Three cars, all with the same name, built by the same company.
One of them is sporty and exciting. Another is practical. And one is not exactly either of those things.
The Toyota Yaris recently added two offspring: the rally-bred, fabulously fun Yaris GR Four and its mild-mannered counterpart, the slightly awkward Yaris Cross.
The GR Four is the greatest feel-good, cheap-thrills machine to enter the market in ages.
The Yaris Cross, on the other hand, further proves the theory that every manufacturer – big or small – wants to offer an SUV in every possible market segment.
In some industries, they call models like this “brand extensions”. Take a product or brand that people know, trust and like, then try to invent as many related versions as possible bearing the same name.
Use Coca Cola as an example … there’s also Cherry Coke. And Vanilla Coke. And Coke Zero.
The Yaris has been around for two decades, is in its fourth generation and, in many ways, is more contemporary than it’s ever been.
The Yaris knows its lane and stays right in the middle of it. Until now.
There was a certain logic to the GR Four, conceived, as it was, through the company’s rally program. It allowed Toyota to showcase its tech wizardry by taking a tiny, 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine and tweaking it into delivering an astonishing 200 kilowatts of nerve-jangling mayhem.
At the other end of the spectrum is the Yaris Cross. A car that has as much in common with the GR as Simon does with Garfunkel these days.
The Cross is built on roughly the same platform as the Yaris (it’s marginally longer and wider), and will be offered in a broad range of configurations: petrol or hybrid; front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive; and in trim levels ranging from GX to GXL and Urban.
The two-wheel-drive hybrid version of the mid-range GXL which retails at $31,990 plus on-road costs, was tested here. It’s an interesting proposition.
Prices range from $26,990 for the entry-level, GX 2WD petrol, up to the flagship model AWD hybrid, costing $37,990.
That’s a substantial ask for a car that shares its heartbeat with a city car costing roughly half as much, yet there’s no doubt the Yaris Cross will win its share of attention.
It’s not the prettiest-looking SUV getting around – not as heavily styled as Toyota’s slightly larger C-HR, for instance – nor does it quite fit the design ethic of bigger Toyota SUVs.
It looks a bit ungainly from some angles, something not helped by the unappealing pale beige of the test vehicle. Toyota called the shade ‘latte’, but maybe ‘weak Milo’ would be more apt.
First impressions aside, the little Yaris managed to notch up some wins.
It’s a stout, sturdy little thing belying its slightly feeble appearance (and feeble exhaust note). But there’s definitely a place in the market for ugly cars. The Nissan Cube proved that. And remember the Toyota Ruckus?
Toyota’s world-leading hybrid technology is admirable but this is not the best expression of it.
The slightly rough, ragged nature of the three-cylinder petrol engine is a difficult fit with its electric ally in this instance. There’s a bit of a rumble when the hybrid motors cut in and out.
Nor does it feel particularly athletic when hills are concerned. Total output from the petrol and electric drive-train is 85kW, which explains why.
But here’s the payoff: It sips a very modest 4L/100km, enough to make its purchase price seem like a pretty sound investment (the hybrid costs roughly $2000 more).
Inside, the Yaris-inspired cockpit is functional if not particularly pretty, but on the plus side there’s oodles of little storage nooks which will be welcomed by its youthful target market.
It’s thoughtfully put together and is decently roomy for a car that takes up so little space. It will compare favourably to competitors like the Hyundai Venue.
Yes, it feels like the runt of the litter, particularly when lined up beside the GR Four. Perhaps using the same Yaris name does this little car few favours.
But it wouldn’t be any prettier, and no more practical, if it were called something else.
Sometimes brand extensions make sense, sometimes they meet a market need, and sometimes they are just designed to make money.
The Yaris Cross sits somewhere between the last two categories.
TOYOTA YARIS CROSS GXL Hybrid
* HOW BIG? It’s based on Toyota’s smallest model, the Yaris, but is usefully larger.
* HOW FAST? Suffice to say the Yaris GR Four is at least twice as fast. And three times as much fun.
* HOW THIRSTY: The hybrid version sips a modest 4L/100km – one of the most frugal cars on the market.
* HOW MUCH? Prices start at $26,990. The GXL Hybrid tested costs $31,990, plus statutory and on-road charges.
AAP
