Toyota is very strong in most of the sales segments it participates in, and to date Yaris Cross Is no exception. It has proven to be a popular choice since its launch in 2020, outselling all but the best sellers. Mazda CX-3 in its segment in 2021.
It is sure to change some of the steps, with a quirky design that reimagines famous products Yaris Formula for a world that loves high-riding crossovers.
With 13 variants split into three different engine options, there’s no shortage of choices in the Yaris Cross range.
In testing, this is the top range 2022 Toyota Yaris Cross Urban AWD Hybrid.
How much does Toyota Yaris Cross Urban AWD Hybrid cost?
The Toyota Yaris Cross range starts at $26,990 before on-road costs, and works its way through variants to $37,990 before hitting the road for the leading AWD Hybrid System in our range.
Expect to pay $1500 in premium for the hybrid model over the petrol engine and $1,500 on top for the all-wheel drive hybrid version.
Ranked above rivals like the Ford Puma FWD ($32,690), Hyundai Kona Highlander ($38,300) and Mazda CX-30 Evolve M Hybrid ($35,840), it’s quite high in the price bracket.
You get what?
Highlights of Yaris Cross Urban:
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Electric, heated driver’s seat
- Back door and kick sensor supported
- Leather seats and tweed-like fabric
- Head-up display
- 360 degree parking camera
- Extra USB port in dash
Features carried over from the lower trim levels include:
- LED headlights
- Blind spot monitoring
- Reverse camera
- Front and rear parking sensors
- 4.2 inch driver monitor screen
- 7.0 inch touch screen
- Satellite positioning
- Radio AM / FM / DAB +
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wired)
- 40/20/40 . folding seat back
- One-zone climate control
- Keyless entry and start
- MyToyota Connection Service (3 years)
- Six-speaker stereo
Is Toyota Yaris Cross Urban AWD Hybrid safe?
Toyota Yaris Cross earns a Five-star ANCAP safety rating in the second half of Year 2021 based on tests performed locally.
Category scores include 86% for adult protection, 86% for child protection, 78% for vulnerable pedestrian protection and 82% for safety assist features.
All models come standard with:
- 8 x airbags included. front center airbag
- AEB with pedestrian/bicycle/intersection assistance
- Lane departure warning
- Lane keeping assist
- Lane tracking assist (center align)
- Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
- Auto beam
- Speed sign recognition
- Reverse camera with instructions
GXL and Urban variants add blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert to the safety kit.
What’s inside the Toyota Yaris Cross Urban AWD Hybrid?
When I first walked in, I was almost shocked by the 1990s tribute you seem to get. The bus-print seats in brown leather are a hobby.
Rest assured that the same interior trim is not standard across all 13 variants.
The overall comfort of the seats is very good. They’re luxurious and comfortable once you’ve used the somewhat unwieldy electric seat controls to find your driving position.
Aside from the seats, the interior is quite Toyota-like – which means it’s basic but it all works well.
The standard touchscreen is centered on the dash lined with piano black, and the case makes the screen look small despite the fact it’s a reasonable 7.0 inches.
Toyota’s infotainment system works well, but it’s not as refined as the competition. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work well wired and save overall infotainment by letting you use a more familiar, modern interface.
Materials such as soft leather are used all over the car, complimented with what I can only explain as a layer of hard felt on the doors.
A spacious storage compartment below the infotainment unit is large enough to hold a wallet and glasses, then a small tray just above allows me to place my phone with ease. Anything lighter – such as a mask – will be blown away by the air conditioning vents.
Behind the gear lever are two medium-sized cup holders, followed by a drink bottle compartment, where the armrest or center console is.
The backseat isn’t meant for three adults unless they’re close friends. Tight as it is, there is no rival to the Yaris Cross as a family crossover.
It’s okay to fit in a forward-facing car seat, but a rear-facing compartment would make sitting in the front passenger seat impossible.
Also there is only one pocket on the back of the front seats which is an oddity. It’s handy for parents and works well as a mother of one, but if you have two kids, they have nowhere to put their iPads… I mean books.
With that in mind, it wouldn’t be realistic to have two kids in this car. Yaris Cross Urban AWD’s 317 liters Cargo space is large enough for a trolley and some groceries, but not much else – the 2WD models have a larger 390L trunk that doubles as underfloor storage, which houses AWD hardware .
I am satisfied with the space for the size of the car. The rear seats can be folded and split for more space.
All-wheel drive versions of the Yaris Cross receive only a tire repair kit instead of a space-saving spare wheel again due to the AWD hardware located under the boot floor. One thing to keep in mind if you’re driving from a distance, especially in Urban models with larger wheels and lower profile tyres.
What’s under the bonnet?
Yaris Cross Hybrid equipped 1.5 liter naturally aspirated three-cylinder petrol engine run the Atkinson cycle more efficiently, combined with two electric motors and a CVT.
Combined power output is quoted at 88kW but no torque figure is quoted. However, the gasoline engine alone has a 145Nm.
Our test car was all-wheel drive, ditching the torsion beam rear suspension on the front-wheel drive for an independent setup. It also has an auxiliary motor on the rear axle, capable of increasing power when you need more performance or traction.
In our experience, fuel usage for the Yaris Cross Urban AWD Hybrid is 4.0L/100km in our experience, which is true to Toyota’s official claim. It will also happily run on a regular 91 RON lead-free, with 36 liters fuel tanks on board.
How does the Toyota Yaris Cross Urban AWD Hybrid drive?
The Yaris Cross does exactly what you’d expect of a Toyota hybrid. It’s not the most powerful car in the world, but it’s effective.
Maybe we’re being greedy, but a little more performance would be nice.
There’s almost a pause when you want the car to move and it relies on the petrol engine, as opposed to the instant you get with the electric motor.
The powertrain, on the other hand, is great when it comes to electric motors. It tends to do it up to about 40km/h, at which point the petrol engine starts up abruptly.
The two power sources are just a bit inconsistent; The electric motor is silent, but the petrol engine makes enough noise to make up for it. Smoothly operated, it’s smooth enough, but the 1.5L hybrid system on the Yaris Cross feels just a bit underpowered compared to the 1.8 liter unit on the Corolla.
The engine will be perfectly suited for city driving as it’s seamless and the car uses an electric motor at lower speeds, but it’s not aimed at people who spend their lives on the open road.
One surprising positive, which really enhances the Yaris’s driving experience, is handling. It’s almost glued to the road, and the well-weighted steering really gives me a lot of confidence when gliding through the torrential rain we’ve been through behind the wheel.
The steering on the Yaris Cross is light and easy to navigate in the city, and you can easily park with a coffee in hand.
The suspension can be a bit noisy, though, and the larger wheels on a smaller bodywork meant we found ourselves falling for some imperfections. The Yaris Cross is comfortable on the freeway, and it’s nice enough in the city as long as you don’t encounter potholes.
Lane keeping assist and lane departure warning are more subtle than in other models we’ve tested, and it doesn’t feel like the car is constantly trying to control, which is a nice change.
Visibility is also good, with a higher seating position and no large columns obstructing outward visibility, but blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert provide good redundancy.
While the surround-view camera is nothing short of outstanding, it does the job and makes parking through this city a breeze.
How much does Toyota Yaris Cross Urban AWD Hybrid cost to run?
The Yaris Cross is covered with a five-year, unlimited km warrantyup to seven years on the powertrain if you service it in the dealer network.
Maintenance is required every 12 months or 15,000 km, whichever comes first.
There are four limited-price services offered, each with a price $205.
CarExpert by Toyota Yaris Cross Urban AWD Hybrid
It’s hard to say too many negative things about a car that’s generally safe, cheap to drive, and comfortable to drive, but the Yaris Cross is lacking a bit of tweaking that could ultimately make it a great car. .
It certainly has its merits, and it’s easy to see why anyone would buy this car in bulk.
That’s not to say we don’t want a little more, especially for this model’s asking price.
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