Cash sales champion. It was perhaps the phrase most often repeated by those responsible for the Japanese brand during the presentation of the new Toyota Yaris Cross . Without a doubt, the most important launch of the year for the brand led by Akio Toyoda — voted Person of the Year 2021 by the World Car Awards.
Indeed, there are reasons for such optimism. The B-SUV segment is one of the fastest growing in Europe and in addition, the platform on which the new Toyota Yaris Cross is based has proved to be to the liking of Europeans. We are talking about the GA-B modular platform that was debuted at the Toyota Yaris and which has catapulted sales of the Japanese small utility vehicle in our market.
Thirdly, the new Yaris Cross is also betting heavily on offering a hybrid engine — mainly in the Portuguese market — one of the most popular mechanics today. It offers low consumption without the constraints of charging 100% electrical, which is still not a solution for all drivers.
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The Toyota Yaris Cross War
As we have seen, the Japanese brand's expectations regarding the Toyota Yaris Cross are very high. But will it comply?
To find the answer to that question, we've driven Toyota's smallest and cheapest SUV — at least until the arrival of the new Toyota Aygo, which will also adopt a crossover “philosophy” — down the Belgian highway.
The presentation took place just a few kilometers from Waterloo, the famous battlefield where Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, definitively defeated the French troops, led by Napoleon Bonaparte - a «struggle» that had already been repeated in Portugal, in the Lines of Torres, during the Peninsular War.
It was a well-chosen place, taking into account the “war” in this segment. When they set out to develop the new Toyota Yaris Cross, Toyota managers knew they had to give it their all. And that's exactly what they did.
Our main considerations can be found in the 14 minutes of the video highlighted in the Reason Automobile YouTube Channel.
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the SUV arguments
For this "SUV war" in the SUV segment, Toyota picked up its latest platform, its best powertrains and even debuted a new full-featured infotainment system — a field where Toyota has struggled to keep up with the competition.
With prices starting at 22,595 euros, the small Yaris Cross is not lacking in conditions to be successful in the national market, however, it should not be forgotten that the competition is very strong. As we saw in this “mega comparison” B-SUV organized by Reason Automobile, nobody wants to be left behind.
The first Yaris Cross units arrive in Portugal in September.