The New Toyota Yaris Cross Is Pleasingly Boxy

The new Yaris has spawned a crossover, but despite sharing part of its name with the supermini, the styling is very different
The New Toyota Yaris Cross Is Pleasingly Boxy

The Toyota Yaris range is incredibly diverse. Whether you want a hybrid or conventionally powered supermini, a bonkers WRC homologation special or a practical crossover, Toyota has you covered.

The latter area is the latest area filled by the compact Toyota clan, thanks to the arrival of the new Yaris Cross. And much like the GR Yaris we referenced in the last paragraph, it doesn’t share much with the standard Yaris supermini other than a name.

The New Toyota Yaris Cross Is Pleasingly Boxy

It sits on the same GA-B architecture and has an identical wheelbase, but the bodywork is all new. Plus, in terms of styling, the car’s boxy, angular aesthetic puts it closer to the bigger Rav-4 than the Yaris. It’s 240mm longer than the platform-mate, has a 30mm higher ground clearance and is 90mm taller overall.

Powertrain-wise, the Cross will get the same 1.5-litre inline-three hybrid unit as the Yaris hatch, good for 115bhp. Toyota has previously claimed that in the Yaris, the setup can cover the average urban journey solely on electric power for 80 per cent of the time. The standard version is front-wheel drive, although there will be an optional all-wheel drive system.

The New Toyota Yaris Cross Is Pleasingly Boxy

Along with the inevitable increase in interior space, Toyota has fiddled with other areas to ensure the Cross trumps the standard Yaris in terms of practicality. There’s a 40/20/40 split-folding rear bench, a “flex belt” system to keep luggage in place (just in case there are any Yaris Cross drivers out there who want to hoon), and a foldable boot floor.

The latter device can be left up to provide under-floor storage, dropped entirely for loading bulkier items, or - since it’s split in the middle - set both ways at the same time.

The Toyota Yaris range is looking pretty diverse now...
The Toyota Yaris range is looking pretty diverse now...

The B-segment crossover is set to be a big seller for Toyota when it becomes available early next year. For 2021 the Japanese company is expecting to shift 150,000 of the things, helping the Yaris range as a whole to make up a huge chunk of Toyota’s overall sales.

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Comments

BL4CKF0X

I couldn’t care less about yet another SUV crossover.

04/23/2020 - 09:55 |
8 | 12

You cared enough to click on the article and then comment…

04/23/2020 - 10:10 |
32 | 4
Anonymous

Who needs a crossover made out of tiny city car? Bruh.

04/23/2020 - 10:08 |
18 | 4
Andrés Cely Herazo

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

If there’s a crossover version of a Chevy Spark I would not be surprised of who would want any vehicle turned into a crossover.

04/27/2020 - 00:55 |
0 | 0
ATOGI_28

who is asking for lifted hatchbacks?

04/23/2020 - 10:54 |
4 | 2

150,000 people next year alone, apparently. Baffling though it may seem, demand for stuff like this is huge. If it gives Toyota the resources to do silly stuff like the GR Yaris, we can’t complain too much…

04/23/2020 - 11:11 |
16 | 2
DIO is a car guy

In reply to by ATOGI_28

I give them credit for not making it AWD

04/23/2020 - 15:14 |
0 | 0

I am ! I love easy entry/ egress and lots of space to carry stuff in a small package.

04/24/2020 - 05:09 |
2 | 0
HinaXOX

I mean… It looks cool at least

04/23/2020 - 11:14 |
4 | 2
Myrmeko (#CTSquad)

Now it’a time for a GR to compete against the Puma ST and T-Roc R.

04/23/2020 - 16:38 |
16 | 0
Alias

GR Yaris Cross when? A 250 horsepower 4WD lifted supermini would be a riot!

04/23/2020 - 17:47 |
4 | 2
Olivier (CT's grammar commie)

In reply to by Alias

Christ I think this is the first comment on here which doesn’t subscribe to the CrOsSoVeR bAd circlejerk

I have to agree that a lifted one would be really nice, kind of like the Countryman Rally Raid

04/23/2020 - 18:39 |
2 | 2
Anonymous

My opinion….. this thing is so ugly🤢

04/24/2020 - 07:04 |
2 | 0
White Comet

🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

04/27/2020 - 18:16 |
0 | 0