Toyota Yaris-based SUV to compete against Nissan Juke - Confirmed

KUALA LUMPUR: The Japanese automaker has confirmed that they will be bringing the Yaris-based SUV to compete against the all-new Nissan Juke and Renault Captur, as reported by Autoexpress. The new small SUV, to use the Yaris platform, is already under development and will slot under C-HR in terms of size as well as price.

The new Toyota SUV will be built in France using the latest G-AB platform that can also be seen fitted underneath the new Yaris and the special homologation GR Yaris. The official reveal is not too far either as the European vice president of Toyota, Matt Harrison said, “we won’t have to wait too long to see the final design" of the new Yaris-based SUV.

Toyota believes that the customers who are put off by the high price of C-HR will embrace the new upcoming B-segment SUV that will be closer to 4 metres in length. While speaking with the publication, Harrison added, “SUV segments, in general, are all continuing to grow. C-HR is playing in the very top end of what could almost be a sort of coupé-crossover C-segment SUV. It doesn’t really compete with other products like Qashqai or more practical offerings.”

“If you look at the level of conquest we have with that car, it’s incredible, even from premium brands. But the way that area of the market is continuing to grow and sub-divide, there would definitely be opportunities for additional products. I don’t think for a minute that we’ve got it all covered with C-HR.”

The new Toyota SUV is likely to be slightly longer in length than the Yaris and of course taller than it as well, by around 40mm which will also increase the ride height. Moreover, the company is likely to extend the Yaris’s wheelbase for better legroom at the back. The cabin would feature the same infotainment system as the higher-grade Yaris models, with a 10-inch central display with touchscreen and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.

Under the hood, expect the baby SUV to be powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, coupled with either a CVT or a 6-speed manual gearbox that would produce a max power of 116 PS. A hybrid version would also be on offer with Toyota’s Hybrid System II and lithium-ion battery pack that would make the SUV capable of offering up to 80 per cent of urban manoeuvres on pure electric mode.

In Europe, the SUV will only be made available as a front-wheel-drive model, however, you can expect the company to offer four-wheel-drive variant in Japan. Toyota is likely to reveal the small SUV in the second half of 2020, as per Autoexpress.

Source: Autoexpress

Also Read: 2019 Toyota Yaris Hatchback - All you need to know