Toyota Yaris Turns Into The All-Wheel-Drive Cross Hybrid SUV

But the Yaris line would not be complete without a crossover. The nameplate, albeit a complicated one - depending on the market it sells in, the car is either a rebadged version of the Mazda2 (North America), or an original hatch – the Yaris never had such a thing before.

But since market trends dictate what we get, here is the Yaris Cross SUV, a model meant for the European market that will hit the road in 2021.

Built on the new GA-B platform, the crossover packs all it needs to become a hit in this already crowded segment: the distinct Yaris look, albeit in new dimensions, a hybrid powertrain, and of course an all-wheel-drive system (front-wheel-drive is also available).

The SUV is 4,180 mm long and 1,560 mm high, meaning it gained 60 mm at the front overhang and 180 mm at the rear compared to the regular hatch. It also rides 30 mm higher off the ground.

Visually, it looks much more than just an elevated version of the regular Yaris. It seems to stand just high enough to provide hassle-free driving on less even terrain, yet small enough to make its way easily through crowded city streets. Despite its lineage, it kind of looks brand new, with a design that has seldom been tried by Toyota before.

Powering the Yaris Cross is a hybrid drivetrain comprising a brand new 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine derived from the 2.0- and 2.5-liter powertrains deployed on the Corolla or Camry. The output of the system is rated at 116 hp, while CO2 emission levels have measured at below 135g/km, according to WLTP testing.

Toyota wants the Yaris Cross to be a real hit, and has set a target of making 150,000 of them each year in France. That should give it a market share of more than 8 percent in this segment.