[Auto] Toyota Yaris Cross vs Kia Niro: 2021 group test review

[#Hassan.]

 

Plenty of car companies could lay claim to creating the small SUV class, but Toyota has some pretty strong credentials. The original RAV4 arrived in 1994, and it was one of the first cars of the era to deliver rugged styling and practicality in a relatively compact package. It was a hit for Toyota, but over time the RAV4 has grown in size, so Toyota has bolstered its SUV range to compensate. First it introduced the C-HR as a smaller alternative, but with the explosion in po[CENSORED]rity of supermini-based SUVs, the company needed another model on its books. Enter the Toyota Yaris Cross, which has just gone on sale. The new model shares more than just a name with Toyota’s award-winning supermini, because its platform and running gear are identical, too. That means hybrid drive is standard, which should help it to deliver low everyday running costs. With petrol-electric power central to its appeal, the Yaris Cross offers something different in the small SUV class, but it’s not a unique format in the sector. While the Kia Niro now comes with electric or plug-in power, it arrived as a hybrid in 2016. Constant development has refined and improved it over the years, but does it do enough to show hybrid specialist Toyota the way? There’s only one way to find out.

 

 

The Yaris Cross is the smallest model in Toyota’s SUV line-up. It slots below the C-HR, starts from £22,515 and is around £3,000 more, model for model, than the Yaris supermini. Here we’re testing the Design model, which sits in the middle of the range and costs £24,140. Design & engineering Like the supermini of the same name, the Yaris Cross uses Toyota’s TNGA-B platform, and UK models are built in the same French factory as the hatchback, too.There’s one powertrain option available, which again is the same one found in the Yaris: Toyota’s 1.5 VVT-i hybrid set-up with a three-cylinder petrol engine, electric motor, compact battery, CVT gearbox and front-wheel drive. There’s a modest 116bhp on offer, but that’s adequate for a model such as this.On the outside, the Yaris Cross foregoes the supermini’s curves for a chunkier look. It rides 30mm higher than the supermini, and the off-road appearance is further emphasised by the gaps between the wheels and the arches. There are the usual additions of black plastic cladding and silver roof rails, while Design trim comes with chunky-looking 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels. Our car’s Urban Blue paint is a £250 option, while higher-spec versions can be had with a contrasting black roof. Inside, there are clear similarities between the Yaris and Yaris Cross. The dashboard is pretty much identical, with the same switchgear, steering wheel, air vents and touchscreen infotainment system in place. You get heavily sculpted door cards that add a touch of flair to the cabin’s appearance, while silver trim around the gearlever and a piano-black finish for the curved section above the climate controls give the cabin a bit of a lift.

Link: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-group-tests/356176/toyota-yaris-cross-vs-kia-niro-2021-group-test-review