Item: Toyota Yaris Cross
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The Yaris Cross isn’t the fastest small SUV out there, but its hybrid technology makes it one of the most efficient. Besides, the electric motor does make the Yaris Cross quick off the line and the engine has enough grunt to accelerate you up to motorway speeds, albeit with plenty of accompanying noise. Unlike many rivals, Toyota offers the option of four-wheel drive on the top trims.

1.5 Hybrid

Estate

Toyota is a company undergoing a quiet revolution, as it works hard to replace its sensible but somewhat bland reputation with one for being a bit more daring, in areas such as the styling of its cars and its enthusiastic leadership of cutting-edge technology, such as hybrid systems.

That process seems to be working for buyers, with the hugely popular and striking-looking C-HR SUV in particular attracting a great deal of interest. The latest version of the hybrid Prius is also rated highly by What Car?; it’s the first Prius to go on sale that our testers have felt can truly compete all round with existing petrol or diesel rivals.

However, it’s worth noting that this period of transition is also a work in progress, and that many of the firm’s cars are still rated as being no more than average among class rivals by our testers.

TOYOTA

YARIS CROSS

Even entry-level Icon trim comes well equipped, making it our pick of the range. Standard kit includes 16in alloy wheels, an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring, keyless entry and start, a reversing camera, climate control, adaptive cruise control, and automatically dipping headlights.

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1.5 Hybrid Icon 5dr CVT

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

As a cash purchase, the entry-level Toyota Yaris Cross Icon comes in at about the same price as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/puma/hatchback/review/n20838">Ford Puma</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;entry-level Titanium trim. That makes it more expensive than a similarly powerful <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kamiq/hatchback/review/n19999">Skoda Kamiq</a> SE 1.0 TSI 110, but cheaper than a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n20444">Volkswagen&nbsp;T-Roc</a> Active.

The Yaris Cross promises to be much cheaper to run than those rivals, though, particularly for company car drivers. The hybrid system keeps CO2 emissions as low as 100g/km, reducing the benefit-in-kind (BIK) <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/check-your-company-car-tax-rate/n1255">car tax rate</a>.

CO2 emissions rise as you head up the trim levels, but even with four-wheel drive&nbsp;they&nbsp;remain lower than those of the front-wheel-drive Puma 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV 125.

Our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/truempg/mpg-calculator">True MPG</a> fuel economy tests on the front-wheel-drive Yaris Cross led to a real-world average of 60.1mpg, which makes it one of the most economical cars we’ve tested. It also averaged an incredible 103.3mpg on our simulated town route, making it a fantastic choice if you live in a&nbsp;city. For reference, you’d be lucky to see more than 40mpg from a 1.0-litre Puma or Kamiq.

In terms of available trims, we’d go for entry-level Icon spec because it keeps costs down but still gets plenty of kit as standard. That kit includes 16in alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, a reversing camera, climate control, adaptive cruise control, auto headlights and the 8.0in infotainment touchscreen.&nbsp;

If you want to spend a little extra, stepping up to Design trim nets you some genuinely useful features such as LED headlights, roof rails&nbsp;and 40/20/40 split rear seatbacks, while mid-level Excel gets luxuries such as heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and dual-zone climate control. Dynamic and Premiere Edition cars get even more goodies but are too expensive to recommend.

The Yaris Cross is too new to have featured in our 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2021-what-car-reliability-survey-brands/n23418">What Car? Reliability Survey</a>&nbsp;but Toyota&nbsp;placed an impressive joint fifth out of 30 manufacturers in the brand table. That’s above Skoda, which finished 12th, and way ahead of Volkswagen and Ford, which came 20th and joint 27th respectively.

You also get&nbsp;a three-year manufacturer warranty, which can be extended with regular servicing at a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/toyota">Toyota</a> dealer. Every Toyota service includes a 12 months warranty, up to 100,000 miles or 10 years, whichever comes first.

In terms of safety, you get the Safety Sense package as standard on all trim levels. It includes driver assistance systems&nbsp;such as&nbsp;automatic city braking technology <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">(AEB)</a>, adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam assist, lane-keeping assistance and road sign display.

Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are optional on the Dynamic and Premiere Edition trims (part of the City Pack) and standard on Excel.

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The Toyota Yaris Cross is available only as a hybrid&nbsp;with one engine option: a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol that works with an electric motor to improve performance and efficiency.

It's&nbsp;not the quickest&nbsp;small SUV&nbsp;out there. Indeed, the Yaris Cross’s 0-62mph time of 11.2sec (11.8sec with optional four-wheel drive)&nbsp;makes it&nbsp;slower than any <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/puma/hatchback/review/n20838">Ford Puma</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kamiq/hatchback/review/n19999">Skoda Kamiq</a>. It's lively enough&nbsp;to accelerate up to motorway speeds without any bother, though.&nbsp;

The motor gives it plenty of shove off the line, and the Yaris Cross will&nbsp;run solely on electric power around town if you're gentle with the accelerator. That makes it quieter than its petrol-only rivals, and indeed easier on fuel, although we’ll talk more about that later.

Sadly, when the petrol engine chimes in, the Yaris Cross gets a lot noisier.&nbsp;That’s down to the standard <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/automatic-gearboxes-everything-you-need-to-know/n17022">CVT automatic gearbox</a>, which is responsive but holds the revs near the redline if you’re accelerating or climbing a hill.

Things settle down again once you're up to speed. Plus, the&nbsp;Yaris Cross manages to minimise wind noise well, although you’ll notice a fair amount of road noise emanating from the tyres. If you’re looking for a quiet motorway cruiser, you should look at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n17376">Volkswagen&nbsp;T-Roc</a>&nbsp;instead.

The majority of models in the Yaris Cross range are&nbsp;front-wheel drive, but the higher trims (Dynamic and Premiere Edition) offer four-wheel drive. That’s rare in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/small-suv">small SUV category</a>&nbsp;and makes the Yaris Cross more capable on muddy trails and slippery fields, although it's no <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/n17251">Toyota Land Cruiser</a>&nbsp;so don’t expect it to climb&nbsp;mountains.&nbsp;

What about the ride? Well, the Yaris Cross is&nbsp;firmer than the Kamiq and T-Roc, with a bit more fidget on motorways and a tendency to thump if you hit a pothole, but&nbsp;it’s never uncomfortable. The cars we’ve tried so far were fitted with 17in alloy wheels, and we would expect the entry-level Icon trim, which comes&nbsp;with 16in wheels, to&nbsp;ride&nbsp;more smoothly.&nbsp;

The advantage of stiffer suspension is tidy body control. Combined with decent grip and the sense of connection you get through its accurate steering, the Yaris Cross is quite fun to drive, although the Puma continues to set the standard in this area, while also offering a slightly more supple ride.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

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1.5 Hybrid Dynamic

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The Toyota Yaris Cross is a&nbsp;mix of two things that the Japanese manufacturer does well – small hybrid cars and SUVs – so in theory it should be good.

At first glance, with its compact size, ability to&nbsp;run&nbsp;solely on electric power&nbsp;at low speeds and&nbsp;optional four-wheel drive, it does indeed&nbsp;look&nbsp;as though it lives up to the ‘authentic urban adventurer’ tag that Toyota’s marketers have attributed to it.

It's&nbsp;longer and wider than the standard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/yaris/hatchback/review/n31">Toyota Yaris</a>&nbsp;hatchback it’s based on. In fact, it's roughly the same size as the rival&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/juke/hatchback/review/n45">Nissan Juke</a>&nbsp;and, like that car, offers the sort of raised driving position that's important to many potential SUV buyers.

This isn't the first time <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/toyota">Toyota</a> has competed in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/small-suv">small SUV category</a>. Early versions of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/rav4/4x4/review/n130">Toyota RAV4</a> were available in compact, three-door form, and more recently we were offered the short-lived Urban Cruiser.

There is a lot more competition in the class now, though. In addition to the Juke, rivals include the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/puma/hatchback/review/n20838">Ford Puma</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kamiq/hatchback/review/n19999">Skoda Kamiq</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n17376">Volkswagen T-Roc</a>. So, does the Yaris Cross have what it takes to stand out among the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-small-suvs-2022/n17050">best small SUVs</a>?

Well, over the next few pages we'll answer that question. We'll&nbsp;look at how it stacks up in important areas including&nbsp;performance, practicality, efficiency, safety and running costs. We'll also let&nbsp;you know which versions of the Toyota Yaris Cross&nbsp;make the most sense.

Finally, when you've decided&nbsp;which make and model of car is for you, don't forget you can use our free&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a>&nbsp;to get a great discount without any of the usual awkward haggling. It's a great place to look for some of the best&nbsp;new <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/toyota/yaris-cross/estate/deals">Toyota Yaris Cross deals</a>.

If you’re a fan of the high&nbsp;driving position that you get with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-large-suvs-2021/n17006">large&nbsp;SUVs</a>, you’ll be impressed by the Toyota&nbsp;Yaris Cross’s lofty feel. You sit much higher up than you do in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kamiq/hatchback/review/n19999">Skoda Kamiq</a>. You won’t struggle with forward visibility because that raised seating position is combined with&nbsp;thin windscreen pillars.

Seeing out of the back is a different story&nbsp;because the rear pillars&nbsp;are quite a bit chunkier than&nbsp;the Kamiq's. Thankfully, every version comes with&nbsp;a standard issue rear-view camera, while&nbsp;Excel trim adds front and rear parking sensors.

Getting comfortable in the Yaris Cross is easy. All versions feature plenty of manual adjustment to the steering wheel and driver’s seat. The only demerit is that you don’t get adjustable lumbar support unless you go for mid-spec Excel trim or higher.

The cheaper Icon and Design models&nbsp;both come with an 8.0in touchscreen infotainment system,&nbsp;while going for one of the pricier alternatives&nbsp;upgrades the screen to 9.0in and adds built-in sat-nav.

It's worth noting, though,&nbsp;that the smaller screen&nbsp;has a couple of physical buttons to make navigating the core menus a little easier, so it's the less&nbsp;distracting of the two to use while you're driving.&nbsp;

Whichever infotainment screen&nbsp;you end up with, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/toyota">Toyota</a> operating system is rather clunky. Fortunately,&nbsp;you can bypass it&nbsp;by mirroring a cut-down version of your smartphone's display&nbsp;on to the touchscreen using&nbsp;Apple CarPlay&nbsp;or&nbsp;Android Auto, both of which are&nbsp;standard across the range.

Everything else in the interior is laid out in a sensible way, and you get physical controls for the standard climate control, making it a doddle to operate on the move.&nbsp;Everything feels sturdily screwed together, but the interior lacks&nbsp;the upmarket feel you get in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/nissan/juke/hatchback/review/n45">Nissan Juke</a>&nbsp;– let alone the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/countryman/hatchback/review/n71">Mini Countryman</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A super-efficient small SUV that's also well equipped and enjoyable&nbsp;to drive

There's plenty of space in the front of the&nbsp; Toyota Yaris Cross, including sufficient head room for those over six feet tall.&nbsp;

Front storage space includes&nbsp;two cupholders, a tray in front of the gear selector&nbsp;for your wallet and keys, and another one under the infotainment screen for your phone. The cubbies&nbsp;in each door are quite small,&nbsp;taking a bottle of water and not much else.

A couple of six-footers will fit in the back,&nbsp;but they'll be much more comfortable in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/kamiq/hatchback/review/n19999">Skoda Kamiq</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/t-roc/hatchback/review/n17376">Volkswagen T-Roc</a>. It's also worth noting that the rear door openings are small, which can make it tricky to squeeze in&nbsp;a child seat&nbsp;or for less agile people to climb aboard.

Unlike most of its rivals, the Yaris Cross comes with 40/20/40-split folding rear seatbacks in all but entry-level trim. The slightly more expensive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/countryman/hatchback/review/n71">Mini Countryman</a>&nbsp;has the same, but the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/puma/hatchback/review/n20838">Ford Puma</a> and most other rivals&nbsp;have&nbsp;a less versatile 60/40 split.&nbsp;

Boot space is pretty good, matching the Kamiq’s capacity of 400 litres. In real-world terms, that means it should be big enough to swallow seven carry-on sized suitcases, a buggy or a good bulk buy at the cash and carry. The Puma’s boot is even bigger, though.

To make loading larger items easier, the Yaris Cross comes with a handy two-piece height-adjustable boot floor that helps to reduce the loading lip. In fact, when it's in&nbsp;its highest setting, there's virtually no lip at all.

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Design trim builds on the generous equipment of entry-level Icon by upgrading the alloy wheels to 17in and adding LED headlights, privacy glass, roof rails, and 40/20/40 split rear seatbacks.

Design

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Sitting between the Design and Excel trims, Dynamic gives you 18in alloy wheels, a 9.0in touchscreen infotainment system, heated front seats, electronically-adjustable lumbar support, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, dual-zone air conditioning and a stylish contrasting black roof. The optional four-wheel drive system can also be specced with Dynamic trim. 

Dynamic

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Opting for the Excel trim gets you luxurious kit such as a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, electronically-adjustable lumbar support, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, a kick-activated tailgate, dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring and the upgraded 9.0in touchscreen infotainment system with built-in sat-nav.

Excel

excel

The Toyota Yaris Cross makes a strong case for itself against the crowd of small SUVs, especially if your top priorities are low running costs and reliability. That said, the Ford Puma still looks like the better overall option, offering a more enjoyable driving experience and superior practicality.

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Running costs that won’t break the bank </li> <li>Generous kit</li> <li>Pokey engine and tidy handling</li> <li>Spacious interior</li> <li>Boot big enough to cope with family life</li></ul>

The car-buying public has fallen in love with small SUVs, or crossovers as they’re often called, with thousands turning away from conventional hatchbacks in favour of something that rides that little bit higher.

The original baby SUV is the Nissan Juke, which remains a popular choice, but there are plenty of better rivals to consider instead. We’d recommend you look at either the Ford Puma or Skoda Kamiq, because they offer&nbsp;a great blend of practicality and value that keeps them&nbsp;clear of the opposition. Equally, if you’ve got more money to spend, the Audi Q2 and Volkswagen T-Roc&nbsp;are both fine choices.&nbsp;

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Toyota Yaris Cross review

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Read review covering Toyota Yaris Cross boot space, size and dimensions, front and rear seat comfort by the expert What Car? test team.

There's plenty of space in the front of the  Toyota Yaris Cross, including sufficient head room for those over six feet tall. ,Front storage space includes two cupholders, a tray in front of the gear selector for your wallet and keys, and another one under the infotainment screen for your phone. The cubbies in each door are quite small, taking a bottle of water and not much else.,A couple of six-footers will fit in the back, but they'll be much more comfortable in the Skoda Kamiq or Volkswagen T-Roc. It's also worth noting that the rear door openings are small, which can make it tricky to squeeze in a child seat or for less agile people to climb aboard.Unlike most of its rivals, the Yaris Cross comes with 40/20/40-split folding rear seatbacks in all but entry-level trim. The slightly more expensive Mini Countryman has the same, but the Ford Puma and most other rivals have a less versatile 60/40 split. Boot space is pretty good, matching the Kamiq’s capacity of 400 litres. In real-world terms, that means it should be big enough to swallow seven carry-on sized suitcases, a buggy or a good bulk buy at the cash and carry. The Puma’s boot is even bigger, though.,To make loading larger items easier, the Yaris Cross comes with a handy two-piece height-adjustable boot floor that helps to reduce the loading lip. In fact, when it's in its highest setting, there's virtually no lip at all.,

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