Toyota's Yaris-based SUV revealed
Friday, 24 April 2020
Toyota has revealed its much-awaited small SUV based on the Yaris - the Yaris Cross - and despite reports that it had been delayed until 2021, Toyota New Zealand says it hopes to have it here before the end of this year.
Slotting in the Toyota line up under the C-HR, the Yaris Cross sits on the same TNGA-B architecture as the all new Yaris, but is larger in almost every dimension than the small hatch it shares its name with.
The Yaris Cross has the same 2,560mm wheelbase as the Yaris hatch, but is 240mm longer overall, with 60mm added to the front overhang and 180mm to the rear, ensuring more interior space. The ground clearance is 60mm higher and the Yaris Cross is 90mm taller and 20m wider overall.
The Yaris and Yaris Cross are the first models to use Toyota's new 1.5-litre hybrid system that has been developed directly from the 2.0 and 2.5-litre hybrid powertrain used in the Corolla, C-HR, RAV4 and Camry.
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This features a new 1.5-litre, three-cylinder Atkinson-cycle petrol engine, that Toyota claims has a rated thermal efficiency of 40 per cent, which it says is greater than comparable diesel engines and ensures good fuel economy and low CO2 emissions.
Toyota says that the FWD Yaris Cross will produce less than 90g of CO2 per kilometre and the powertrain will produce 87kW of power. In the Yaris hatch it sips fuel at just 3.3 litres per 100km, so expect similar frugality from the Cross.
Toyota says that 'special attention has been given to practicality and versatility' in the Yaris Cross and that it will feature a powered tailgate, an adjustable deck height in the boot to allow for either a secure underfloor compartment or increased space for larger loads.
The Yaris Cross will be available with Toyota Safety Sense active safety systems and advanced driver assistance functions, that includes a range of driver information, early warnings and, when necessary, automatic braking and steering intervention.
Toyota says the design process of Yaris Cross brought together a wide team from studios in both Europe and Japan.
'When we started this process, we understood that whilst style is the number one purchase reason in the B-SUV segment, customers were also keen to have a high level of practicality. Not easy things to reconcile, especially in a compact package,' said Lance Scott, design general manager at Toyota's EDD studio in Nice, France.
'We went out and interviewed real customers to understand their lifestyle, what they liked, what their daily activities were and how they enjoyed themselves. After an enjoyable and enlightening process, we came back enthusiastic to design a car that would mirror their personality and deliver a vibrant combination of being both sophisticated and energetic.'
Toyota New Zealand expects to introduce the Yaris Cross locally towards the end of this year, with specification and pricing announced near launch.