Test: Toyota Yaris Cross

Secretly, Toyota was there very early with the Urban Cruiser. Long before the Capturs, 2008s, Crosslands and T-Crossen managed to seduce the buyer to exchange the traditional hatchback for something with a high seat, the Japanese already had such a compact crossover in the range. Perhaps the model was even a little too far ahead of its time, because it was not a sales hit. Reason enough to pull the plug, just as other manufacturers were pouring into the segment. We are now roughly seven years and a car generation further and Toyota returns with the Yaris Cross. It does not have the luxury of an empty playing field like its predecessor and, for example, encounters the popular Renault Captur on its way.
The experience that the Japanese group has in the hybrid area pays off in the Yaris Cross with a fuel consumption of exactly 1 in 20. That is a decent value for a high B-segment car, where the Toyota seems to be less thirsty, especially in the city. . In addition, the design, in which a 91 hp 1.5-liter three-cylinder in a planetary gear system works together with two electric motors. The advantage is that everything goes seamlessly. Switching on and off the three-cylinder is without vibrations and there is never an interruption in the driving power. The only real criticism is that the 116 horsepower drivetrain has to work hard to get going in the Yaris Cross. The 1.5-liter three-cylinder you regularly hear a long monotonous rumble and then it is not really fast. A touch of Toyota hybrid old style, which we are not used to since the Corolla 2.0 Hybrid and RAV4 Hybrid.

TNGA platform

Fortunately, the Yaris’ undercarriage is very similar to that of its recent stable mates. The Toyota New Generation Architecture platform has proven itself when it comes to entertaining yet harmonious handling. Of course, the Cross is less flat on the road than the regular Yaris, but there remains sufficient maneuverability and grip. Certainly for a crossover there is little role in the carriage and despite the eco tires you will not unintentionally cross the border. At the same time, the Cross springs more smoothly than the hatchback, which translates into more comfort and the Yaris could use that. The overall picture therefore makes a good impression.
The interior of Yaris Cross is not all that frivolous. It all looks quite businesslike, but on the other hand it all feels very solid. The same applies to the multimedia system. It doesn’t look particularly flashy and the options are relatively limited, but it has what you need and at least you’re never lost. The handy head-up display, which is neatly projected into the windscreen, deserves special mention and we rarely see that in this segment.

bizarre price

The space offer is not really over. An adult is somewhat built-in in the rear with less good view out and there is no sliding rear seat. With that we immediately have one of the few things that is not there. Furthermore, just about everything we could think of is on it. Two-tone metallic paint, an electrically operated tailgate, leather upholstery, heated steering wheel, the Launch Edition has it all on board as standard. That softens the rather bizarre price of €37,895 somewhat. Incidentally, every Yaris Cross comes standard with the extensive Toyota Safety Sense, which contains almost all active safety systems, with the exception of a blind spot sensor. That does not alter the fact that more than 35 grand for a raised B-segmenter is a bit of a shock. Especially for those who last bought a new car in this segment at the time of the Urban Cruiser…