Toyota Yaris Cross gets fresh styling and drops entry-level hybrid engine
New looks and revised engines are in store for the updated Yaris Cross arriving later this year...
On sale Autumn 2026 Price from £28,000 (est)
The Toyota Yaris Cross small SUV has undergone a mini facelift, bringing a new look and rejigged engine lineup to keep it fresh against rivals.
Perhaps the most obvious change to the Yaris Cross is its brand new front grille, which drops the old, more traditional styling in favour of a new honeycomb look. It’s flanked by new LED headlights with C-shaped daytime running lights, bringing it in line with stablemates like the Toyota Aygo X and Prius.
Inside, the sports seats that were previously exclusive to Excel trim are now featured on Design trim too – which is one grade below. Design trim also gains new ambient lighting and a wireless phone charger.
All versions of the Yaris Cross now benefit from automatic power-folding door mirrors as standard, while Excel models get a new powered tailgate.
Toyota has also dropped the entry-level 114bhp hybrid power option available in the Yaris Cross, meaning the 129bhp option is the only engine available in each version. It combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor, and comes in both front-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive forms, depending on the trim level you opt for.
Front-wheel-drive variants can sprint from 0-62mph in 10.7sec. That’s not quite as quick as hybrid small SUV rivals like the Nissan Juke or Renault Captur E-Tech. Four-wheel-drive variants – available on Excel trim and above – are slightly slower, at 11.3sec.
The new Yaris Cross will arrive in autumn. Prices haven’t yet been revealed, but we’d expect them to start at a slight premium compared with the current car. For reference, an entry-level Yaris Cross Icon currently starts at £27,295 with the outgoing hybrid engine. Presuming prices for the new models will start at around £28,000, the Yaris Cross will be priced in line with automatic versions of the Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen T-Cross.
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