Toyota’s Yaris hatchback was one of the highlights of last year for the DRIVEN team, so it stands to reason that the Yaris Cross would be the top Small SUV for 2021.
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Of course, the genius of the Yaris Cross is that it isn’t merely a jacked-up version of its supermini namesake. It’s very much its own thing and looks it: quite a bit larger, definitely taller and yet pickup up key Yaris technology where it really counts: Toyota’s new platform and the option of excellent petrol-electric hybrid technology.
The conventional petrol GX provides a fun and practical entry point to the Yaris Cross: the fizzy three-cylinder engine is a joy and it’s a really comfortable car in urban environments.
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But the majority of the range is based around the hybrid powertrain, combining that three-cylinder engine with the latest lithium-ion battery technology to produce outstanding fuel economy (and as it happens, great performance too). You can take the sub-4.0-litre/100km official figure quite seriously: after two decades, Toyota has pretty much perfected this type of hybrid powertrain.
The Yaris Cross is small, so well done. It ticks all the boxes for NZ’s burgeoning compact SUV market.
Runners up
Kia Seltos, Mazda MX-30
TOYOTA YARIS CROSS
ENGINE: 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol or 1.5 with lithium-ion battery and hybrid system
POWER: 88kW/145Nm (petrol) or 85kW (total system)/120Nm (hybrid
GEARBOX: Continuously variable automatic, FWD
ECONOMY: 3.8-5.4l/100km
PRICE: $32,290-$35,290