Toyota Yaris Cross - a practical urban crossover with a sympathetic look
It's clear that the urban crossover segment is very popular, and you'll find this body style represented by almost every automaker. Toyota was one of the last to make its debut, but perhaps that's why the familiar phrase "best for last" is appropriate here. The Toyota Yaris Cross really surprised us in the editorial office very pleasantly, and I believe you would have similar feelings if you got behind its wheel.
The Toyota Yaris Cross is attractive to look at. The model looks cute, but it also has a certain amount of sex appeal. I really like the two-tone design with the black roof. The main color of the model I tested was red (officially "Crimson Red"), but the "Warm Gold" that Toyota often uses in official promotional materials for this model looks very tasteful as well. Even though the car is smaller, it looks sturdy on the road and literally attracts the attention of the entire city.
Compared to the 'classic' Yaris, the Cross version is 240mm longer and the increased ride height means you have 95mm more headroom, a benefit especially for second row passengers, where even a stocky adult can now sit comfortably. Although the wheelbase dimension is the same, a few extra millimetres (20 to be precise) have been added to the width of the Cross version. The trunk in particular benefits from this dimensional "bloating", which has grown from 286 litres to 397. The trunk has a very useful regular shape, so you can load any item into it more easily.
Toyota Yaris Cross looks cute at first glancePhoto: Foto: se souhlasem Alexandry Šnaid
Pleasant ergonomic interior
If you are familiar with the Toyota Yaris, you won't be too surprised by the interior of the Toyota Yaris Cross, as it is completely adopted. However, this is not a bad thing, on the contrary, I see it as a great advantage, as it retains its practicality and very good workmanship. Even on longer journeys, I didn't feel like I was sitting in a "city car" that should only be used to travel a few miles. Although they say you can't play big with a little buffoon, it's just the opposite with the Toyota Yaris Cross.
The Yaris Cross is also rich in equipment. Although some of the equipment features that follow were previously the preserve of higher-end cars, the equipment options in the Toyota Yaris Cross are literally above standard, and you can find, for example, a heads-up display that nicely complements the digital instrument cluster, a power trunk lid, ambient interior lighting or premium audio from JBL with eight speakers.
But what's sure to please all tech enthusiasts is the all-new Toyota Smart Connect infotainment system, which connects your phone seamlessly and wirelessly via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Since the connection is wirelessly enabled, you can use inductive charging or connect your phone via cable.
The new infotainment system also offers a wide range of online connectivity options, such as cloud-based navigation, over-the-air updating, i.e. remote system updates, and remote access via the MyT mobile app. You can enjoy the infotainment interface to the full thanks to the nine-inch touchscreen display, which offers high resolution. I give Toyota a thumbs up in this regard because it has taken a huge step forward in the infotainment system, which, let's face it, was badly needed.
Safety first
Driving on any road is dangerous, and of course Toyota has thought of that, which is why you'll find a total of seven airbags in the Yaris Cross, an emergency braking system that can detect pedestrians and cyclists, an oncoming car warning system when turning left, adaptive cruise control with lane keeping, automatic high beam switching, traffic sign reading and driver fatigue monitoring. Now, mind you, all of these features are already included in the basic equipment. If you'd like something more, like blind-spot monitoring, alerting you to passing vehicles when parking, or automatic parking assist with a 360-degree camera, you'll have to pay extra.
The Yaris Cross expands the Toyota Yaris family to include the Yaris hatchback and the pure-bred GR Yaris sports variantPhoto: Foto: se souhlasem Alexandry Šnaid
Driving another pleasant surprise
In the Toyota Yaris Cross, the seating position is higher, giving you not only easier entry and exit, but more importantly, a better view of the road. The seating is very comfortable and the steering is pleasant, and as I mentioned, longer journeys are no problem either. You will feel the bigger bumps a bit in this car, but they definitely won't give you a backache. Plus, this little car is very agile on the road and you'll do great on the backroads, but also in the middle of a crowded city. This little mouse will even park in the last available space you have left in the city centre.
I had the opportunity to try out the hybrid version of the engine, which combines a 1.5-litre (116bhp) three-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor and automatic gearbox. The combination of these powertrains works absolutely brilliantly, and although it may not seem like it, there's plenty of power under the bonnet. The Yaris Cross's operation is beautifully quiet and the transitions between the two powertrains are smooth and almost imperceptible. Add to that a consumption in normal operation of around 4 litres per 100 km, and you'll simply love the Toyota Yaris Cross.
For even greater connoisseurs, there's also four-wheel drive, which makes it easy to cope even in more demanding situations, such as driving in snow, mud or water. Ground clearance is 170 mm, so you can take on lighter terrain, but you shouldn't try anything too rough.
Driver's side viewPhoto: Foto: se souhlasem Alexandry Šnaid
A few words in conclusion
The Toyota Yaris Cross may have entered a crowded car segment, but it has to be said that with such a hilarious car, it won't have a problem. Its rich equipment, practicality and convenience, which is further backed up by its excellent ride and efficient hybrid powertrain, will be really tough competition for other automakers.
The base price of the Executive trim model with the 1.5 Hybrid (116hp) engine and e-CVT automatic transmission that I had the opportunity to test starts at £690,000. However, you can get the 1.5 Dynamic Force (125 hp) model with a six-speed manual FWD transmission in Active trim for as little as 435,000 CZK. Such a nice and well-equipped car under 500 000 CZK is a very nice offer.
