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So far, Toyota Motor has been found to lack the compact SUV segment, one of the fastest growing categories in the car market. In 2021, the Japanese automaker will enter the segment with its new Yaris Cross SUV. On Thursday, Toyota unveiled the compact SUV for the European market that will also come with a hybrid option.
The Yaris Cross is based on the Yaris city hatchback with many styling cues from its popular SUV: the RAV-4. Toyota had small SUVs in mind a decade ago when it introduced the Urban Cruiser to Europeans. The new Yaris Cross is roughly the same size as the original RAV-4. The look follows both the new Yaris, which is especially evident in the bow, and the Toyota RAV-4 compact SUV.
The rear of the vehicle reveals an image of an SUV that is firmly on the ground with wide fenders, while the taillights and horizontally designed rear window appear to have traces of the Yaris family.
The Toyota Yaris Cross sits on the GA-B chassis platform, but it’s bigger with a length of 4,180mm, a height of 1,560mm and a wheelbase of 2,560mm.
(See photos: Toyota presents the new Yaris Cross compact SUV)
In addition to reasonable ground clearance, the Yaris Cross also has 18-inch wheels, plastic bumpers at the front, side, and rear. Unlike many competitors, Toyota is also available in the four-wheel drive option.
The Toyota Yaris Cross will be built on the same line as the Yaris at the French TMMF plant. Under the hood, Yaris Cross has a 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine that operates on the Atkinson cycle. The Yaris Cross will also be offered with a hybrid engine, a set based on a 1.5-liter engine with an electric motor with 116 hp of additional power. The brand claims that this powertrain has a thermal efficiency of 40%, higher than that of advanced diesel engines.
Inside, Yaris Cross has a large multimedia screen separate from the panel. There is two-zone air conditioning and a three-spoke steering wheel with various satellite commands.
(Also read: Toyota unveils new Harrier 2021 SUV with eye-catching designs and panoramic sunroof)
The new Yaris Cross will be manufactured in the same factory in France that produces Yaris. The company has focused on producing up to 150,000 Yaris Cross units in one year.
As of now, it is not known whether Yaris Cross will come to India. However, since the segment has seen a lot of consumer interest, Toyota may also think about bringing the SUV to India.
