Toyota Yaris Cross review - Practicality & boot space

​While there’s a lot to love about the Yaris Cross, it isn’t one of the most spacious cars in its class, just like the Yaris supermini it’s based on. It won’t be a deal-breaker for lots of people, but a side-effect of the batteries is some reduced passenger and luggage space.

Toyota Yaris Cross interior space & storage

The hybrid battery pack is situated under the rear seats, and while the raised roofline means headroom isn’t too bad for back seat passengers, legroom is a bit tight for taller adults. It’s likely to be fine for shorter trips, but rivals such as the Renault Captur and Skoda Kamiq offer more space and a few competitors even have a sliding rear bench. There are also no USB chargers in the back, but there are two ISOFIX child seat positions – if you can fit bulky child seats through the doors and into position.

Space up front is less of an issue, but the Yaris Cross still doesn’t feel as roomy as the Skoda. Cubby spaces are on the small side, but there are quite a few dotted around the interior. It’s also worth noting that you’ll need Design trim or above for rear cup holders to be added. These are a useful addition, even if the central armrest itself isn’t as substantial as you’ll find in the Honda Jazz.

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Boot space

The opening to the boot is nice and wide, and there’s a ‘kick-activated’ powered tailgate from Excel trim, which is handy if you’ve got both hands full. However, there is a fairly high loading lip, and while 397 litres is a useful size, it’s easily beaten. The Ford Puma – which is some way behind the class best – has a 456 litre boot, but the Hyundai Kona Hybrid can only manage 374 litres, while the Renault Captur E-Tech has 379 litres. Fold down the seats in the Yaris Cross and space increases to 1,097 litres.

We don’t recommend picking the all-wheel drive version of the Yaris Cross, because its extra rear motor reduces its boot space to just 320 litres – less than quite a few superminis.

Other things to note are the split-level boot floor, which is handy for adapting how you use the space, while protective rubber mats are also great if you want to carry muddy boots, sports gear or dogs without getting the carpets filthy. However, the rear seats don’t fold fully flat, and the 60:40 split has the wider side behind the driver, which limits its ability to carry longer items.

Towing

If you fancy a Toyota Yaris but need more than the supermini’s 450kg towing capacity, the Yaris Cross could be the answer. While you won’t be towing horseboxes or large caravans, the 750kg braked and 550kg capacities should come in handy for the odd tip run or camping trip, and it just beats the 500kg maximum capacity of the Honda Jazz. Still, there are more competent rivals like the Volkswagen T-Roc that can haul up to 1,700kg in top versions.