SPIED: Toyota Yaris Cross does cold-weather testing

The Toyota Yaris will spawn an all-wheel-drive B-segment crossover, as seen here courtesy of our spy photographers who have captured images of these development vehicles for the upcoming model.

Based on the GA-B version of the TNGA platform which also underpins the mainstream, five-door Yaris hatchback that was unveiled last year as well as the rally homologation GR Yaris which followed, what’s likely to be dubbed the Yaris Cross wears wider fenders to go with its augmented ride height.

Given its underpinnings, the Yaris Cross will be the smaller sibling to the also TNGA-based C-HR, and its compact SUV positioning is expected to see it become among the most popular versions within the broader Yaris range, going head-to-head with the likes of the Renault Captur and Nissan Juke.

The Yaris Cross should follow in the footsteps of the five-door hatchback in offering purely internal combustion petrol as well as hybrid versions, likely to carry over the 1.5 litre Dynamic Force three-cylinder engine and the hybrid version, which employs the same M15A petrol unit for pairing with the electric driveline.

Given that the Yaris Cross has the same underpinnings, it is likely to follow the five-door hatchback’s configuration in using a double wishbone rear suspension layout for the all-wheel driveline, whereas the base front-wheel-drive Yaris hatchback employed torsion beam rear suspension; front suspension is by MacPherson struts across the range.

It would appear that Toyota has elected to continue development work on the Yaris Cross following the cancellation of this year’s Geneva Motor Show, where this B-segment crossover was initially set to make its first official appearance; as just about all industries worldwide lie in wait for the coronavirus outbreak to pass, the Yaris Cross could make its debut later in the Northern Hemisphere summer this year.

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