Toyota Yaris Cross 2021 review: Urban 2WD

Measuring 4180mm in length (with a 2560mm wheelbase), 1765mm in width and 1590mm in height, the Yaris Cross is without question a compact vehicle, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t pack a practicality punch.

In fact, its cargo capacity is very competitive, at 390L, although the 40/20/40 split-fold rear bench can be stowed to increase it to an undisclosed volume.

Of note, the Urban 2WD petrol’s boot has a false floor that unleashes its maximum cargo capacity when lowered. However, the disadvantage of doing so is the large hump created when the second row isn’t in use, not to the mention the high load lip that ensues, too

Either way, the boot’s aperture is wide and square, which makes loading bulkier items a cinch, while two bag hooks are on hand for the shopping, too.

Even the Yaris Cross’ second row is impressive when it comes to space, with three inches of knee-room available behind our 184cm driving position, alongside more than an inch of headroom.

That said, while the transmission tunnel is small, there still isn’t enough room for three adults to sit abreast and not be on top of one another.

Children, of course, will be fine sitting on the middle bench. Speaking of which, two ISOFIX and three top-tether anchorage points are available for fitting child seats.

Two ISOFIX and three top-tether anchorage points are available for fitting child seats in the back.

Where things start to come undone, though, is the second-row amenities, or lack thereof. Yep, there aren’t any directional air vents or connectivity options, which is sure to annoy certain occupants.

The driver and front passenger fare much better, with two USB-A ports located on the centre stack, while the deep front cubby below house a 12V power outlet.

Other in-cabin storage options include a second, shallower cubby found higher up on the centre stack, underneath the central air vents. Then there’s the 5.7L glovebox, which has a fairly small usable area.

There is a 5.7L glovebox has a fairly small usable area.

A central storage bin (and therefore armrest) is noticeably absent, with its usual position taken up by a pair of cupholders, one of which is ever so slightly smaller than the other.

A third cupholder for rear occupants to share is located at the back of the centre console. Alternatively, their door bins can hold 600mL bottles, while those up front can take 1.5L items.

Neither ANCAP nor its European counterpart, Euro NCAP, has awarded the Yaris Cross a safety rating yet.

Advanced driver-assist systems in the Urban 2WD petrol include autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian (day/night) and cyclist (day) detection, intersection assist (day), lane-keep and steering assist (including emergency), adaptive cruise control, road-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, high-beam assist, surround-view cameras and front and rear parking sensors. Yep, you’re not left wanting much here

Other standard safety equipment includes eight airbags (dual front, front-side and curtain plus driver’s knee and centre), anti-skid brakes (ABS), brake assist and the usual electronic stability and traction control systems.

Being a light SUV, the Yaris Cross ought to be good to drive around town, and we can happily report it very much is, but that doesn’t mean it’s not without its shortcomings.

As mentioned, the Urban 2WD petrol’s engine isn’t exactly a powerhouse, but that’s not exactly an issue in city traffic, where it can plod along with ease.

However, if you need to make a quick manoeuvre or want to overtake a slower vehicle, then it ‘quickly’ becomes apparent just how relaxed the Urban 2WD petrol is. Needless to say, it’s straight-line performance can be summed up in one word: lethargic.

The Yaris Cross is a good to drive around town.

While cost would’ve likely been the deciding factor, it’s a wonder Toyota didn’t put the C-HR’s 85kW/185Nm 1.2-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder engine in the Yaris Cross, as its low-down torque would’ve been very much appreciated.

That said, Yaris Cross buyers can instead opt for its hybrid powertrain, which comes with the benefit of ‘instant torque’, which is afforded by its electric motors.

We’d definitely be spending the extra money to go low-emissions (don’t worry about getting the almost-pointless AWD version), even if it does take some time for the fuel savings to make up the cost difference.

It’s worth pointing out the Urban 2WD petrol’s CVT isn’t to blame here. In fact, it’s one of the best we’ve sampled to date.

While often dreaded, this version has a mechanical first gear, which makes for much more natural off-the-line or low-speed acceleration (read: progressive).

The leather-trimmed steering wheel with paddle-shifters is a treat.

In fact, the best compliment we can pay is how long it took us to remember there was a CVT on hand in the first place. Seriously, it was quite a while.

And even when travelling at speed, the Urban 2WD petrol doesn’t quickly jump around to higher engine speeds when the accelerator is breathed upon. Instead, it bides its time and largely does the right thing.

That’s not to say it doesn’t get noisy. If you bury your right foot, it will go after peak power without hesitation, exposing the droning side of the Urban 2WD petrol’s engine, which usually emits its characterful thrum in short spurts.

Meanwhile, the Yaris Cross rides comfortably in the urban jungle, with the Urban 2WD petrol’s suspension set-up consisting of a MacPherson-strut front axle and a rear torsion beam.

The latter tends to skip a bit over rolling bumps, but it’s otherwise more than competent alongside the former, soaking up nearly all other road imperfections.

In tow is the electric power steering system that’s employed by all nine Yaris Cross variants. It’s well-balanced for suburban driving, proving to be quick enough with just the right amount of weight and adequate feedback.

The Yaris Cross isn’t shy of a corner, either, taking the opportunity to show off its strong body control (one advantage of the Urban 2WD petrol’s 1185kg kerb weight), even if it does sometimes push wide when driven hard. Yep, handling is yet another strong suit.