Toyota Yaris Cross review

The Toyota Yaris Cross is a mix of two things the Japanese brand does well – hybrid cars and SUVs. In theory, then, it should be good.

At first glance, with its compact size, ability to run on electric power alone at low speeds and optional four-wheel drive, the Yaris Cross does indeed look as though it lives up to the "authentic urban adventurer" tag Toyota’s marketers have given it.

It's based on the Toyota Yaris hatchback but is longer and wider (roughly the size of a Nissan Juke) and offers the sort of raised driving position that's attractive to many potential SUV buyers.

The Yaris Cross is up against plenty of other cars of course. For example, there's the sharp-handling Ford Puma, the recently updated Nissan Juke and Skoda Kamiq, the Renault Captur and the comfy and practical VW T-Roc. There's also the Lexus LBX – a premium hybrid SUV that's closely related to the Yaris Cross and is our 2024 Car of the Year.

So does the Toyota Yaris Cross have what it takes to stand out among the best small SUVs? In other word, would we recommend buying one? Read on to find out...

The Toyota Yaris Cross is available only as a regular hybrid and uses a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine in conjunction with an electric motor.

Cheaper versions produce a combined output of 114bhp, but if you choose top-spec GR Sport or Premiere Edition trim, you get a slightly more powerful 129bhp version (bringing it closer to the power output of the related Lexus LBX).

Neither engine makes the Yaris Cross the quickest small SUV out there: we achieved a 0-60mph time of 10.3 seconds in a 114bhp car. Even so, that matches the Nissan Juke Hybrid and is only slightly slower than a Renault Captur E-Tech (at 9.7 seconds). Against non-hybrid rivals, it's competitive with the least-powerful versions of the Ford Puma and Skoda Kamiq and is brisker than the equivalent VW T-Roc or VW Taigo.

If you're gentle with the accelerator, the Yaris Cross will run on electric power around town for short distances. The electric motor provides plenty of shove off the line, helping it feel nippier to drive on battery power than an equivalent Juke or Captur. When running on electricity, it’s quieter than petrol-only rivals, while bringing down average fuel consumption.

When you start pressing on, the Yaris Cross's petrol engine kicks in to help it accelerate up to motorway speeds. In the lower-powered version, performance tails off noticeably as you approach 70mph, where the Juke and Captur feel stronger with more power in reserve. Going for the 129bhp version doesn’t turn the Yaris Cross into a sports car but the extra muscle is worth considering if you frequently venture out of town.

The Yaris Cross is fitted with a CVT automatic gearbox which, due to the lack of gears, means it's smoother to drive than a Juke or Captur. A small compromise is that the petrol engine becomes quite vocal under hard acceleration, holding its revs near the red line when you’re accelerating or climbing a hill. You'll notice a few engine vibrations reaching the interior, but less than what you’d experience in the two hybrid rivals.

Where the Yaris Cross doesn’t quite stack up against its rivals is on motorways. You’ll notice a fair amount of road noise (regardless of tyre size) and occupants will have to raise their voices to hold a conversation. Both the Juke and Captur are better insulated, and if you're looking for a quiet motorway cruiser we recommend considering the VW T-Roc.

What about the ride? Well, the Yaris Cross is softer than most rivals small SUVs, including the Juke, T-Roc and Puma, meaning it’s never uncomfortable when dealing with bumps. It's similar to the Kamiq in terms of ride comfort.

Thankfully, its suppleness is well balanced with a good amount of body control. Indeed, while the Yaris Cross suffers from more vertical body movement than a Puma or T-Roc over undulating roads, it’s still less than in the more supple Captur.

The Yaris Cross handles tidily enough in bends. True, there are gripper rivals out there and the Puma continues to set the standard in this area, but the Yaris Cross inspires enough confidence along a twisty road. Despite there being more body lean than in a Puma or T-Roc, it’s neatly controlled, while the well-weighted steering responds naturally and provides a strong sense of connection to the front wheels.

Most versions of the Yaris Cross have front-wheel drive but the Excel and Premier Edition trims offer four-wheel drive. That’s rare in the small SUV class and makes it more capable on muddy trails and slippery fields, although it's not in the same league as the best off-roaders.

"I spend a lot of time on motorways, where the Yaris Cross generates higher noise levels than some rivals.” – Stuart Milne, Digital Editor

There are small SUVs that offer a more commanding seating position but you’ll appreciate the Toyota Yaris Cross’s lofty feel. It seats you higher up than a Ford Puma or Skoda Kamiq although not as high as in a Renault Captur E-Tech. 

Forward visibility is a Yaris Cross strong point, with its low dashboard and low bonnet line giving you a clearer view ahead than inside a Juke or Captur. Plus, because you sit further back, the rear-view mirror doesn’t impede your view out of the top section of the windscreen like it does with those rivals and it’s easy to see around the windscreen pillars.

The rear pillars are a bit chunkier than the Kamiq's but visibility over your shoulder and out to the rear is still easier than in a Juke or Captur, thanks to big door mirrors and large windows (including the rear screen). Every Yaris Cross also comes with a rear-view camera to help out when parking, while Excel trim adds front and rear sensors. All versions except entry-level Icon come with LED lights.

Getting comfortable in the Yaris Cross is easy. All versions feature a good range of manual adjustment to the steering wheel and driver’s seat. You also get adjustable lumbar support on all versions except entry-level Icon.The only demerit is that the seats could do with more side support to hold you better when cornering.

Entry-level Icon trim includes a 9.0in infotainment touchscreen. Design and above expands that to a 10.5in Smart Connect system, and Excel trim and above adds built-in sat-nav. The basic layout is easy to get to grips with but some of the sub-menus could be easier to find. The screen can be a little slow to respond to inputs and trying to scroll through the list of radio stations is infuriating because it displays them in no particular order and frequently reverts to the top of the list.

The smaller touchscreen has a few more physical buttons to make navigating the core menus a little easier, so it's the more user-friendly of the two while you're driving. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity is standard across the range, and wireless with Excel trim and above.

Icon and Design trims place a 7.0in digital driver’s display behind the steering wheel. Excel trim and above switch it for a 12.3in display that’s more configurable and can show more information at once. Top Premier Edition trim adds a colour head-up display.

Everything else in the interior is laid out in a sensible way and you get physical controls for the standard-fit climate control, making it a doddle to operate on the move.

Everything feels sturdily screwed together and the dashboard materials feel a bit nicer than a Captur and Puma’s. A large section of the door trim is also covered with fabric (even though it doesn’t feel particularly dense), but overall the interior lacks the upmarket feel you get in the Nissan Juke.

“The dashboard of the Yaris Cross is fairly basic and I find its controls easier to operate as a result. It's also a bonus that you don't need to delve into the infotainment screen to change the temperature.” – Doug Revolta, Head of Video

There's plenty of space in the front of the Toyota Yaris Cross, including sufficient head room for those over six feet tall.

Front storage space includes two cupholders, a tray in front of the gear selector for your wallet and keys, and another one under the infotainment screen for your phone. The cubbies in each door are quite small, taking a bottle of water and not much else.

A couple of six-footers will fit in the back, with a touch more space than in a Ford Puma but they’ll still find their knees brushing the back of the front seat when sitting behind someone of equal height. There’s plenty of room for their feet under the front seats, so it doesn’t feel too restrictive. Anyone wanting to stretch out will be much more comfortable in the back of a Skoda Kamiq or VW T-Roc.

It's worth noting that the Yaris Cross's rear door openings are quite small, which can make it tricky to squeeze in a child seat or for less agile people to climb aboard.

Unlike most of its rivals, the Yaris Cross comes with 40/20/40 split folding rear seatbacks in all but entry-level Icon trim, making it more versatile when it comes to loading up. You don’t get a sliding rear bench though, which you do in the Renault Captur E-Tech and VW T-Cross.

Boot capacity is pretty good, at 400 litres, matching the Kamiq, while later versions of the Yaris Cross now include a handy two-piece height-adjustable boot floor on all trim levels. A powered tailgate is standard on pricier Excel and Premiere Edition.

In real-world terms, that means it has space for seven carry-on suitcases with the boot floor set to its lowest position. That’s two more than a hybrid Juke or Captur, but the Puma’s boot is even bigger, taking eight cases under its tonneau cover. With the boot floor to its highest setting, there's virtually no load lip at all, making it easier to slide bulkier items in and out.

“There are plenty of handy storage cubbies inside the Yaris Cross but I found the tray below the infotainment screen too shallow to be of real use because my keys kept sliding out of it.” – Steve Huntingford, Editor

As a cash purchase, the entry-level Toyota Yaris Cross Icon is slightly pricier than an entry-level Renault Captur E-Tech but costs less than a Nissan Juke Hybrid.

That makes it more expensive than a similarly powerful Skoda Kamiq SE 1.0 TSI 116 but much cheaper than the VW T-Roc Life. For the latest prices, see our New Car Deals pages.

If you have a bit more to spend and like the idea of the Yaris Cross's hybrid tech you can get a tweaked version of the same set-up in a premium car – to read more about that see our Lexus LBX review.

The Yaris Cross promises to be much cheaper to run than the main rivals, particularly for company car drivers. The hybrid system keeps CO2 emissions as low as 101g/km, reducing the BIK tax rate.

CO2 emissions rise as you head up the trim levels, but even with four-wheel drive they remain lower than those of the front-wheel-drive Kamiq 1.0 TSI 116.

Our Real MPG fuel economy tests on the front-wheel-drive 114bhp Yaris Cross led to a real-world average of 60.1mpg, which makes it one of the most economical cars we’ve tested. It averaged an incredible 103.3mpg on our simulated town route, making it a fantastic choice if you live in a city.

The 129bhp Yaris Cross ought not to be too far behind when it comes to real-world economy. Its official fuel consumption of 58.9mpg is pretty close to the 114bhp car's 62.8mpg. For reference, you’d be lucky to see MPG figures much more than the mid-40s from a 1.0-litre Ford Puma, VW T-Roc or Skoda Kamiq.

In terms of trims, entry-level Icon includes 16in alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, a rear-view camera, climate control, adaptive cruise control, automatic headlights and a 9.0in infotainment touchscreen. 

We’d go for Design because it keeps costs down but gets you some genuinely useful features, such as the driver’s adjustable lumbar support, a larger touchscreen, electric rear windows and rear privacy glass. It also has larger, 17in alloys wheels.

Mid-level Excel gets heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and dual-zone climate control.

GR Sport comes with some sportier exterior styling cues, including larger 18in alloy wheels and is worth considering if you want the extra power of its 129bhp engine.

The range-topping Premier Edition also gets the more powerful engine, a head-up display and an eight-speaker JBL sound system, but we think it's too expensive to recommend.

The Yaris Cross did well in our 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey – it came fifth out of 22 small SUV models ranked. Plus, Toyota placed an excellent second place out of 32 manufacturers in the brands table. Only Lexus did better.

The standard three-year manufacturer warranty can be extended up to 100,000 miles or 10 years with regular servicing at a Toyota dealer (every official service adds 12 months' warranty).

In terms of safety, the Yaris Cross scored the full five stars when it was tested by Euro NCAP. Standard equipment includes driver assistance systems such as automatic city braking technology (AEB), automatic high-beam assist, lane-keeping assistance and road-sign display. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are optional with GR Sport trim and standard on Excel.

“When we tested the Yaris Cross against the Nissan Juke, we found that the Toyota would not only be cheaper to own over three years but that it would also be worth marginally more after the same period.” – Dan Jones, Reviewer

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