On the face of it, the Toyota Yaris family is the very picture of conformity, a collection of polite compact cars with global appeal and no desire to rock the boat. The ‘Yaris’ name – apparently derived from the Charites, the Greek goddesses of beauty – has been around since 1999.
From the first generation onwards, the template has remained the same, a compact supermini-style car for markets around the world, with some subtle body variants depending on regional taste (sedans for Asia and South America, hatchbacks for Europe).
Most Yaris customers are either very young or very old, and the basic car exudes a classless pragmatism that is largely missing from today’s brand-driven marketplace.
In the past there’s also been a mini MPV, the Yaris Verso (although admittedly the Japan-market name was better – the Toyota FunCargo), and for those in the know, there’s also the exceptionally good GR Yaris, a cultish high-performance version that shares a family likeness but little else with the stock machine.
This is the Yaris Cross, built in France using the same platform as the regular flavour Yaris. As you can see, it is a tough little cookie, with pumped-up suspension and the black plastic wheel arches and body trim that have become visual shorthand for ‘utility’ and practicality.
Although it obviously rides a little higher than the standard car, the Yaris Cross is precisely the same length, at 4.1m. A hybrid power unit pairs a 3-cylinder engine with a rear-mounted electric motor, and the car benefits from Toyota’s multi-million unit experience of combining battery power with an internal combustion engine, making it extremely efficient and easy to use.
Everything about the Yaris Cross is modest and unassuming. Despite the jacked-up styling, it’s hardly aggressive, with a friendly face and compact dimensions. Much has been written about the validity of driving big SUVs in cities, but smaller crossovers like this make far more sense.
The elevated driving position puts you closer to eye level with cyclists and pedestrians, and the little Yaris is well proportioned without relying on excessively awkward styling elements.
The interior includes a ubiquitous touch screen display but goes the analogue route for heating and ventilation, and there are useful trays and pockets for bits and pieces scattered around the cabin. The steering is light and responsive, with the battery giving a welcome added zip to the acceleration.
At highway speeds, the Cross isn’t quite as smooth and silent as an EV equivalent, but it is comfortable, well-equipped, and perfectly capable of serving as an effective long-distance machine as well as a runaround.
Car use is changing fast. Compact hybrids are still a compelling proposition for a small(ish) car, even if the tech is relatively complex. And being a Toyota, one expects the Yaris Cross will last forever.
In fact, we suspect that when the curtains finally come down on the combustion engine’s access to major city centres, the Yaris Cross will still be going strong, even if it no longer has an urban environment to play in.
INFORMATION
Toyota Yaris Cross, from £28,950
-
Fluid workspaces: is the era of prescriptive office design over?We discuss evolving workspaces and track the shape-shifting interiors of the 21st century. If options are what we’re after in office design, it looks like we’ve got them
-
This collection of slow furniture is a powerful ode to timeA serene exhibition of David Dolcini's 'Time-made' collection has fast-tracked its place into our hearts and homes
-
Is the Pragma P1 the most sustainable watch yet?Geneva-based brand Pragma combines industrial design with real sustainable credentials
-
Why the Toyota Prius is the stealthiest and most discreet automotive choice you can makeThe billions that Toyota poured into hybrid development has paid off. We sample the stylish fifth-generation Prius and reckon it’s the best yet
-
Quirky but quotidian, Toyota’s C-HR has brave looks but is a risk-free propositionToyota’s oddball C-HR might have concept car looks, but it’s still a rigorously engineered machine for those who like their cars to be solid, safe and reliable
-
Toyota bz4X SUV is the marque’s first pure electric vehicleThe Toyota bz4X is our first chance to explore how the long-standing masters of mass automobile production make an EV
-
ICON celebrates 500 custom Land Cruisers with epic 1964 New School EditionLos Angeles-based ICON transforms classic off-roaders into paragons of contemporary style and performance. This is the 500th Land Cruiser the workshop has completed
-
Lexus LM wants you to have the back-seat ride of your lifeThe back of the Lexus LM has the space, grace and accoutrements to rival a Rolls-Royce. Can this upscale minivan reinvent the luxury car?
-
ICON transforms the humble Chevrolet Suburban into a minimalist monsterThe 1970 Reformer by ICON is low-riding reinterpretation of an old-school crossover, blending extreme custom performance with Miesian minimalism
-
The debut Japan Mobility Show saw the country’s carmakers preview the near futureThe 2023 Japan Mobility Show offered up a vast array of futuristic transportation, from concept sports cars to autonomous taxis, and eVTOL aircraft
-
Toyota and Jun Takahashi create a limited edition Aygo XToyota Aygo X Undercover edition is a city car spliced with a high-end streetwear brand
