Toyota Yaris Cross review

Toyota’s hybrid system has always been technically very impressive, with genuinely innovative ideas serving to get the best out of the internal combustion engine. This latest version in the Yaris Cross is no less impressive, with Toyota having fettled with the setup to generate more power and torque at lower revs.

The company has touted the car’s ‘sporty’ credentials from the off, though, so that adds a bit more expectation to the car. Surprisingly, it mostly delivers. The Yaris Cross is perky off the line, more so than its sluggish 11.2/10.7-second (114bhp/129bhp variants respectively) 0-62mph time suggests.

The handling is pleasantly darty around town. The steering has a decent heft, where the Yaris hatch in the past has felt over-assisted and bland. Out in the country, it still steers fairly keenly, avoiding sharp-corner understeer. And it's not much knocked off-line by bumps in the road.

Is the engine still crazy revvy? 

This has always been one of the chief complaints about these cars in the past, that the engine jumps to maximum revs and stays there. Here the yelling is kept to an appreciable minimum thanks to the low-down power, with the engine only going crazy when you hoof it and backing off quickly as you ease off the accelerator.

Also, when you do hear it, the three-cylinder engine has a more interesting note than the groaning four-cylinders in Toyota's bigger hybrids. It's still not as quiet as you find in, say, a VW T-Cross, but it's not awful.

Will it require frequent trips to the petrol station?

We got about 53mpg out of the Yaris on a trip through country roads, fast dual carriageways and a bit of urban running. It’s officially rated at up to 62.8mpg and from 101g/km CO2 emissions, which means low VED costs too.

The AWD version, which we haven't driven yet, splits the electric motor from the front of the car and moves it to the back axle, to provide a bit of reassurance in slippier conditions, but that comes with a slight fuel and emissions penalty.

Is it comfortable to ride in? 

The ride comfort is basically class average. You can do better with a Renault Captur. The front seats are lovely and squishy, though.