New Toyota Yaris Cross set to rival Ford Puma

Toyota has revealed a new Yaris-based small crossover which is expected to start from around £18,000 when it goes on sale in 2021.

The Toyota Yaris Cross will be the smallest SUV in the firm’s range, sitting below the C-HR and competing against the Ford Puma, Nissan Juke and Volkswagen T-Cross.

Designed and developed in Europe, Toyota’s latest crossover will be built alongside the new Yaris at the firm’s manufacturing facility in France. It shares a platform and engine with the 2020 Yaris, following the brand’s well-established hybrid strategy.

As such, the Yaris Cross will use a three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine combined with an electric motor. Fuel economy figures are yet to be confirmed, but Toyota promises ‘excellent fuel efficiency’ with WLTP CO2 emissions from below 120g/km.

While front-wheel-drive models make up the majority of sales in this segment, Toyota’s offering the Yaris Cross with an intelligent all-wheel-drive system. This can send power to the rear axle when slip is detected - in snowy or wet conditions, for example.

With an extra 90mm in height (including 30mm of ground clearance) compared to the Yaris hatchback, Toyota says the Cross provides the high driving position and interior spaciousness demanded by buyers of small crossovers.

It’s yet to confirm exactly how big the boot will be but says it has a ‘large trunk volume’. A split floor system provides extra space if required, and the rear seats drop 40:20:40 to provide extra cargo capacity.

The Toyota Yaris Cross will go on sale later in 2020 with deliveries expected from 2021. UK prices and specifications will be announced at a later date but expect it to start in the region of £18,000.