Toyota Yaris Cross

At first glance, the Yaris-Cross’ interior might look somewhat compact. This moderate five-seater isn’t exactly one that can fit a small village, but it does quite well for how it’s designed. Its ‘compact’ design easily fits a small-sized family, while providing the maximum in comfort added perks, with a clear focus on practicality. While the G variant features your run-of-the-mill fabric upholstery, the V and S variants jazz it up a notch with a combination of fabric and leather. The latter two variants also come with 8-way power-adjustable seating, while all trims sport a 60:40 split-folding arrangement for the rear, affording additional cargo space.  

Its horizontally dashboard allows for natural ergonomics while adding a sense of spaciousness, while a center console with analog controls adds a touch of old-school charm and even more storage space. The central ‘showpiece’ of the Yaris-Cross’ interior is the 10.1-inch Apple CarPlay and Android-Auto-compatible touchscreen infotainment system, along with a 7-inch TFT multi-information display instrument cluster. Additional perks for the mid and top-variants include a panoramic view monitor, wireless charging ports, and power tailgate with kick sensor. All variants come with a single-zone automatic climate control and a six-speaker audio system. 

The Yaris-Cross showcases a modern and dynamic crossover design, striking a balance between a rugged SUV stance and a compact, urban-friendly footprint. It projects a sense of robustness and versatility, suitable for various driving environments. It's characterized by a prominent grille that dominates the front fascia, featuring either a horizontal slatted design (on the base G variant) or a more intricate mesh pattern with a chrome accent (on the higher V and S variants). It also sports sharp and angular LED headlights that are seamlessly integrated into the grille.

Its lower bumper showcases black cladding and a silver skid plate element, adding a touch of ruggedness while protecting against minor bumps and scrapes. Integrated LED fog lamps (on V and S variants) improve visibility in challenging weather conditions. Character lines run along the side, while black plastic cladding surrounds the wheel arches and lower body, protecting them from dust and debris. The addition of functional roof rails (on V and S variants) offers added cargo-carrying capacity for outdoor gear or additional luggage.

Depending on the variant, the Yaris-Cross is equipped with either 16-inch or 18-inch alloy wheels. It comes in mono-color (Platinum White Pearl, Attitude Black Mica, Greenish Gun Metal Mica Metallic, Scarlet SE, Dark Turquoise SE) and two-tone color options (Platinum White Pearl / Attitude Black Mica*, Scarlet SE / Attitude Black Mica*, Dark Turquoise SE / Attitude Black Mica*).

While the base variant has limited color options, the mid and top-line variants afford mono and two-tone color options, with the added bonus of an Attitude Black Mica roof*. 

The comfort-oriented Yaris-Cross provides a smooth ride and is characterized by agile maneuverability thanks in part to its light and almost effortless steering. While it lacks off-road capability, it does make for an excellent city and highway vehicle. 

Toyota Yaris-Cross comes in two engine and transmission variants: a 1.5-litre 2NR-VE 4-cylinder, 16-valve, DOHC, Dual VVT-i gasoline engine for the G and V variants; and a 1.5-litre 2NR-VEX 4-cylinder, in-line, 16-valve, DOHC, VVT-iE Atkinson cycle Hybrid engine for the S HEV variant. 

The former two are capable of 105 hp at 6,000 rpm with 138 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm. The Hybrid variant can dish out a moderate 90 hp at 5,500 rpm, with 121 Nm of torque at 3,600 to 4,800 rpm, with a motor that is capable of 79 hp at 141 Nm of torque. Combined, the Hybrid can clock in at a total of 110 hp.  

All variants of the Yaris-Cross come equipped with Toyota’s in-house safety suite – the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS), which comes with a bevy of active safety features. This complements the standard passive safety features that are found in all modern-day vehicles. 

If you’re looking for greater options or variety in your vehicle choices and aren’t hesitant about shelling out a little bit of extra money to get it, the Toyota Yaris-Cross might just be right up your alley.