Toyota unveils new SUV
A new contender will soon enter the battle for buyers in the growing SUV sector after Toyota revealed the Yaris Cross, which will be available here by the end of 2020.
The marque’s latest model is based on the same 2,560mm platform as the Yaris hatchback but is bigger in almost every other way.
The Yaris Cross is 240mm longer overall, with 60mm added to the front overhang and 180mm to the rear, which helps deliver more interior space. Ground clearance of the new vehicle is 60mm higher and it is taller and wider than the hatch by 90mm and 20mm respectively.
Powering the Yaris Cross is a new 1.5-litre hybrid engine developed from the 2.0 and 2.5-litre systems used by the Corolla, C-HR, RAV4 and Camry.
Toyota says this features a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder Atkinson-cycle petrol engine with a rated thermal efficiency of 40 per cent, which it claims is greater than comparable diesel engines and delivers good fuel economy and low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The marque adds that the front-wheel drive model starts from below 90g/km CO2.
A power back door and an adjustable deck height provide the flexibility of either a secure underfloor compartment or increased trunk space for larger loads.
The Yaris Cross also features the Toyota Safety Sense active safety systems and advanced driver assistance functions, helping to avoid a wide range of common accident risks.
The new model, designed in collaboration by staff in Europe and Japan, is described by Toyota as an “authentic SUV on a smaller scale, giving customers the higher driving position, practicality and interior spaciousness they desire in a car with compact dimensions”.
