When I first heard “Yaris Cross” I honestly thought it was just an updated version of that small hatchback I remembered from years ago.
And I got a bit confused because in my head, the Yaris was this tiny little zippy car… fun, cute, nothing too serious.
I actually know the original Yaris pretty well.
I used to drive one a lot back in the day because I had this friend who wanted to tst all the coffee shops in Manila so she could bring her idea back to our hometown, Tacloban.
She had one of those early Yaris hatchbacks (the XP90, I believe).
She’d let me drive it when we went out because she didn’t want to get into my Volkswagen Beetle. So I’d leave the Beetle parked outside her condo in BGC and we’d take her car and just cruise around at night, hitting coffee shops all over the metro.
She was on a mission to try every coffee place she could find because she was planning to open one herself someday.
That little Yaris was surprisingly roomy and very easy to drive… it was a manual but it didn’t feel heavy at all.
So when Glenn, my bandmate, told me he and his brother were looking at getting a Yaris Cross… I was curious. And then I looked it up and thought… wait.
This is not the same car.
Not even close.
How It Looks
The Yaris Cross slots between the smaller Raize and the bigger Corolla Cross. Up front it gets Toyota’s large hexagonal SUV grille flanked by slim swept-back headlights, squarish wheel openings for that rugged SUV look, and angular horizontal taillights at the rear.
It’s a proper little crossover.
Taller.
More presence on the road.
It looks like it belongs next to the Fortuner in the family photo, not like a hatchback that grew up.
The two-tone colors especially look really good.
Color options include Attitude Black, Greenish Gun Metal, Scarlet SE, Dark Turquoise SE, and White Pearl, with two-tone versions pairing Attitude Black Mica roofs with some of those colorways.
Personally, the Dark Turquoise SE two-tone is… one of the nicer color combinations I’ve seen on a car this size.
Variants
There are two engine options depending on the variant.
The entry-level G and the mid-spec V use a 1.5-liter inline-4 engine making up to 104 horsepower and 138 Nm of torque. The top-spec S HEV gets a 1.5-liter hybrid with its combustion component making 89 horsepower and 121 Nm, but the electric motor adds 78 horsepower for a combined output of 109 horsepower. All variants use a CVT.
The Yaris Cross measures 4,310mm long, 1,770mm wide, and 1,615mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,620mm and a ground clearance of 212mm.
That 212mm ground clearance is actually quite decent for Davao roads. Whether you’re in the city, heading out to the highway towards Digos, or navigating those semi-rough subdivision roads… it should handle those without any problem.
The hybrid version in particular… in EV mode around city traffic, it should be very quiet and smooth. Perfect for school runs or slow moving Quimpo traffic where the stop-and-go is constant.
Comfort and Practicality
The interior features soft touch panels just about everywhere, which is not something you can say about most rivals at this price. All variants come with a digital instrument cluster, automatic climate control, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless charging, and a built-in dashcam.
A built in dashcam. Standard. That’s not a small thing for Filipino drivers who deal with unpredictable road situations daily.
The V and S HEV variants come with Toyota Safety Sense including pre-collision system, auto high beam, lane tracing assist, lane keeping assist, rear cross traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control, plus a 360-degree camera.
For a family with young kids in Davao… that safety package is genuinely reassuring. The 360-degree camera alone is worth it for anyone who parks in tight mall parking areas regularly.
Variant Price List
| Variant | Price |
| 1.5 G CVT | ₱1,210,000 |
| 1.5 V CVT | ₱1,306,000 |
| 1.5 S HEV CVT | ₱1,604,000 |
| 1.5 SE HEV CVT | ₱1,690,000 |
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Toyota reliability and wide service network nationwide
- Hybrid option is one of the most affordable HEVs in its class
- 212mm ground clearance handles local roads well
- Built-in dashcam standard across all variants
- 10.1-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto
- 360-degree camera on V and S HEV variants
- Multiple USB ports front and rear
Cons
- Only 5 seats (not ideal for bigger families)
- Ground clearance decent but not class-leading
- Hybrid variant is a significant price jump from the G
- No panoramic sunroof except on the top spec S HEV
- CVT on all variants (no manual option for those who want one)
- Competiion from Chinese brands at lower prices is real
Should You Get One?
Glenn and his brother made a good call.
I actually think the 1.5 V CVT at ₱1.306 million is the sweet spot of the range.
You get the safety suite, the 360-degree camera, power adjustable seats, and Toyota’s reliability… without paying hybrid prices.
If budget allows and you care about fuel savings long term… the S HEV makes a lot of sense especially for daily city driving in Davao where the start-and-stop traffic lets the hybrid system do its thing.
It’s not the tiny zippy hatchback I remember from BGC at midnight anymore. It grew up. And… it grew up well.
