Sportiest Yaris Cross yet? 2023 Toyota Yaris Cross GR Sport takes fight to Volkswagen T-Cross R-Line, Kia Stonic GT-Line and Ford Puma ST-Line

Toyota has launched a new Yaris Cross GR Sport variant with a handful of genuine performance enhancements.

While falling well short of the kind of performance seen in the full-fat Yaris GR hatchback, the Japanese-market Yaris Cross GR Sport adds a handful of aggressive styling tweaks like mesh grilles alongside extra bracing and a revised suspension tune for increased handling characteristics.

The new suspension lowers the ride height by 10mm and features alternate springs, shocks, and a unique power steering tune. The hybrid variant also features a tweaked powertrain controller for a more willing response from the accelerator.

It also scores a set of 18-inch GR Sport alloy wheels, GR Sport front seats, GR Sport steering wheel, and a unique dark colour scheme with extra leather-appointed trims and alloy sports pedals.

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Sadly, there are no tweaks to the powertrain itself, with the GR Sport being offered in Japan with either the 1.5-litre three-cylinder combustion engine with 88kW/145Nm or a hybrid version of the same engine producing 67kW/120Nm with a total output of 85kW when combined with the electric motor, the same options which power the current range. The Japanese-spec GR Sport is front-wheel drive and CVT automatic only.

It is outpunched by the Ford Puma (92kW/170Nm), Mazda CX-3 (110kW/195Nm) and new-generation Renault Captur (113kW/270Nm).

In Japan, the Yaris Cross GR Sport represents the top of the front-wheel drive range.

In Japan, the GR Sport is the top front-wheel-drive variant, wearing a price-tag above that of Japan’s equivalent of our ‘Urban’ grade. Currently, the Yaris Cross ranges in MSRP from $26,990 for the GX front-wheel-drive to $37,990 for the Urban hybrid all-wheel-drive, although a GR Sport grade would likely sit above the $34,990 Urban hybrid front-wheel-drive.

A Toyota Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide "Toyota Australia is continually studying the market for new opportunities to offer exciting new products to Australian customers. At this stage, however, we have no announcements to make on additional grades of Yaris Cross for the Australian market".

Enhancements include sportier seats, aesthetic touches, and an alternate suspension tune.

Given the brand currently offers GR-Sport versions of the C-HR and LandCruiser 300 series though, it would be unsurprising to see the Yaris Cross GR Sport Down Under at some point in the future.

Currently, the Yaris Cross commands 16 per cent of the ‘Light SUV’ category, outsold only by the Mazda CX-3 and Kia Stonic thus far in 2022.