Toyota Yaris Cross 2022 review: Urban AWD hybrid long-term | Part 3

And so it comes to the end of our time with Toyota’s Yaris Cross Hybrid, a car that might just be the perfect urban SUV for us city folks that still like to venture further afield every now and again.

Look, don’t get me wrong, I love EVs. I’ve had plenty through my hands over the years, and I’m well on the way to being a full-blown EV convert. But, if I’m totally honest, I’m also mostly pretty happy when the time comes to hand them back.

It’s not the car’s fault, really, but mine, and Australia’s more broadly. Like plenty in Sydney’s inner city suburbs, off-street parking is rare (and garages are a truly mythical beast, like unicorns, or people who actually keep left unless overtaking). 

And when you’re super-heavily reliant on public charging infrastructure, you realise there simply isn’t enough. Not even close.

I have to travel around 20 minutes to my nearest charger (or at least, one that has any chance of being free), and it’s in a shopping centre that I then need to kill time in while I wait to accrue juice. 

In short, it sucks. And while the Yaris Cross Hybrid is nowhere near as clean, green, or clever, as a full-on EV, it’s also far easier to live with.

But, it’s also not perfect. For one, it’s not cheap. Spending north of $40k to put a micro-SUV on the road isn’t exactly chump change, and while the Yaris Cross Urban is commendably well-equipped, it also doesn’t feel enough like a premium offering.

While the Yaris Cross Urban is commendably well-equipped, it also doesn’t feel enough like a premium offering. (Image credit: Andrew Chesteron)

The cabin refinement is a little rough, the engine and gearbox are both loud under pressure, the interior materials can be hard and scratchy, and the backseat is a barren, tech-free place, all of which detract from an otherwise solid offering.

Toyota has definitely gone for a more interesting design theme in the cabin, with lots of contrasting colours and different materials, and visually I think it works really well, even if some of the plastics are not the most luxurious feeling in the business. 

The screen and air-con controls are well positioned and easy to use, and the key driving functions - like adaptive cruise - are all located on the wheel, and are easy to get to and to understand. 

But… I don’t know if it’s just me, but it doesn’t feel like the hardest-wearing cabin. I’ve only had it for three months, and I don’t think I’m overly tough on cars, and already scratches and marks have begun appearing, both in the plastics and in the door panels. 

Toyota has definitely gone for a more interesting design theme in the cabin. (Image credit: Andrew Chesterton)

But if that’s the bad, there’s plenty of good too. Honestly, hybrid makes sense in my life (and I’m sure there are plenty more just like me). Petrol prices have been punishingly high throughout my entire time with the Yaris Cross Hybrid, but was I worried? 

With fuel use that ended up at less than 5.0-litres per hundred kilometres, and a pint-sized fuel tank that barely broke $50 to fill up, I ended up very happy with the miserly antics of my tiny Toyota.

There’s also very liveable space on offer, provided you’re a little careful with how you pack it. The backseat definitely serves up enough room for adult riders (though can feel a little claustrophobic on longer journeys), and I can personally report that the boot will swallow enough bags and groceries and the like to satisfy a week away. 

If yours is a growing family, then you might soon outgrow it. But for my wife and I (it’s just the two of us, plus our tiny dog), the space on offer was enough for us. Plus, parking is a breeze, which is a definite perk when you’re living and inner-city life.

It’s a funky-looking little thing, too. More a high-riding hatch than a proper SUV. (Image credit: Andrew Chesterton)

It’s a funky-looking little thing, too. More a high-riding hatch than a proper SUV, but I reckon Toyota has done a good job with the design here, and especially with the two-tone paint arrangement and the big 18-inch alloy wheels.

It looks a little snub-nosed at the front, maybe, but in this Urban guise you also get the good LED headlights, and the 20mm of extra ground clearance over the Yaris is highlighted through the black wheel arch cladding.

We’re also talking a five-star ANCAP rating and a new centre airbag that deploys between the front seats to protect the driver and passenger. In fact, the Yaris was one of the first small cars in Australia to get one. Along with a long list of high-tech active safety stuff, you can tick the safety box on this one. 

So definitely more ups and downs on our Yaris Cross journey, and for my life right now, hybrid feels a better fit than a full EV.

Acquired: June, 2022

Distance travelled this month: 520km

Odometer: 5862km

Average fuel consumption for: 4.9L/100 (measured at the pump)