that come to mind.  Certainly, the new Kia Stonic stands out as being the pretty complete package in this bunch.  The one trick up the sleeve of the little Yaris Cross is that the Toyota’s tiny SUV can be had as a Hybrid version.  Toyota’s hybrid engines are magnificent; perfect for dashing all over town with frugal efficiency and then getting some open road kms under the belt with the help of sipping on gasoline.

So, if you opt for the cheaper Yaris Cross GX model, then you’ll run with a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol inline three-cylinder motor that develops 88 kW of frisky power and 145 Nm of torque.  The Hybrid Limited boasts 85 kW and 120 Nm.  Both are front wheel drive and use a continuously variable transmission to get the job done.  With the GX, you can expect a fuel consumption figure that will often be around 6.5 litres/100 km on average.  The hybrid model drops down fuel consumption to around 4.0-to-4.5 litres/ 100 km.  Depending on your commute and driving style you may even see better results than these.  Carbon emissions are low for both models, with the GX expelling 124 g/km of CO2 and the hybrid around 87 g/km.

The little Toyota Yaris Cross looks charming enough, is 4180 mm long, 1765 mm wide, 1590 mm high and has a 2560 mm wheelbase.  The luggage capacity is a handy 390 litres behind the rear seats of the GX model, dropping to 314 litres for the Hybrid Limited.

Out on the road the little compact SUV rides nicely, better than the Hatch due to carrying a few extra kilograms in mass.  City street undulations are soaked up without fuss.  It sits nice and stable even at motorway speeds and the cabin is relatively serene apart from a bit of tyre noise.  Though carrying more weight than the Hatchback, the Cross still manages to feel adequately perky.

The 2021 Toyota Yaris Cross models currently include the:

• Yaris Cross GX
• Yaris Cross Limited Hybrid

For any more information on the new Toyota Yaris Cross or, for that matter, any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181.  If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quote requests out to our national network of Toyota dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours.  Private Fleet – car buying made easy!