Compact-SUVs are more popular than sedans and hatchbacks these days and it is easy to understand why. While compact SUVs might not offer that much cabin space, they make up for it with the sense of robustness and the go-anywhere attitude they bring on the table. Manufacturers are also trying to load up the cabin with modern features to stay relevant in this cut-throat competition. One big testimony to the fact that compact-SUVs are super popular these days is, Toyota went ahead and carved a compact-SUV out of its Yaris hatchback and dubbed it as Yaris Cross.
Pricing
The Japanese carmaker has launched the Yaris Cross in its home country. The compact-SUV is priced at 1,798,000 Japanese yen, which converts to roughly 12.50 lakh. The top-end hybrid electric four-wheel-drive model is priced at 2,815,000 Japanese yen (approximately ₹19.60 lakh).
Other details
The Yaris Cross is slotted below the C-HR, giving the Japanese automaker a model in the popular segment. It rides on Toyota’s TNGA-B platform, which also underpins the company’s new Yaris compact hatchback. In terms of dimensions, the new Yaris Cross carries over the supermini’s wheelbase measuring 2560 millimetres (100.8 inches) while featuring longer overhangs, increasing the overall length by 240 mm (9.4 inches) to 4180 mm (164.5 inches). It’s also 20 mm (0.8 inches) wider and 90 mm (3.5 inches) taller than the Yaris while remaining significantly smaller than the aforementioned C-HR. The Yaris Crossover comes with 18-inch alloy wheels.
The cabin
The cabin is a nice place to be in the Yaris cross, given its sophisticated and comfortable feel. The SUV gets a TFT colour LCD multi-information display. All models come equipped with Display Audio (DA) and DCM as standard features. Smartphone applications and other functions can be linked with SmartDeviceLink and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. On the security and safety technologies front, Toyota Safety Sense, the company’s newest active safety package, comes as a standard feature. It includes Toyota Teammate Advanced Park, an advanced driving support system, including Full-Speed Range Radar Cruise Control that supports driving behind another car and an Adaptive Hi-beam System (AHS).
What justifies its SUV tag even further is the fact that this is the first compact SUV from Toyota to feature a 4WD system with options to select multiple terrain modes. It is equipped with a new-generation hybrid electric vehicle system which uses a 1.5-litre inline three-cylinder Dynamic Force Engine based on the TNGA philosophy.
Toyota’s Compact-SUV for us
We might not get the Yaris Cross anytime soon but we will be getting another compact-SUV from Toyota, the Urban Cruiser. Bookings for the Toyota Urban Cruiser are already open. For TKM, Urban Cruiser is a new entrant to their family and it’s also the smallest SUV compared to other Toyota SUVs.
Also read: Toyota Urban Cruiser Cabin And Features Revealed In New Images
The Urban Cruiser sub-compact SUV will be Toyota’s second spin-off of a Maruti car, the first one being the Baleno hatchback which is sold as the Glanza in the Indian market. Unlike Glanza which almost looks like a doppelganger of the Baleno, the Urban Cruiser will sport some changes over the Brezza. It will help Toyota in placing the Urban Cruiser as a separate offering rather than a spin-off of the Brezza.