Toyota Yaris Cross review: what the media say

Toyota Yaris Cross

Why settle for just one Toyota Yaris Cross review when we have collected all of the UK motoring publications reviews into one handy place? After being invited to test-drive our highly anticipated new Toyota Yaris Cross compact SUV around varied roads of West Sussex, the national motoring press has had its say. Scroll below to see who said what about our latest car.

Toyota Yaris Cross review

What did they think of this tough new urban explorer? Below is a selection of excerpts from their online reviews, which include a numerical rating where applicable. To read the full online reports, click on the emboldened links.

The Toyota Yaris Cross review

Auto Express: 4/5

“The new Yaris Cross effectively packages what we’ve come to like about the latest Yaris into a compact SUV body with no needless surprises or alterations. The hybrid drivetrain takes little getting used to and is easy to extract fantastic efficiency from.

Toyota Yaris Cross review

“With little effort, you’ll cover a lot of ground on electric power. On our test route, more than half the journey was completed on electricity; 66.5mpg was the end result with no effort on our part, and that’s a figure that outstrips the official claims. Put a bit of effort in and rely on Eco mode’s softer power map, and you might even hit 80mpg.

With little effort, you’ll cover a lot of ground on electric power

“It could be a great company car option too, thanks to CO2 emissions from as low as 102g/km.”

Car Buyer: 4.1/5

“Toyota has been a world-leader for hybrids, and the system now works better than ever. It’s easy to drive in EV mode at speeds of up to 30mph for short distances, and we found that even on mixed roads, the Yaris Cross ran on electric power for around half the time.

Toyota Yaris Cross review

“It’s possible to save money without sacrificing driving fun, too, because the Yaris Cross offers decent acceleration and the same neat handling as its smaller sibling. [It] also has responsive steering and resists body lean well, making it feel nippy and confidence-inspiring.

It’s possible to save money without sacrificing driving fun

“The interior feels built to last and there are conventional knobs and switches for the climate control that are easy to use while driving. A nine-inch central touchscreen and seven-inch digital dial cluster in the instrument binnacle provide plenty of information and come with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to boost connectivity.”

Heycar: 8/10

“Sharing so many parts with the latest Toyota Yaris hatchback, there’s no way the Yaris Cross could have been anything less than excellent. It’s fun to drive, has a solid interior and comes fully-loaded for the money.

Toyota Yaris Cross review

“The most impressive thing about the Yaris Cross is its efficiency – with its petrol-electric hybrid engine set-up meaning it’ll be as cheap as chips to run.

[It’s] an ideal choice for a trendy urbanite

“It’s surprisingly fun to drive, responding eagerly to steering inputs and not wallowing about too much for a small SUV. The Yaris Cross is an ideal choice for a trendy urbanite who wants a car that looks great but won’t cost a fortune to run.”

Pocket Lint: 4/5

“There’s no shortage of competition in this market, but the Yaris Cross’s secret weapon is a hybrid engine setup, making for marathon-like efficiency, plus a suite of technology as standard on all its trim levels.

Toyota Yaris Cross review

“Despite being physically longer and taller than a typical Yaris, the Cross is still built on the very same TNGA platform. It’s just that it looks a bit like a baby RAV4, with hench body panels making it look like a Yaris that’s been pumping iron at the gym. More than that, however, the Yaris Cross is kitted out with tech that ensures that whatever level you buy you’re getting a lot of comfort and value.

A suite of tech that’s spot-on for the everyday driver

“The market is bustling with options. But we think the Yaris Cross is well worth it for what you get – a comfortable, assured ride, and a suite of tech that’s spot-on for the everyday driver.”

The Telegraph: 4/5

“You can immediately feel the distance between this and the Yaris hatchback. There’s more room and it feels larger and better appointed. The fascia is clearly derived from that of the Yaris but it has better storage space, with a full touchscreen and separate digital heating and ventilation controls.

“The three-cylinder engine… is a gutsy unit which, along with the stored energy in the battery, provides a peppy getaway where the climbing engine revs bear a close relationship to the rising road speed.

Mark my words, [Toyota is] going to shift a lot of these

“The suspension feels firm but not harsh, with a decent progression over bump. There’s a lot of anti-roll behaviour in the chassis, which… also makes it quite playful if you lift-off mid-corner.”

Autocar: 3/5

“The Yaris Cross… [is] predicted to be the maker’s second-biggest seller after the Yaris. On the road, the Cross is pleasingly reverent to its Yaris roots, delivering respectable body control for a compact SUV and direct steering. That makes it surprisingly fun on faster roads but also well suited to urban scenarios, where this car is most likely to make its living.

“Inside, the Cross is smart and functional and has good-quality materials, while the infotainment system is considerably improved… with an intuitive set-up controlled through a bright, 9.0-inch touchscreen.

On the road, the Cross is pleasingly reverent to its Yaris roots

“Bold looks, strong efficiency, a good-quality interior and moderately fun drive make it a welcome addition.”

Express & Star

“Behind the wheel… you sit high, which makes visibility great, with the steering nicely weighted, which makes slow-moving traffic and country roads equally relaxing to drive. It’s comfortable too, with the soft suspension not translating to too much lean when cornering.

“The most impressive aspect of the Yaris Cross’s cabin is how spacious it feels. The car feels very narrow when threading through gaps in traffic, but it feels impressively roomy from the driver’s seat, while rear passengers have an acceptable amount of legroom. The overall ambience is one of solid build quality.

Safe to say, Toyota has a winner on its hands here

“It looks great, has decent practicality, is comfortable to drive and has excellent equipment. And if our testing is anything to go by, running costs should be incredibly low. Safe to say Toyota has a winner on its hands here.”

Toyota Yaris Cross review videos

Carwow: 7/10

What Car?: 4/5

Click here to configure and buy your new Toyota Yaris Cross

69 comments

  1. My recently acquired Yaris cross design model is fine but it is very difficult to take out the boot deck board and twice as hard to replace it as it is so flimsy and it has to be bent . Why isn’t the split board fitted to my car ? . I would also comment on the wire loom running behind the rear seat that is visible and in my view should be covered for protection.
    Is it possible to fit a split deck board as the present one is giving me concerns ?

    1. Hi Phil,
      Congratulations on your new Yaris Cross and thank you for your feedback.
      We would recommend contacting your Toyota Centre to see what options are available to you.
      Thanks.

  2. I have a New Toyota Yaris Cross Excel which is becoming a nightmare. I ordered and purchased it Through Arnold Clark in Stirling. When the car was being built they lost their Toyota Franchise. I now have paintwork problems along with missing parts and minor niggles. In my opinion it has had minor damage and has been repainted, badly, bits in paint and clearcoat. Arnold Clark say it is warranty work and must go to a Toyota dealership. Nearest dealer Stirling paint shop 32 miles away. Dealer not very forthcoming that they can paint the car without it being noticeable. Will have to try another dealer. Nothing but hassle time and mileage. To top it all the wind/tyre noise is very annoying for a Toyota. I will never purchase another NEW car from Toyota. The PDI had not been carried out. Who pays for a courtesy car, need automatic, insurance, fuel etc. disgruntled customer.

  3. Regarding the issues with the failing batteries on the yaris cross hybrid, where the car fails to start even if parked for just under two weeks, is there a way to turn the running lights off when the car is left in the ready mode for an hour each week to keep the battery “alive”?? Being on when the car is in running mode is just another drain on an already weak battery.
    Regards
    Roy

    1. Hi Roy, thanks for your comment.

      Our Technical team have advised that if the car is in “Ready Mode”, this is the same as the engine running on a standard petrol vehicle. Therefore, the battery is being charged and not drained. If you are leaving your vehicle for 1-2 weeks at a time, we would recommend using a solar charger.

      Thanks.

      1. Thanks for the reply.

        However, the question remains, is there a way of turning the daytime running lights off?

        We are constantly being told to turn off the radio, heater etc. when the car is in ready mode, surely your technical team would have anticipated the daytime running lights being on still draws battery power, even though the car is charging.

        Regards

        Roy

      2. Hi Roy,

        Our Technical Team have advised that daytime running lights are a legal requirement for the UK so there is no option to turn them off.

        Hope this helps.

        Thanks.

  4. Due to a number of owners complaining about the 12v battery, why is Toyota not taking some action to improve battery, also I think Toyota must include a kit with car they sell from now on wards.

  5. Hi,
    I’ve had my yaris cross for 2 months now and every time I get out the car I get a static electric shock which is very painful, you can hear it spark, my passengers also get the shock. I mentioned this to my dealer ship, apparently I’m not the only one to experience it. Obviously this is a fault in the material of the upholstery causing friction. I found lots of complaints on websites about the Yaris cross static shocks. My dealership took this to Toyota who basically said it was me and suggested getting a Earth anti static thing trailing from the car to the road to stop it. This is unacceptable and awful to look at. I suggest Toyota should sort it out,many people have this problem, it’s a fault in the fabric they use. Never had this problem from other makes of new cars and will take it back if it’s not solved.

  6. My Yaris cross is 7 months old, I left it for one week at airport and returned to find flat battery. How is this possible as I run my car normally every day. The service team at Toyota said the battery is fine. After recharging at the garage my online battery indicator shows 3/8 bars remaining after 2 days so it must be losing charge.
    Iam totally dissatisfied with this car which I bought due to Toyotas reliability promise. Can I get a refund as I feel it has been missold as they are aware of a problem

    1. Hi Brian,
      We sincerely apologise for our delay in getting back to you.
      Is this query something you still require assistance with?
      Thanks.

  7. I’ve just had the battery replaced on an 18 month old Cross under Warranty. I buy Toyota for reliability but this has taken the edge off the car and if it happens again, I won’t be keeping it.

    1. Hi Ann, thanks for getting in touch.

      We are very sorry to hear you are experiencing this and completely understand your frustration.

      Should you wish to discuss this further, please contact our Customer Relations team for support.

      The team can be found here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/help-centre#/

      Please let us know if we can assist with any other problems or queries.

      Thanks.

  8. i have a design yaris cross 2023 front wheel hybrid. Can you change the voice on the satellit navigation pack that i added ( the tech pack?) and if so how. Many thanks.

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