Toyota Yaris Cross launched as new rival to Hyundai Creta

The B-size SUV is completely different from the Yaris Cross sold in Europe, and is exclusively for the Southeast Asian market.

The new Toyota Yaris Cross is developed from the DNGA (Daihatsu New Global Architecture) platform of the subsidiary Daihatsu, along with many other products of the Japanese company in the Southeast Asian market. These include the Toyota Avanza , the new generation Yaris sedan, Raize , or Vios .

The new crossover is positioned above the Raize and below the Corolla Cross , competing directly with the Hyundai Creta. The car is 4,310 mm long, 1,770 mm wide, 1,615 mm high, which is slightly smaller than its rival, but the Yaris Cross's wheelbase is 2,620 mm, which is 10 mm larger than the Creta.

The Yaris Cross's appearance has familiar lines, partly like the Highlander, partly like the Corolla Cross. The front end is flat and slightly protruding forward, with angular headlights. The bumper is high below the trapezoidal grille in glossy black. The fenders are black, contrasting with the car's paint color. The rear end is also square, with sharp and horizontal taillights.

The dashboard is multi-layered, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system sitting at the center of the dashboard. The digital clock is 7 inches and the rest is a lot of physical buttons.

The Yaris Cross has outstanding features such as panoramic sunroof, electric driver's seat, interior lighting, wireless phone charger, hands-free trunk opening, electronic handbrake and automatic brake hold assist, and 6 airbags. In addition, the SUV also has a blind spot monitoring system with rear collision warning, hill start assist, electronic balance, ABS brakes, electronic brake force distribution system, parking sensors, and the Toyota Safety Sense safety package.

Toyota Yaris Cross launched as new rival to Hyundai Creta — Digital clock, touchscreen for infotainment system, and surrounded by many physical buttons. Photo: *Toyota*

The new SUV also features the T Intouch connectivity system - a feature already available on some Toyota models in some markets. The technology allows car owners to connect to the Yaris Cross via an application with a number of useful features such as locating the car or setting up maintenance schedules.

The Yaris Cross is powered by a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine that produces 104 horsepower and 138 Nm of torque. The second option is a hybrid powertrain that combines the 1.5 with an electric motor. Toyota has not announced the combined power of the hybrid system, but the gasoline engine produces 90 horsepower and 121 Nm, while the electric motor produces 79 horsepower and 141 Nm. e-CVT transmission.

The Toyota Yaris Cross was launched in Indonesia on May 15, but the sale date has not been announced. The expected price is 20,300-27,000 USD. In this country, the Hyundai Creta is priced at 19,700-27,600 USD.

VnExpress sources said that the B-size crossover model will likely be launched in the Vietnamese market around August with a hybrid engine to compete with rivals such as Hyundai Creta or Kia Seltos . Currently, Creta is the best-selling model in the segment but does not have a hybrid engine. The success of the Corolla Cross with a hybrid engine will be the basis for Toyota Vietnam to sell its younger crossover model with the same hybrid engine.