Toyota has revealed a raft of updates to its Yaris Cross light SUV in Europe, including a more powerful hybrid option and improved infotainment and safety technology.
The company’s Australian arm has yet to announce any changes for the local Yaris Cross, however CarExpert understands an update will come sometime in 2024 that will bring safety and tech upgrades, as well as design changes.
Australian-market Yaris Cross models are sourced from Japan, while European-market models come from France.
Topping the powertrain range in Europe is a new Hybrid 130 powertrain with Toyota’s fifth-generation hybrid technology, featuring a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine mated with a new, more powerful electric motor.
It will slot in above the existing Hybrid 115 powertrain, and boasts 12kW more power and 44Nm more torque for total outputs of 97kW and 185Nm.
The 0-100km/h time has been shaved by half a second to 10.7 seconds, and Toyota promises greater torque at all engine speeds for a “more dynamic and responsive feel… whether on urban streets or out on the open road”.
In Europe, this will be offered in the GR Sport and new Premiere Edition. It’s unclear if the Hybrid 130 powertrain will come to Australia.
For context, the Australian-specification Yaris Cross is currently offered with a 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain producing 85kW of power, as well as with a non-hybrid 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine producing 88kW.
The Yaris Cross Premiere Edition features an exclusive two-tone Urban Khaki exterior finish with unique 18-inch dark grey/machined five-spoke alloy wheels, for a look reminiscent of the Australian-market RAV4 Edge. Platinum Pearl White and Silver Metallic finishes are also available.
It also receives green accents on the upholstery, instrument panel and doors.
All Yaris Cross models get new upholstery patterns and a soft lower instrument panel covering, while a new Juniper Blue paint option joins the range.
There’s a choice of 7.0- or 12.3-inch digital instrument clusters and 9.0- and 10.5-inch infotainment touchscreens. Currently, all Australian-market Yaris Cross models have a 7.0-inch touchscreen and a 4.2-inch instrument cluster screen.
The European Yaris Cross uses the latest generation of Toyota infotainment, with cloud-based navigation, a voice assistant, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and over-the-air updates.
All models have received improvements aimed at combating noise, vibration and harshness, with a dynamic damper added to the left-side engine mount, a resonator fitted to the intake hose, a new three-layer (instead of single-layer) inner dash silencer, and an extra layer of felt added to the cowl top silencer.
Toyota has also used thicker glass for the windscreen and side windows.
Safety has also been enhanced, with a new camera and radar system that can scan further and wider than before and detect pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycles.
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GR Sport
New features include:
- Acceleration Suppression, which slows any sudden acceleration when it detects an imminent collision ahead
- Emergency Driving Stop System, which will sound a warning and then bring the vehicle to a gentle stop, turn on the hazards and unlock the doors if it detects no inputs from the driver
- Safe Exit Assist, which detects if you’re about to open your door in the path of a vehicle or cyclist
- Rear Seat Reminder System, which provides a visual and audible alert to remind you to check if you’ve left a child or pet in the rear
A Proactive Driving Assist feature also helps avoid low-speed collisions, with a Deceleration Assist feature providing smooth deceleration when you’re slowing down behind a slower vehicle ahead and a Steering Assist feature which detects a bend in the road ahead and adjusts steering force to ensure a smooth turn.
The adaptive cruise control has been updated for quicker response times and a “more natural feel”, and to prevent unintentional overtaking on the wrong side of a vehicle.
A Preliminary Deceleration/Turn Signal Linked Control function also allows you to rejoin a lane at an appropriate speed and distance from other vehicles.
The lane centring function also promises a more natural feel, while the lane departure warning feature will recognise when you’ve temporarily moved out of a lane to avoid an obstacle and won’t blare a warning.
Unusually for a Toyota, the Yaris Cross isn’t one of the three best-selling vehicles in its segment in Australia, though the company has been battling supply issues for some time now.
With 4946 sales to the end of October, the Yaris Cross sits behind the Volkswagen T-Cross (5014 sales), Hyundai Venue (5180 sales), Kia Stonic (6069 sales) and the dominant Mazda CX-3 (13,324 sales) in the VFACTS Light SUV segment.
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