Toyota Yaris Cross Review 2024

The Toyota Yaris Cross is an ideal choice for a trendy urbanite who wants a car that looks great but won't cost a fortune to run. Toyota's reliability record is almost unbeatable, while the interior of the Yaris Cross is much better than you'd expect from the brand in relatively recent history. It's not quite as sporty as a Ford Puma, though, while alternatives like the Skoda Kamiq are cheaper to buy.

There's only one engine available: the 1.5-litre hybrid unit that also features in the standard Toyota Yaris. Initially it had 116PS, and in 2024, another version was added to the range that gave 130PS. The latter is marginally quicker, but you'll do well to notice the difference in everyday driving. Both can be had with front- or four-wheel drive. We'd recommend sticking with the two-wheel-drive model, unless you really need the extra grip provided by the four-wheel-drive Yaris Cross AWD-i.

In terms of trim level, around 50% of buyers will opt for the mid-spec Design. This makes sense as it strikes a good compromise between desirable kit and value for money, with standard features including 17-inch alloy wheels, an touchscreen media system and a reversing camera. Don't dismiss the entry-level Icon, though: it's well kitted out for the cash, while pricier models look a bit flashier.

The small hybrid SUV market is growing. The Hyundai Kona Hybrid is a good alternative, and so is the Honda HR-V. You might also consider the plug-in hybrid Renault Captur E-Tech, or electric alternatives like the Peugeot e-2008. If you're not too fussed about hybrid power, we rate the Ford Puma highly (it is available as a mild-hybrid), as well the Skoda Kamiq and Volkswagen T-Cross. Further rivals include the Nissan Juke, Hyundai Bayon and Kia Stonic.

There are certainly some robust plastics in the interior of the Yaris Cross, particularly low down in the cabin. The dashboard feels firm to touch, while things like the interior door handles are quite scratchy. The centre console is pretty hard, too, if you're unfortunate enough to bang your leg on it while driving.

That said, this approach means it feels like the cabin will take decades of abuse. We suspect a 10-year-old Yaris Cross will look broadly the same inside as it did when the original owner took delivery.

On early models, Icon and Design models used an eight-inch media system, while higher-spec trim levels got a bigger nine-inch display with sat-nav as standard. We sampled the smaller display and it's pretty good, certainly much better than Toyota's infotainment systems of old, with logical menu layouts and quick responses.

It's worth noting that the smaller unit comes with a few physical shortcut buttons, which makes navigating the system easier, rather than being reliant solely on touchscreen. Only the bigger display comes with sat-nav, but Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the range. That means you can use apps from your phone for navigation. Most Yaris Cross models come with a seven-inch digital instrument cluster, while a 10-inch head-up display is offered only on the Premiere Edition.

An update in 2024 changed things a little. Entry level Icon trim got a 9.0-inch central screen while the rest of the range was given a 10.5-inch item with navigation (cloud-based on the Design grade, built-in on the rest). In terms of driver instruments, the Icon and Design grades have a 7.0-inch combimeter, while the higher-grade Excel, GR Sport and Premiere Edition cars have a bigger and more customisable 10.5-inch digital display.

There's a reasonable amount of room in the front, while it's easier to get a comfy driving position than in something like the Peugeot 2008. There's space in the armrest to store your phone (and that's about it), while you won't get much more than a small water bottle in the door bins. The glove box is quite compact, too.

Getting in and out of the rear feels a bit awkward, due to rear doors which don't open particularly wide. Once in there, it feels quite cramped and claustrophobic. Adults will find their knees touching the seat in front, while kids might find that the rising window line brings on travel sickness. There are ISOFIX child seat mounting points on the outer rear seats, though.

The boot is wide and deep, although there is a serious lip, which will make loading heavy items tricky. Excel, Dynamic and Premiere Edition models come with a false floor that reduces this, as well as providing some useful concealed storage for hiding things away. 

The boot space of the Yaris Cross means you can carry up to 397 litres of luggage, which is slightly less than in a Nissan Juke, Renault Captur or Ford Puma. The rear seats drop easily, though, providing up to 1097 litres of space when required.

Initially, all Yaris Cross models used the same hybrid drivetrain as in the Toyota Yaris. This uses a small 1.5-litre petrol combined with an electric motor to drive the front wheels, giving 116PS. It feels sprightly enough in urban areas, where the hybrid setup hides any of the usual lag you'd expect from a small petrol engine. It'll take a fairly leisurely 11.2 seconds to reach 62mph (11.8 seconds in the AWD-i), though, while the CVT automatic gearbox will discourage you from purposeful acceleration.

In 2024, a second option joined the range. The 116PS powertrain was maintained for most models, but the high-end GR Sport and Premiere Edition model were given a more powerful 130PS version of the same powertrain, with the extra power coming from an upgraded electric motor. Against the stopwatch, it trims half a second off your 0-62mph time, but in reality, you'd struggle to detect the extra power in any given driving situation.

There are a variety of drive modes to pick from, including Eco, Power and a setting marked 'B', which ramps up the regenerative braking, causing the Yaris Cross to slow down more when you lift off the accelerator. We found ourselves using this latter mode a lot: not only does it make for more relaxed driving, it also helps with fuel economy.

There are four-wheel-drive versions of both powertrains - known as the Yaris Cross AWD-i (intelligent all-wheel drive) - which use an additional electric motor to power the rear axle and provide a little extra traction when required. These sell in relatively small numbers, though.

The hybrid powertrain stays quiet if you're very gentle with it. However, if you ask for even moderately brisk acceleration, and the CVT transmission sends the engine revs soaring and it emits a raspy, buzzy sound. However, it's not as irritable as CVT gearboxes from a few years ago, and it is at least possible to drive around this by keeping your throttle inputs light and adopting a more relaxed approach to your driving.

There's a bit of road- and wind noise, too, but generally the Yaris Cross is quite a civilised car. That's particularly true around town, where the engine can switch off entirely and you can bimble about under electric power.

All Toyota Yaris Cross models come with the firm's active safety and driver assistance systems as standard. These are intended to warn the driver and avoid an accident in the first place, or at least reduce the severity in the case of an unavoidable collision.

Standard equipment includes a Pre-Collision System which can detect other vehicles, pedestrians (during the day or night) and cyclists. There's also a Lane Departure Alert system, Automatic High Beam and Adaptive Cruise Control. On Excel, Dynamic and Premiere Edition models, the Yaris Cross also comes with Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert systems.

Euro NCAP crash-tested the Toyota Yaris Cross in 2021, and it achieved the maximum five-star rating.

The 2024 update saw a raft of improvements to the driver assistance tech on board, with new systems added and existing ones enhanced.

The Toyota Yaris Cross Icon is in insurance group 11, while most other models are classed as 12 or 13. Cars with the more powerful drivetrain creep up to group 14. That's comparable to alternatives and means the Yaris Cross shouldn't cost a fortune to insure. As ever, though, it's worth shopping around for quotes, particularly if you're a young or inexperienced driver.

As an 'alternative fuel' car (i.e. a hybrid), you'll save £10 a year on your annual tax bill. That means it'll cost you £180/year to tax the Toyota Yaris Cross after the first year. That's the same as rivals like the Hyundai Kona Electric and upcoming Honda HR-V.

The Toyota Yaris Cross range kicks off with the Icon trim level. This is well equipped for an entry-level model, with standard equipment including 16-inch alloy wheels, a touchscreen media system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), and a reversing camera. Intelligent adaptive cruise control is standard, as well as a pre-collision system with pedestrian and cyclist detection.

Then there's the Design trim level, which builds on the Icon with 17-inch bi-tone alloy wheels, LED headlights, aluminium roof rails and privacy glass. Inside, you get blue ambient lighting and 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats.

The Toyota Yaris Cross Excel adds 18-inch alloy wheels, a kick-activated power tailgate, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and intelligent front/rear parking sensors. 

Highlights of the Dynamic model (later renamed GR Sport) include a black bi-tone roof, power-adjustable lumbar support (on driver's seat), 18-inch dark grey alloy wheels and racier styling.

The Toyota Yaris Cross Premiere Edition features 18-inch bi-tone alloy wheels, black leather seats, a JBL premium sound system, 10.0-inch coloured head-up display and heated front seats.