Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid Review

Disclaimer: I received 2.5 days of car hire from Currie Motors Car & Van Hire in exchange for this post, as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Read on for my full Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid Review.

As with all my other car reviews, this will not be an in-depth or technical review filled with car specs, I won’t be talking about horsepower, what’s under the bonnet or anything like that because I have no idea or interest in any of that, I will, however, let you know if it’s likely to hold your luggage for the weekend or the weekly shopping, how much leg room the kids have in the back, if you are likely to fit those all-important car seats in and how suitable it is for family life. If you are looking for a more in-depth review I suggest you head over to a car blog or Google will answer all those questions!

Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid Review

The Toyota Yaris Cross is a small-sized SUV. It has far more room inside than the original small Yaris but isn’t huge either so it doesn’t feel like you are driving a tank. Being a Hybrid it switches between petrol and electric so you save money on fuel and the battery automatically charges while you drive so less fuel is needed and there is no need to find a charging point to recharge it, which is very handy indeed.

The car automatically switches between the modes, using electric on slower speeds making it perfect for around town and city driving, and the petrol engine at higher speeds. You won’t notice the changes at all, I only knew as it shows on the dashboard but I did notice how great it was in fuel economy – I drove to Great Yarmouth and back (around 245 miles) with the children for a mini holiday and used less than half a tank of petrol, I did refuel on the way home but could have made it back easily on what I had put in the tank already.

Inside the front of this car

All seats were fabric which is not the perfect solution if you have younger children with sticky fingers but it is a better option for the hotter weather in the summer months as you won’t find yourself sticking to the seats.

The front seats are very comfortable and fully adjustable, even enough for my short legs as I have to move the seat all the way forward when driving.

It is fitted with a 8″ Toyota Touch® 2 multimedia system with Smartphone integration incl Apple CarPlay™ & Android Auto™, it doesn’t have a pre-installed navigation system so to use maps you need to link it to your phone and then you can use Google Maps or whatever you are using on your phone, once linked to the phone you can see the map on the screen and the directions play through the car speakers.

It is very easy to link up, you will need to plug in your phone to do this, once connected for the first time you won’t have to keep adding the car to your phones settings as it will already be paired, just plug in and you are ready to use. You can also play music via your phone while connected so we had Spotify playing during our journey.

As you are connected to your phone you can make and answer calls and there are easy-to-access buttons on the steering wheel for this meaning you don’t have to touch your phone while driving. Messages (text and WhatsApp) are also displayed on the centre console when they come through to your phone which you can either ignore choose to mute, read on the large screen or you can choose for them to be read out to you through the car speakers.

This has a push button start which I am not really used to but found it such a handy feature as I am forever opening a car, putting the keys in my pocket or bag while I load the shopping, luggage or children into it and then spent ages routing around in the bottom of my bag searching for them again. With this, I could pop the keys into a little space under the console along with my phone and didn’t have to keep searching for them.

To start the car you press the start button with your foot on the brake and put it into drive (or reverse) – I was driving an automatic. If you forget how to start it the instructions are displayed for you on the dashboard when you press the start button.

There is a small glove compartment, small pockets on each door, a compartment under the multimedia system with a non-slip surface which is perfect for your phone as it has the USB port just above it, there are cup holders in the middle between the driver and passenger seats and a small lift up compartment between these seats for storing valuables. There is also a point to plug in your car charger in the front.

The car also had automatic air conditioning which was very welcomed indeed as it was extremely hot on our journey to Great Yarmouth.

Other features included:

• Reversing camera
• Emergency Steering Assist
• Pre-Collision System
• Lane change alerts

The back of the car

The Yaris Cross has 3 seats in the back, 2 of which are full-sized seats and the middle is a smaller half seat. While you can fit 3 people in the back of this car, if they are adults it will be a squeeze and would be far more comfortable with children in the back or just 2 adults. 3 will fit, but on longer journeys, it may not be the most comfortable for the middle passenger.

Due to the small middle seat, you wouldn’t be able to add 3 full-sized car seats in the back of this car, you could have 2 full-sized ones on each side but you probably won’t be able to squeeze anyone into the middle seat. With smaller booster seats you would be able to sit 3 children abreast in the back. Both outside rear seats have Isofix points for fitting your car seats safely and there are top tether points behind the seats for further secure fixing of your car seats.

The middle seat can be pulled down to provide an armrest for the back passengers, this also had 2 cup holders for the kid’s drinks. This is always a nice added feature if you only have 2 people in the back of a car and those happen to be children as it removes the shouting and arguing about “He touched me”, “She’s got her stuff on my side” – I know you are nodding there as my kids certainly aren’t the only ones to fight over this!

There was plenty of foot space for the children in the back, not the most but this is a small-sized SUV so it wasn’t expected. They had more than enough room for their backpacks by their feet and a blanket/pillow (I always bring these for the kids so they can get comfy on long trips).

The back windows are electric, but they can be locked from the front if your children like to constantly play around with them.

Each door had a small pocket in, not big enough for drinks to be stored but you could pop your phone in there or some sweets so they are accessible.

Both children said the seats were very comfortable and didn’t complain of being stiff or sore. I was also able to drive the entire journey from Essex to Great Yarmouth without having to stop – Harry suffers from travel sickness often yet didn’t complain at all for this journey – this could have been a combination of wearing his sickness bands, having the air conditioning on and larger back windows to look out of helped too.

There wasn’t a charging point in the back of the car which was a shame as I’m used to being able to use this to plug in the kid’s tablets/Emmy’s phone – there is one in the front so isn’t too much of an issue but you will need to have long charging cables if you want them to reach the back seats. There also aren’t any storage pockets on the back of the front seats.

The rear seats have a 40, 20, 40 split when folding them down meaning you have the option to fold down one seat, 2 seats or all of them – perfect for when you find that bargain on FB Marketplace and you have to go and collect it, or that trip over to B&M/Ikea for just one item which turns into a trolley full of things you just had to have.

The Boot

This is very spacious indeed and easily fitted our luggage for our trip away, and anyone who knows me well will know that I do not pack light. I add extras just in case and then extras on to of that. We always have double the amount of clothes, in case we want to change in the evening, or for eventualities which involve Harry – he can get messy just walking out of the door so heading to the seaside meant I needed swimming things, beach shoes and extra towels.

I also took a fan as had read our hotel was extremely hot, and I was so glad I did as it was definitely needed. Of course, a picnic was packed, raincoats because this is England in the Summer, extra shoes, teddies, entertainment for the kids – card games etc., and I could have fitted in the kitchen sink too.

There was still plenty of room, even on the way home when we added buckets and spades, half the beach worth of stones and shells and seaside tat the kids had to buy.

You could easily fit in a buggy and your changing bag – or a child (only kidding – Harry has a thing for getting into the boot of cars to see if he will fit).

There is no spare wheel but it comes with an inflation fit and you can remove the parcel shelf if you need extra room.

Final thoughts

I really liked driving this car, it was comfortable and had everything we could have wanted and needed for our trip.

It would be perfect for a family of 4 as you can add the 2 car seats into the back and fit a buggy into the boot. More children than that and this probably isn’t the car for you.

It was a good size for driving around and was easy to park as it wasn’t huge in size – you are higher up than in a small car such as the Yaris, this is a driving position I prefer as being short it gives a far better view of what’s ahead of you.

I really was impressed with the Hybrid engine, not having driven an electric car before I wasn’t sure what to expect but it felt no different and the fact I didn’t have to recharge it was a huge plus.

Currie Motors

Currie Motors Car & Van hire has several branches across London, Surrey, Middlesex, Hertfordshire and Waltham Abbey. They offer a wide range of vehicles to suit everyone’s needs including: City cars, People Carriers, Vans and different-sized SUV’s.

Locations include: Twickenham, Waltham Abbey, Whetstone, Ware, Welwyn Garden City, Barnet, Enfield, Kingston, Brentford & Isleworth.

The vehicles are available to hire on short-term or longer-term loans and can be picked up from their office sites, or in some locations and be dropped off and collected from your home or office via arrangement. You can book over the phone or via their website, and there is also an online chat feature on the website so you can have all your questions answered.

Booking in advance is the best option, but we all know that sometimes emergencies happen and you need to book last minute – that is fine too as they take on the day bookings too, subject to availability.

They offer low access terms and can even help with additional requirements you may have such as sat nav, car seats or European cover.

Overall thoughts

The Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid is a compact SUV that offers a spacious interior, making it an excellent choice for families. Unlike the original Yaris, this model provides ample room without the bulkiness of larger SUVs, ensuring a comfortable driving experience.

Equipped with hybrid technology, the Yaris Cross seamlessly switches between petrol and electric power, enhancing fuel efficiency and reducing the need for frequent refuelling. The battery charges automatically during driving, contributing to its eco-friendly design.

Safety features are a priority in the Yaris Cross, with advanced systems in place to protect all occupants. Its compact size and responsive handling make it ideal for urban driving, allowing for easy navigation through city streets.

In summary, the Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid combines the benefits of a compact SUV with hybrid efficiency, spaciousness, and family-friendly features, making it a compelling option for those seeking an eco-conscious and practical vehicle.

For car-using families, in addition to the configuration of the vehicle, the comfort of the car is also important. Of course, you can also use some interior decorations to enhance your driving experience. 

For example, hang some small keychain pendants in the car to make the interior look more cosy. Or you can use Neon Signs to dress up the car very uniquely and coolly. There are many choices for custom neon Signs, and of course, you can also choose some cute pink lights, so your car will also become cute.

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