Toyota Yaris Cross scores double win with fuel-efficient awd

Toyota has engineered the Yaris Cross hybrid to give small SUV customers an all-wheel-drive variant -- in a segment that’s predominantly front-wheel drive – that is also more fuel efficient, resulting in rival-topping CO2 results.

“All the all-wheel-drive systems used thus far will normally compromise fuel efficiency and therefore increase the CO2 emissions,” Yaris Cross chief engineer Yasunori Suezawa said in a video conference. “But in our car the combination of the hybrid system not only improves fuel efficiency but also provides better performance.”

Toyota did this by by omitting a driveshaft from the small SUV, and instead using an electrified rear axle that supplies power during acceleration or when more traction is needed.

As a result, the i-AWD version of the new Yaris Cross produces 135 grams of CO2 per kilometer, and 120g/km for the 2wd variant, under the WLTP test cycle.

The Hyundai Kona 1.6-liter awd variant’s CO2 is 189g/km, and 146g/km for the 1.0-liter 2wd version. The Dacia Duster 1.3-liter awd is rated at 162g/km, compared with 149g/km for the equivalent 1.3-liter fwd version.

The other awd variants in the segment are the Jeep Renegade and the Suzuki Vitara.

The SUV is based on the same version of the automaker’s TNGA global platform as the new Yaris small car.

The Yaris Cross will be built alongside the Yaris at Toyota’s plant in Valenciennes, France, at a rate of 150,000 a year, Toyota said. The SUV’s market launch is set for 2021.

The Yaris Cross is Toyota’s entry into the booming small SUV segment, which last year accounted for more than 2 million sales in Europe, according to data from JATO Dynamics.

Toyota aims to grab an 8 percent share in the segment with the Yaris Cross, which was unveiled in April and is due to arrive at showrooms next year. If Toyota achieves its market share goal, the Yaris Cross would have ranked fifth in the small SUV segment based on 2019 figures.

The sector is led by the Renault Captur, followed by the Dacia Duster, Volkswagen T-Roc and Peugeot 2008. The larger Toyota CH-R was sixth in the compact SUV segment last year with sales of 121,095, JATO figures show.

The Yaris Cross will be available initially as a hybrid, using the same drivetrain as the Yaris hybrid, which is based around a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine for a combined power output in the Cross of 116 hp. The engine runs on a hybrid-optimized Atkinson cycle.

The Yaris Cross is 240mm longer than the Yaris at 4180mm. It is also 90mm taller, 20mm wider and rides 30mm higher. The wheelbase is the same at 2560mm, with the extra length coming from longer overhangs at the front and rear.

The design of the Yaris Cross blends cues from the Yaris with features from Toyota’s larger SUVs such as the angular RAV4.

Toyota says the Yaris Cross resembles a diamond when seen from above because of its wider midsection, which allowed the designers to broaden the wheel arches for a more rugged look. At the back, the Yaris Cross blends the rear window into the taillights to make a link to the similar design of the Yaris, but with a tailgate that is more square.

The dashboard design is broadly in line with the Yaris, using the same raised touchscreen. The rear seats split 40:20:40 to help stow longer items without sacrificing functionality. The trunk floor is spilt with a false floor to separate luggage.

Access to the trunk is made easier with an optional electric liftgate that can be operated hands-free by using your foot to trigger a sensor.

The Yaris Cross and Yaris both use the GA-B version of the TNGA platform, which is said to improve handling because of its increased rigidity and a lower center of gravity. The platform can accommodate two different types of rear suspension -- a cheaper torsion beam or a more sophisticated multi-link setup, depending on the powertrain type.