Toyota Yaris Cross Review & Prices

The Toyota Yaris is a great small car, but if the little hatchback isn’t quite butch enough for you then check out the Toyota Yaris Cross. You can think of it as a regular Yaris which has been going hard at the gym, and the result is a car with all the same good traits of its smaller stablemate - just with a taller ride height and a bit of added length for more interior space.

The resulting small SUV is so good in fact it earned highly commended status in the Urban Living category at the Carwow Car Of The Year Awards 2024.

The list of Yaris Cross alternatives is seemingly endless. You have cars such as the Peugeot 2008, Ford Puma, Renault Captur and Skoda Kamiq to choose from, so the Yaris Cross has a lot of work to do if it wants to stand out.

It’s off to a good start thanks to the distinctive styling. It’s clearly related to the smaller Yaris hatchback, especially from the rear, but the jacked-up ride height and chunky black cladding around the bumpers give it added visual appeal. It’s a bit more rufty-tufty than the standard Yaris, making it a good-looking little SUV.

It’s not quite so funky-looking when you step inside though. The interior looks smart enough, however it’s a bit dark and dingy - a Peugeot 2008 has a more exciting cabin. On the plus side, there are plenty of soft-touch plastics and everything feels very solidly put together.

There’s ample space to get comfortable as well. You can’t get electrically-adjustable seats, but it’s still easy to find your ideal driving position. Space in the back is decent for a small car, offering more room than a Vauxhall Mokka but not quite as much as the cavernous Skoda Kamiq.

You get up to 397 litres of boot space with the rear seats in place, meaning it’s a similar story to the rear seats in that it’s bigger than a Mokka but smaller than a Kamiq. Still, a low load lip and flat floor make it easy to haul heavy luggage in, and the adjustable false floor adds a level of versatility as well.

You also get a good level of safety and assistance features across the range. Adaptive cruise control is standard, as is autonomous emergency braking and lane keep assist. All-round parking sensors are available optionally as part of a pack, and so is blind-spot monitoring.

What about engines? Well the Yaris Cross used to only be available with a 1.5-litre petrol hybrid developing 116hp, however Toyota recently added a 130hp version to the lineup. Performance isn’t exactly brisk regardless of which one you go for, but a boost from the electric motor off the line makes the Yaris Cross great for nipping around town. It’s also exceptionally fuel efficient because it can run at low speeds in EV-only mode - 60mpg is easily achievable in either model.

Lightweight, accurate steering and good visibility make it a very easy car to trundle about town in, but a firm low-speed ride can make for a bit of jostling and fidgeting over rougher patches of road. It’s certainly comfier at open road speeds, and the cabin remains nicely hushed.

It grips well through corners too, and doesn’t roll about too much at all when you press on a bit. You wouldn’t call it a particularly fun car to drive, but then entertainment value isn’t really what these sorts of cars are all about anyway. Instead, the Yaris Cross focuses on being a handsome, reasonably practical, easy-driving and extremely economical small SUV.

Prices start from just above £25,500, so if you like what you’ve read above, head on over to our Toyota Yaris Cross deals to see how much money you can save through Carwow. You can also check out the latest used Yaris Cross models and other used Toyotas – and change your car completely with Carwow's Sell My Car service.

You’re not short on alternatives if you’re shopping for a small SUV. The Yaris Cross comes in at a slightly higher price point than the Ford Puma, Renault Captur and Vauxhall Mokka, but the Toyota has an ace up its sleeve. 

What helps the Yaris Cross stand out is its hybrid engine and generous standard equipment. All cars come with toys such as adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, automatic climate control and an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Add in the fact that this is one of the few small SUVs out there offered with all-wheel drive and the Yaris Cross makes a strong case for itself.

The Yaris Cross is nippy around town and very fuel efficient, but it’s fidgety over bumps.

In town

Being a high-riding hatchback the Toyota Yaris Cross is ideal for city driving. You get a more commanding view of the road than the Yaris Hybrid, yet it’s still compact enough to squeeze into tight parking spaces and down narrow streets.

It’s also only available as a hybrid with a CVT automatic gearbox, which makes for smooth and nippy performance thanks to the electric motor which gives you a boost off the line. You can also drive at low speeds in EV mode to save fuel, and up to 60mpg is easily achievable.

All models come standard with autonomous emergency braking which will detect cyclists and pedestrians in your path, and you get a reversing camera as well to make tight car parks a bit less stressful. A 360-degree camera can also be optioned on top-spec models.

If the roads around your local town are a bit broken and potholed then you might find the Yaris Cross can be a bit firm, however it’s never uncomfortable.

On the motorway

If you find yourself regularly venturing out onto the motorway then the 130hp model may be worth considering over the standard 116hp version. It’s still not especially rapid, however the extra power can prove useful when overtaking. Beyond this, the Yaris Cross is very well-mannered as you push on down a fast-moving road.

A recent update brings improved sound insulation, meaning wind and road noise is fairly unintrusive. It’s certainly no worse than you’ll get on a Volkswagen T-Cross. The engine can get noisy if you call upon all the available horses under the bonnet, however.

The Yaris Cross gets both adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist as standard, something which isn’t too common in this class and a very welcome addition. The seats are comfortable as well, providing plenty of support to keep the backache at bay.

On a twisty road

While the Yaris Cross won’t get your pulse racing on a B-road, the firm suspension limits body roll through the corners and the steering is accurate enough to inspire confidence. If it’s fun you’re after, consider a Ford Puma instead - but the little Toyota is perfectly competent.

That firm suspension does come with a drawback, and that’s the fact it can get unsettled by broken or undulating roads. A Skoda Kamiq maintains its composure a bit better.

The Yaris Cross will seat four adults in comfort, but fitting a child seat can be a pain thanks to the narrow door openings

The Toyota Yaris Cross’s interior is broadly the same as the Yaris hatchback, meaning it offers plenty of space up front to get comfortable. There may be no option of electrically-adjustable seats, but they still offer plenty of adjustment to suit drivers of all shapes and sizes.

Go for one of the higher-spec models and you get heated front seats and a heated steering wheel to stay toasty on cold winter mornings, and all but the entry-level car get adjustable lumbar support.

As for storage space for your bits and bobs, it’s pretty average. The door bins are decent and will take a big bottle with ease and there are a couple of cupholders in the centre console, although the armrest can interfere with larger bottles here.

Underneath that armrest is a pretty meagre storage cubby which is barely tall enough to fit the car’s key, and the glovebox is best described as adequate. There’s a handy tray in front of the gear selector for your phone as well, which also has a USB port for charging.

Space in the back seats

Space in the back is decent on the whole. Headroom will be at a premium for taller adults, but carrying two people will be no bother. Taking three in the back on the other hand could be tricky thanks to the narrow centre seat.

Rear seat occupants have a pair of front seatback pockets and some small door bins to store their possessions, and all but the entry-level car get two cup holders in the back as well. It’s just a shame there are no charging points back here.

The two outer seats have easy-reach ISOFIX anchors, although you’re almost certain to lose the removable covers. Fitting a child seat is a bit of a faff as well because the rear doors don’t open very wide. A Skoda Kamiq is more practical for growing families.

Boot space

At 397 litres, the Toyota Yaris Cross just about matches the Kamiq’s 400-litre boot capacity. It trails behind the Peugeot 2008’s 434 litres though, and the lack of clever sliding seats means it can’t come close to the Renault Captur’s 536-litre figure.

Numbers don’t tell the full story though, and the lack of a load lip and the wide boot opening make it very easy to sling heavy items in. You get an adjustable boot floor and some handy luggage hooks and belts to make the most of the space on offer. The Excel trim also gets an electric boot that can be activated by waving your foot beneath the rear bumper.

The seats also fold down flat, and the clever fabric parcel shelf can be placed on the floor without taking up space making it easy to exploit the new-found 1,097 litres of space. The Yaris Cross is also available with all-wheel drive, another unusual feature, but it does reduce overall boot space to 320 litres with the seats up.

It may not be the most exciting cabin out there, but the Yaris Cross feels solidly built with high-quality materials

As soon as you climb aboard the Yaris Cross you’ll notice that everything is logically laid out and very well-made. It has that typical Toyota solidity, giving you the impression that it’ll last forever. There’s not much in the way of design flair here, you’ll have to look at a Peugeot 2008 for that, but there’s something to be said for the no-nonsense simplicity. The optional panoramic glass sunroof also adds some much needed light.

Entry-level models get a 9.0-inch infotainment system, while every other grade has a 10.5-inch touchscreen. Regardless of which one you go for you get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the graphics are clear and bright. It’s responsive to your touch as well, and the menus are logically laid out.

You also get a digital driver’s display as standard, measuring 7.0 inches on lower-spec cars and 12.3 inches higher up the range. The larger display is certainly more impressive-looking, and you get all your vital information at a glance in a clear and concise manner. It’s just not as configurable as the system you get in a Volkswagen T-Cross.

There are two engine options to choose from in the Toyota Yaris Cross, although both are based on Toyota’s 1.5-litre petrol-hybrid setup. All but the top two trim levels use a 116hp setup, while GR Sport and the limited-run Premiere Edition have 130hp on tap.

Both of these models are great all-rounders, and it’s not really worth upgrading to a higher-spec model just for the added power. It’s hard to notice the difference in performance in daily use - the 130hp engine shaves just half a second off the 0-60mph time - and both cars returned very similar economy during our time with them.

That economy was very impressive though. These two engines are both supposed to do close to 60mpg, and we managed to get within 5mpg of this figure in both cars during real-world testing. This is thanks largely to the hybrid system, which does a great job of keeping the engine switched off around town as much as possible.

It’s this efficient hybrid system which keeps the emissions down as well. The 116hp model emits as little as 101g/km of CO2, while the more powerful car puts out just 109g/km. This places it in a low Vehicle Excise Duty band, and Benefit in Kind tax won’t be too ruinous for company car drivers either.

There are all-wheel drive versions of the Yaris Cross as well, but you’re better off avoiding them unless you really need the added traction because it dents both the economy and performance. The front-wheel drive model will be fine for most people.

The Yaris Cross comes fitted with an impressive list of standard safety devices including a pre-collision system, lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and a rear-view camera. Rear-cross traffic alert is available on higher trims as is a 360-degree camera and advanced parking assist.

It achieved a full five-star Euro NCAP test result when it was tested in 2021. The safety assist systems score of 81% is commendable as is the 86% scored for adult occupant safety.

The Yaris Cross is a relatively new model so there’s not much data yet on its long-term reliability. Toyota as a brand regularly scores very highly in reliability surveys and the Yaris Cross shares many components with other Toyota models which have proven to be largely trouble-free.

The standard three-year/60,000-mile warranty can be extended up to 10 years and 100,000 miles as long as you service your car each year at an authorised Toyota repairer. Kia’s class-leading standard seven-year/100,000-mile warranty may still just have the edge here, as the car does not have to be serviced at an authorised Kia dealer to retain its warranty.