Toyota presented the final design of its Yaris Cross model, the compact SUV that will be manufactured in Brazil and that from next year will be available in Mercosur.
The reveal was made in Indonesia, where manufacturing will begin this year. It is a different model to the one already marketed in Europe and designed for emerging markets.
The model that will arrive in Mercosur will be manufactured in the plant that the Japanese brand has in Porto Feliz, São Paulo, although the company has not yet formally announced it.
The Toyota Yaris Cross was introduced in Indonesia.
Although its arrival in the Argentine market was not officially confirmed, it is ruled out that this vehicle will be available in the domestic market.
New forms and hybrid version
This model will bear the name of Yaris Cross, however its style does not resemble almost anything to the Yaris hatchback and sedan that are currently known in these lands. The figure of the new SUV is clearly inspired by other vehicles of the same characteristics such as the RAV4 and the Corolla Cross.
The Yaris Cross is built on the DNGA platform, a simplified version of the TNGA used by Corolla and Corolla Cross. This will end up giving it average measurements for the segment: it will be 4,310 mm long, 1,770 m wide, 1,615 mm high and a wheelbase of 2,620 mm. This leaves it above a Jeep Renegade (4,268 mm) and a Chevrolet Tracker (4,270 mm).
The nose of the Toyota Yaris Cross is clearly inspired by the RAV4.
For its launch in Asia, Toyota announced two engine options for the Yaris Cross. There will be an entry version with the 1.5-liter gasoline engine with 106 horsepower and 137 Nm of torque that is combined with a 5-speed manual gearbox or a CVT-type automatic.
The most expensive versions will have a hybrid system, composed of a 1.5-liter engine of 80 hp and another electric of 90 hp. The Japanese manufacturer did not give more details about this mechanical assembly. But several Brazilian media talk that the model that will be manufactured there will have hybrid options.
And in Indonesia several media say that later it will have another hybrid alternative, called e-Smart Hybrid, which uses an electric propeller to move the wheels and the combustion engine works only as an energy generator. A similar system like the one announced by Nissan for the new X-Trail that will be sold in Argentina.
The Toyota Yaris Cross will have two screens, one on the instrument controller and the other on the center console.
In the only photo that at the moment is known of the interior of this new SUV, you can appreciate a little the style of the current Yaris but with some different finishing details. It will have a 7-inch digital dashboard and above the center console will have a multimedia center with a floating screen of 10.1 inches.
Among the equipment announced for the Asian market, the brand highlighted the 6 airbags, stability control, blind spot radars, electronic parking brake, parking sensor and panoramic sunroof.
With the arrival of this new model to the region, the Japanese brand would have a great offer in the compact vehicle segment today represented by the 5 and 4-door versions of the Etios and Yaris models.
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