We were driving a two-wheeled version of the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid and Style equipment in Greece.
Building an all-encompassing SUV model in the most popular category, Toyota does not hide its ambition to climb the ladder of commercial fame in Europe in the coming years.
In Greece, Toyota has been in the number one position in sales for many years, but the explosive growth of B-SUV sales has put it under the threat of the second largest Peugeot in the Greek market. The most popular category in 2008.
The Yaris Cross came at just the right time — even as simple Yaris sales continued to plummet — further strengthening Toyota's strength. How much, we may appreciate at the end of the test.
First contact with Toyota Yaris Cross
The image of the model clearly reveals its aesthetic, but the placement of the car in its real size often hides surprises: pleasant and unpleasant.
At that Toyota Yaris Cross is one of the delightful people, for the model, despite its designer's apparent tendency to impress with multiple angles, does not exceed the measure and remains modern, elegant and dynamic without causing it.
From an aesthetic point of view, the only "chorus" is the large gap created between the wheels and the dome, especially at the rear (the style version has a rim diameter of 17 inches).
Inside, the images are modern, but not impressive. Everything was in the right place - although for the first time the driver would be anxiously looking for the opening pole. It's in a very ergonomic position, but very deep in the door trim. Lots of places for everyday little things and good equipment.
Dimensions also depend on the Toyota Yaris Cross
Compared to Yaris, the Cross is noticeably larger in every way, so it offers much better space for passengers and luggage. On the other hand, it has a length of 4.18 meters and a width of 1,765, lagging behind several competitors. This fact is also reflected in space. Objectively suitable for four people, they are not allowed to transport the 5th adult, and the legroom for the rear passengers is only available for heights of up to 1.75 - 1.80 meters.
The 397-litre luggage compartment is spacious and well-laid out, while two levels of detachable and detachable flooring offer additional configuration possibilities. A very positive element of the Toyota Yaris Cross – especially for drivers who will take advantage of its off-road capabilities, due to the distance between the floor and the ground of 17 cm – is the available emergency reserve space under the trunk floor. Although the test car only had a tire repair kit.
Everything for safety
With a comprehensive driver assistance system, 7 airbags and a well-designed body structure, the Toyota Yaris Cross easily achieved a top five-star rating in tests by EuroNCAP, an independent european car rating agency.
From the tests we found the sensitivity of the warning system and the automatic braking in the event of a possible accident, but only in the first part, that is, the warning. In all other cases, all systems are functioning normally.
Unimaginably convenient devices
The Style version tested had several pieces of equipment that were basically practical. One of the most important things in everyday life is keyless entry and exit, while automatic air conditioning, wireless charging of mobile phones, automatic lighting operation, wipers and large stairs, as well as reversing cameras and adjustable cruise control, are the most useful.
Add in the ubiquitous LED lights, split folding rear seats, and 4 power windows, and the only thing you'll find missing is the power folding rearview mirrors. In terms of connectivity advantages, they are once again fully loaded, with a screen in the center of the 9-inch dashboard acting as the control center of the Toyota Smart Connect multimedia system. It also supports the service of MyToyota, an app that allows users to always connect to their car online and offers a variety of useful features such as remote route planning.
How fast and economical is the Toyota Yaris Cross?
As an all-hybrid model, the Toyota Yaris Cross uses an atkinson cycle-based combustion engine that achieves approximately 40% thermodynamic efficiency due to an extremely high compression ratio of 14:1, making it the highest in the world of gasoline engines. The engine is assisted by an electric motor, which is connected to the gearbox via an automatic clutch that can transfer motion to the wheels together with or alone with the thermal engine.
The car's lithium-ion battery has a capacity of 4.3 Ah and can be automatically charged when the car is driving or braking, without the need for an external power source. Unlike mild hybrids, the Toyota Yaris Cross has the potential to operate purely electric at speeds of up to 130 km/h, while in the driving mode there is an EV option that does not start the internal combustion engine, only electric. As long as the battery has enough energy.
The system operates fully automatically and transmits 116 hp and 207 Nm of torque to the front wheels via an electronically controlled CVT transmission (i.e. continuous shifting). These figures are great for a car weighing about 1,250 kilograms, but the performance is enough, but not dynamic enough. It takes 11.2 dl. to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, while the top speed is 170 km/h.
At low speeds, the Toyota Yaris Cross accelerates instantaneously quickly, and only when the mileage is high enough, due to the fact that the CVT gearbox allows slippage and motor power reduction, retaliation appears slow, especially if the adequate battery is low.
In any case, the Yaris Cross Hybrid is not impressive by performance, but by the ease, comfort and economy of driving. The first, since the automatic transmission is given, the second is assisted by a properly adjusted suspension and overall low noise, while the third has no competitors. In urban structures, the average consumption is always kept below 5 litres, while with caution it can reach 4.0 litres.
In addition to the EV switch for purely electric operation, the driver can also use two additional non-standard drives: ECO and PWR (power supply). The latter is rarely needed, while the former is suitable for use within the city.
How competitive is the Toyota Yaris Cross?
The Toyota Yaris Cross's overall feeling for the driver is absolutely positive. Like any Toyota, it has no features that require driver adjustments, and even on first contact, you'll feel familiar with the steering wheel. Automatic transmission, wide view, high driving position, whether in the city or outdoors, is a treat. Finally, the fuel economy is unmatched - if we are talking about only the gasoline-consuming models, such as some small Dié SEL, LPG and CNG management offer the same or lower cost per kilometer.
Yaris Cross is not irresistible in the overall image of the space and interior. Also in the field of road behavior without a clear lag, it only provides safe behavior and flexibility. It won't be long, though, for it to gain the public's trust, because from a financial point of view, its positioning is very extreme. Even the hybrid version is difficult to compare with a B-Class SUV with a conventional petrol engine and similar equipment, as it cost 23,660 euros for a test configuration.
The basic Active's equipment version starts at €20,320 and features a hybrid drive system with a 1.5-litre, 125-horsepower petrol engine starting at €17,470. Add to the mix above:
There is no annual fee
It circulates freely in the Ring of Athens
Mechanical parts come with a six-year warranty...
... And the hybrid version with an 11-year battery warranty
Finally, it comes with Toyota's legitimate reputation for reliability, making it immediately understand why Japanese brands expect to fall to the top of the sales charts in 2022.