Toyota Yaris Cross Review (2021-present)

What is the Toyota Yaris Cross?

They’re spreading like wildfire, these small SUVs. Barely a week goes by when another doesn’t arrive on the market, and it's no wonder. They combine the town-friendly footprint of a small hatchback with enough interior space for a young family, as well as a tall seating position that makes it easy to see out, and to climb in.

The Toyota Yaris Cross is no different. As its name suggests (Cross signifies not that it’s particularly angry, but that it’s a crossover) this is a jacked-up version of the ever-popular Yaris hatchback, and that means it’s the latest entrant into this hotly contested part of the market. It therefore goes up against not only our current pick of the bunch – the Ford Puma – but also popular rivals such as the Peugeot 2008, the Nissan Juke and the Renault Captur.

Next to the competition, the Yaris Cross certainly looks the part, with chunky, fresh styling, and inside it’s no different. The interior is very similar if not identical to the Yaris hatchback’s, and that means it’s built from high-quality plastics and well screwed together, if a little dour. The infotainment system, meanwhile, works well enough, but isn't quite as good as the best.

How practical is it?

Back seat space could be more generous, but there is more room than you'll find in the rear of a Peugeot 2008. Toyota has managed to cram in a very respectable 397 litres of boot space, which isn’t quite as much as you’ll find in a Ford Puma, but not far off a Renault Captur, and the Captur needs its sliding rear seat to be in the forward-most position - minimising rear-seat legroom - in order to achieve this.

There are no such sliding seats in the Yaris Cross, but the rear seats fold down individually on all but the entry-level model. More expensive Yaris Crosses gain a rather smart false floor in the boot, which can be set at the height of the boot lip to make it easier to slide in heavier items (and in this position, it sits flush with the rear seat backs when they’re folded down).

Unusually, this boot floor is actually split in two along the same line as the rear seats, which means you can choose to have one side in the higher position and one in the lower position, which is useful if you want to carry one or two taller items as well as some longer ones.

What's it like to drive?

Where most of its rivals come with a choice of petrol or diesel engines, the Yaris Cross is only available with a traditional (also known as ‘self-charging’) hybrid powertrain. As you might expect, it’s the same one that can be found in the Yaris on which it’s based, and that means it gets a 1.5-litre petrol engine allied to that all-important electric motor and battery.

This pairing drives the front wheels through a CVT, or continuously variable transmission, which acts just like a normal automatic gearbox. This 114bhp powertrain was the only one available for the first few years of the car's life: not exactly a surfeit of power, but enough for the job. It can get a bit loud if you push it hard, but for the most part, the Yaris Cross is tranquil enough, and when it’s running on electric power alone - usually if you’re trickling along in traffic or coasting down a hill - the petrol engine falls silent.

In 2024, a range update saw low-end versions of the Yaris Cross stick with this engine, while high-end GR Sport and Premiere Edition models were given an upgraded version of the same powertrain with 128bhp. It trims half a second off the car's 0-62mph time, but in reality, you'll not notice the modest hike in power (all of which comes from the electric motor rather than the petrol engine) in everyday driving.

Engine aside, to drive the Yaris Cross feels much like the standard Yaris supermini. You get the same slightly firm ride quality; it’s comfortable enough, but you might wince occasionally as the wheels crash into deeper, harsher potholes. And you get the same precise and direct - if slightly remote - steering.

That said, there is a little bit more body lean to contend with, which should come as no surprise, really, given the Yaris Cross’s extra height. So while it’s pleasant enough to tool around in, don’t expect it to be as engaging as a Ford Puma.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

There are four different models to choose from in the Yaris Cross range. Even the entry-level Icon is well equipped, mind you, with adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera and a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto all coming as standard. Upgrade to the Design, and you get bigger alloy wheels, 40/20/40 split-fold rear seats, LED lights all round and ambient lighting inside.

From there, you can opt either for the Dynamic model - later renamed GR Sport - with black design accents and a beefier bodykit, or the Excel, with front- and rear parking sensors, a heated steering wheel and a powered boot lid. Both of these top models get heated front seats, dual-zone climate control and that clever split adjustable boot floor.

In terms of infotainment, early Icon and Design cars had an 8.0-inch central touchscreen, while equivalent Excel, Dynamic and GR Sport cars got a bigger 9.0-inch screen. An update in 2024 switched the Icon's 8.0-inch screen for a 9.0-inch item, while the rest of the range got a bigger 10.5-inch screen with navigation. To deliver all the driving information you need, Icon and Design cars have a 7.0-inch combimeter readout, while higher-spec Excel, GR Sport and Premiere Edition cars were given a larger 12.3-inch digital readout.

Toyota Yaris Cross running costs

Depending on your driving style, you should see somewhere between 55- and 60 mpg in everyday use from the Yaris Cross. Your final figure will depend on whether you drive mostly in town or on the motorway, because urban driving benefits hybrid systems like this, as it allows for lots of regenerative braking, which in turn means the battery is charged regularly and the electric motor can help out more.

The all-wheel-drive model will be a touch less efficient, as that battery has to feed two electric motors rather than just one, but there’s less of a weight penalty than with conventional four-wheel-drive systems, so fuel economy shouldn’t drop too much: 50-55mpg should be easily achievable.

Servicing costs are reasonable at Toyota dealers, too, being slightly pricier than those of Ford or Vauxhall dealers, but lower than you’ll find at upmarket brands such as BMW and Mercedes. One word of caution, though: if you’re planning to have your Yaris Cross serviced at an independent garage, some might be less well versed in its hybrid technology than others, so you might want to shop around.

One thing you won’t have to factor in, however, is the cost of a timing belt change. That’s because the Yaris Cross’s engine uses a metal timing chain that should last the lifetime of the car, instead of a rubber belt that requires changing at great cost every few years.

Toyota Yaris Cross reliability

Anyone who buys a Yaris Cross should have very little to worry about from a reliability standpoint. Toyota has one of the best reputations in this area of any car manufacturer, a fact echoed by the fact that the firm finished second overall out of 32 carmakers included in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey. And they only firm to beat it? Lexus, which is essentially the same company.

The Yaris Cross played its part in this standout performance, too, finishing a very creditable 5th out of 22 cars considered in the Small SUV class.

Toyota also offers one of the best warranty packages in the business, with a maximum of 10 years and 100,000 miles of cover, on the condition that you keep the car serviced at Toyota dealerships. That’s the longest warranty available on the UK new car market.

There’s only one thing to keep in mind, and it isn’t so much a reliability issue than a security one. Like all hybrids, the Yaris Cross will be a prime target for catalytic converter theft, a crime that’s become more prevalent in recent years.