2024 Toyota Yaris Cross Review

Designed as a one-stop-shop for buyers in the market for a small, fuel-efficient, user-friendly and surprisingly practical SUV, the Yaris Cross is one the biggest sellers in the compact SUV segment.

For 2024, Toyota has introduced an updated Yaris Cross to the Australian market, with the release headlined by a hybrid-only engine lineup, some styling modifications and a list of technology upgrades.

How does the Toyota Yaris Cross stack up against its key rivals in the small SUV segment? Lets take a closer look to find out.

Toyota Yaris Cross Competition

How Much Does the 2024 Toyota Yaris Cross Cost?

Toyota’s 2024 Yaris Cross range is priced from $30,900 for the entry-level GX FWD, with prices topping out at $39,880 for the range-toping Urban AWD.

Prices for the entirety of the 2024 Toyota Yaris Cross range can be found below.

• Yaris Cross GX FWD: $30,990

• Yaris Cross GX AWD: $33,900

• Yaris Cross GXL FWD: $33,950

• Yaris Cross Urban FWD: $36,880

• Yaris Cross GXL AWD: $36,950

• Yaris Cross GR Sport FWD: $36,930

• Yaris Cross Urban AWD: $39,880

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

How Much Can OnlineAuto Save You?

You could save money by using one of OnlineAuto’s car agents to assist you in finding the best car for you. As one of the leading car buying services in Australia, our team have access to a range of dealerships across the country to help find you the best deal.

Toyota Yaris Cross GX Hybrid Specifications

What Features & Specs Does the Toyota Yaris Cross Have?

Toyota’s entry-level Yaris Cross GX comes riding on a set of 16-inch alloys and receives halogen headlights with LED tail lights, keyless entry & start, cloth upholstery with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, a rear-view camera, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, climate control and power-folding mirrors.

Stepping up to the Yaris Cross GXL adds a set of LED headlights and reversing lights, as well as rear privacy glass, a surround-view monitor with front & rear parking sensors and some added safety tech we’ll cover later in this review.

Ticking the box on the Yaris Cross Urban adds a set of 18-inch alloys, as well as leatherette upholstery with heated front seats and a power-adjustable driver’s seat, a hands-free boot lift and a head-up display.

Finally, the Yaris Cross GR Sport receives 18-inch alloys with Falken Azenis tyres, a GR Sport styling package with bespoke front & rear bumpers and black mirrors, red brake calipers, a GR Sport suspension package, leatherette and suede sports seats, GR badges and aluminium pedals.

Toyota Yaris Cross Connectivity & Infotainment Features

One of Toyota’a major updates for the MY24 Yaris Cross range has been the addition of an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

This new 8.0-inch unit replaces the previous 7.0-inch display and helps to give the cabin a more modern aesthetic, eliminating the side buttons in the process for a cleaner design.

More important than the size of the display is that the upgraded 8.0-inch unit features Toyota’s latest software underneath and USB-C ports replacing the dated USB-A ports up front.

The Yaris Cross’ infotainment system has been upgraded with cloud-based satellite navigation updates, while DAB+ digital radio and the six-speaker sound system remain in place.

Buyers pick up a 12-month subscription to Toyota’s Connected Services, which offers vehicle location tracking, diagnostics, odometer and fuel information, as well as connected navigation and stolen vehicle tracking.

Does the Toyota Yaris Cross Have Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto?

One of the key upgrades for the MY24 Yaris Cross range has been the updated infotainment suite which now offers wireless smartphone mirroring for both ecosystems.

That means that owners of an iPhone and Android device alike now pick up the added convenience of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while the previous range was stuck with a wired connection.

Is the Toyota Yaris Cross Comfortable to Drive?

The driving experience on offer in the Toyota Yaris Cross range is best described as user-friendly and simple.

It’s certainly not a segment leader in terms of driving engagement, but it confidently covers the fundamentals of a city runaround thanks to its size and eager handling.

With Toyota moving the Yaris Cross engine lineup to a hybrid-only offering, power comes supplied by one of two setups, depending on whether you’re ticking the box on a front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive variant.

The Yaris Cross FWD comes powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine paired with an electric motor that produces a combined 85kW of power and an unconfirmed amount of torque.

Opting for the Yaris Cross AWD range adds another small electric motor-generator to the rear, giving it four-paw traction and some added power, with 0-100km/h times for both variants standing at 11.2 - 11.8 seconds for the FWD and AWD versions, respectively.

Around town, the Yaris Cross hops off the line in a smooth, stable manner, with a welcomed push from the electric motor that gives it some added motivation.

The steering remains extremely light around town, making it easy to navigate your way in and out of a tight car space or make a three-point turn.

The Yaris Cross’ short wheelbase platform and compact turning circle also make it a breeze to drive around town.

In terms of the open-road driving experience, ticking the box on the Yaris Cross AWD range adds a more sophisticated multi-link suspension system at the rear.

This multi-link suspension system lends itself to more eager and confident handling on the road, with the Yaris Cross AWD proving a more versatile option on rougher roads and unsealed surfaces - but with limited ground clearance, it’s no off-roader.

On the highway, the Yaris Cross remains smooth and surefooted, even without the more expensive AWD system.

The suspension package is able to iron out small and moderate bumps without much of an issue while offering some perky handling in the process.

All up, the Yaris Cross is a great little package to drive and makes for a user-friendly daily driver that can confidently tackle a run up the highway.

Is the Toyota Yaris Cross Fuel Efficient?

As you might imagine, the hybrid-only Toyota Yaris Cross’ fuel efficiency is one of the most attractive selling points of the whole package.

In base FWD form, the Yaris Cross consumes a combined 3.8L per 100km, rising to 4.1L in the GR Sport FWD which rides on larger wheels.

Stepping up to the Yaris Cross AWD range means you’ll consume 4.0L per 100km on the combined cycle.

All up, these fuel economy figures are outstanding and very much lead the small SUV segment in terms of outright efficiency.

How Much Fuel does the Toyota Yaris Cross use Around Town? 

• Yaris Cross FWD City Consumption: 4.2L per 100km

• Yaris Cross GR Sport FWD City Consumption: 4.2L per 100km

• Yaris Cross AWD City Consumption: 4.4L per 100km

How Much Fuel Does the Toyota Yaris Cross use on the Highway?

• Yaris Cross FWD Highway Consumption: 3.3L per 100km

• Yaris Cross GR Sport FWD Highway Consumption: 3.3L per 100km

• Yaris Cross AWD Highway Consumption: 3.5L per 100km

Is the Toyota Yaris Cross Practical and Spacious?

One of the key drawcards of the Yaris Cross over its hatchback siblings are the practical advantages of the SUV design.

Over the regular Yaris hatchback, the Yaris Cross is 245mm longer, 70mm wider and stands 75mm taller, which makes it a more practical offering than the hatch.

Inside, this hasn’t translated to any massive increases in occupant accommodation, though the stretched-out platform is undoubtedly more spacious, even if it’s a difference of millimetres.

Up front, the Yaris Cross’ cabin is a fairly straightforward and familiar affair, though stepping up to the GR Sport and Urban variants does add a handful of more premium and sporty touches.

Headroom, forward and side visibility in the cockpit is great thanks to the tall roofline, though rearward visibility does suffer from a bulky C-pillar.

Toyota has the ergonomics covered, with easy access to the simple dashboard controls in a particularly effective design that we’ve come to expect from the brand.

Storage options in the front of the cabin include a large tray behind the gear lever, a pair of cupholders, added storage inside the folding armrest and bottle holders on each door.

Move to the rear and legroom can get a bit cramped for taller rear passengers, but there is more space on offer than the regular Yaris hatchback, especially when it comes to headroom thanks to the loftier roofline.

There’s also a noticeable lack of air vents in the rear of the cabin, though a USB-C port, bottle holders and map pockets do help sweeten things up in the back of the Yaris Cross.

The rear bench also receives three ISOFIX anchorage points and two top tether mounts on the seatbacks, though the doors don’t have a super-wide aperture for easy access into the second row.

All up, Toyota has done a solid job utilising every inch of space inside the Yaris Cross’ cabin and while it has prioritised the experience in the front of the cabin, we understand why they’ve taken this approach.

How Big is the Toyota Yaris Cross’ Boot?

The Toyota Yaris Cross in front-wheel drive form has a boot measuring 390L with the rear seats standing.

Ticking the box on Toyota’s AWD Yaris Cross range means that boot space drops to 314L due to the added electrical hardware sitting at the rear axle.

Toyota doesn’t give us exact figures for the Yaris Cross’ boot space with the rear seats folded, though there is a healthy amount of space to swallow up sports and camping gear or a solid run to or from the airport thanks to the tall roofline.

Is the Toyota Yaris Cross Safe?

Toyota has updated safety equipment lists for the latest MY24 Yaris Cross range, though the base model still misses out on some technology we’d like to see bundled in.

As standard, the entry-level Yaris Cross GX receives adaptive cruise control, lane-centring, a rear-view camera, traffic sign detection, and eight airbags.

The base model also receives an updated autonomous emergency braking system that offers pedestrian, motorcyclist, cyclist and oncoming vehicle detection, as well as intersection collision avoidance, emergency steering assist and low-speed acceleration suppression.

Stepping up to the Yaris Cross GXL or higher adds blind-spot monitoring, a surround-view monitor with front & rear parking sensors, safe exit assist and a front & rear parking support brake.

Does the Toyota Yaris Cross Have an ANCAP Safety Rating?

It sure does. 

ANCAP gave Toyota’s Yaris Cross range a five-star safety rating after testing in 2021 saw it score the following marks.

• Adult Occupant Protection: 86%

• Child Occupant Protection: 86%

• Vulnerable Road User Protection: 78%

• Safety Assist: 82% 

What Warranty does the Toyota Yaris Cross Come With?

Toyota offers the Yaris Cross range with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty.

The company also offers up to seven-years of coverage for owners that meet their service intervals and visit a Toyota dealership.

Toyota packages the Yaris Cross range with five capped-price services, each of which are fixed at $250 per service, with five visits to the dealership priced at $1,250.

Service intervals for the Yaris Cross range stand at 12-months or 15,000-kilometres, whichever elapses first.

Our Verdict: Is the Toyota Yaris Cross Worth it?

In its latest form, the Toyota Yaris Cross is the benchmark for the small SUV segment in more ways than one, with its key drawcard - fuel efficiency - remaining the best in the crowd.

Everything from the Yaris Cross’ smooth on-road manners, user-friendliness around town and surprisingly eager handling makes it a perfect companion for a drive in the urban jungle.

That said, rising price tags have made the Yaris Cross quite the pricey little SUV, especially in higher grades, with the GXL sitting as the sweet spot of the range, in our opinion.

If you’re looking to upgrade to a new car, be sure to reach out to one of our car-buying experts who can help you find the best possible price. 

Five Toyota Yaris Cross Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty

2. Two years added warranty when serviced on time, at the dealership

3. 3.8 - 4.1L per 100km fuel economy figures

4. Five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2021 testing

5. Boot space drops from 390 - 314L in Yaris Cross AWD range