Verve experiences the Toyota Yaris Cross and the Toyota Yaris Hatch from a women’s perspective.
Toyota Yaris Hatch
As a young professional my lifestyle revolves around being out and about in the city – the small and agile Toyota Yaris Hatch proved to be the perfect complement to this. It’s reliable, safe, easy to drive and easy to park.
The Yaris Hatch is available in two powertrain options* – a petrol version and a full hybrid-electric version – I drove the ZR Hybrid. The driving dynamics of this car are impressive – with the switch from petrol to electric and back again so smooth it is hardly noticeable.
Auckland traffic can be frustrating at the best of times, so for me infotainment and connectivity are crucial. The Yaris Hatch offers easy smartphone integration including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with enhanced voice recognition, a six-speaker sound system and a 7.0-inch touchscreen display.
The chic design of the Yaris Hatch contribute to it’s energetic feel. With high quality materials used throughout the cabin, the ZR has a contrasting grey and black interior with red accents – adding to the sporty, dynamic vibe. The wheel arches are emphasised to enhance the cars lower and squatter stance.
As for safety – all Yaris Hatch variants get the latest Toyota Safety Sense package. Even the entry-level cars get Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and Lane-Tracing Assist. Other safety features of the Yaris include the Pre-Collision system, and Intersection Turn Assist (which alerts you if someone is on the road you’re about to turn into). The ZR variants also feature Blind Spot Monitor, front and rear parking sensors, and Parking Support Brake.
If you’re in the market for a small car that’s economically priced and offers a zippy and spirit-lifting driving experience, the Toyota Yaris Hatch could be the one for you.
Ashlee Lala
*Pricing starts at $25,900
Toyota Yaris Cross
The first thing that struck me about the Yaris Cross GX was the price: $29,990*, which for a brand-new car offering as much space and comfort as this car does, is phenomenal.
Apart from the price and the interior spaciousness, other things I loved was the large and easy to read central screen, which boasted an equally fine reversing camera.
As I often use down time in the car to add finishing touches to my makeup, the fact that the visors (above the driver and passenger seat) house a nice sized mirror that lights up, was an important feature for me.
One of the most striking things for me – a relatively simple feature, but really well thought out. The trunk features a ‘take-away floor’ which when removed gives more boot depth, making it easy to pack in and transport those tall items, or simply giving you more space to stack lots of smaller items. A fabulous feature for busy families, and for small business owners when doing deliveries.
Having experienced a large and nasty wet weather car crash earlier this year, safety will now always be my prime consideration when purchasing a car: The Yaris Cross GX has eight airbags, lane tracing assist (the car beeps every time the wheels even touch a white line / lane divider) and autonomous emergency braking.
In our family, having a car that is able to tow is super important, helps with any number of weekend chores and sporting pasttimes. The Yaris Cross GX has a towing ability rated for maximum braked capacity of 1,250kg for the petrol.
The Yaris Cross GX is a fabulous car for a young growing family, and/or busy small business owner. Equally good in the city and on the open road.
Fran Ninow
*Pricing starts at $29,990
