[ĐÁNH GIÁ NHANH] Toyota Yaris Cross is about to return to Vietnam: Putting pressure on Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta

Positioned right below its “elder” Corolla Cross, the Toyota Yaris Cross possesses a new design and many modern equipment that will certainly stir up the already crowded B-segment high chassis segment with strong names such as Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-30…

In the first 5 months of 2023, the “trump card” of the Japanese brand Toyota Vios often “suffering” with unimpressive business results before launching new versions. To regain form, it is expected that Vios will take a few months. Meanwhile, Corolla Cross has continuously shown its enduring performance by regularly appearing in the top 5 best-selling cars in Vietnam from the beginning of the year until now.

Next to Corolla CrossToyota Veloz also partly created a business advantage in the context of Toyota Vios’s declining performance. Especially due to the impact of the economic situation, the car market in 2023 is facing many difficulties. Facing this development, Toyota Vietnam is preparing to launch a new “card” to turn the situation around, which is the Yaris Cross. Why is that? – First, we must consider the success of our senior Corolla Cross.

Toyota Corolla Cross Launched globally in Thailand in July 2020 and took only one month to be available in Vietnam in August 2020. The B+ class high-undercarriage car model quickly attracts users and is regularly in the top best-selling cars every month, steadily since its launch until now.

Toyota Corolla Cross possesses a breakthrough design, modern equipment, comfort – spaciousness – safety – durability and even carries hybrid green technology to help save fuel and protect the environment. It is these factors that make Corolla Cross score strongly in the hearts of consumers and gain a solid foothold, creating momentum for development to be launched in both the North American and Japanese markets – a sequence of “going upstream” that proves success!

The trend of customers shifting from low- to high-clearance cars is something that has been predicted for a long time in the car world and this process is also happening very strongly. That’s why Toyota quickly took the opportunity to bring the Yaris Cross model to Vietnam, reapplying the exact formula that made it successful for its elder model Corolla Cross.

From the new design, to the complete equipment list, even the hybrid green version has been offered by Toyota Yaris Crosssimilar to the elder Corolla Cross. Not to mention, the B-class high-riding car model will certainly have a more attractive price than its predecessor, filling the gap of 600 – 700 million VND below the Corolla Cross – a segment being exploited very effectively by Kia Seltos, Hyundai Creta or Mazda CX-3 / CX-30. So let’s see what “Vios high roar version” is coming to Vietnam soon.

First, let’s take a look at the general assessment of an “insider” – Mr. Henry Tanoto, President of Toyota Astra Indonesia Joint Venture – shared: “This small SUV model offers wider opportunities for customers to access an environmentally friendly car, with a more affordable price, more modern comfort and safety equipment; while still maintaining the basic, reliable mobility role of an everyday urban high-clearance car.”

Environmental friendliness is the factor Mr. Henry puts first. By Toyota Yaris Cross 2023 Equipped with a hybrid engine code 2NR-VEX including a 1.5L I4 gasoline engine, combined with a lithium-ion battery pack and electric motor. This hybrid configuration gives the Yaris Cross a capacity of up to 110 horsepower and also a pure EV operating mode.

Meanwhile, the internal combustion engine version shares the configuration with the Avanza – Veloz duo, with a 1.5L gasoline engine code 2NR-VE giving 104.5 horsepower and 138 Nm of torque when combined with a CVT automatic transmission – more than enough to “balance” all asphalt roads in Vietnam.

Actual experience shows Toyota Yaris Cross 2023 Very driver-friendly: leather-wrapped electric seats with a comfortable and body-hugging shape, 4-way adjustable steering wheel that easily fits many different body types. When stepping on the accelerator, the electric motor will “go to work” first so the car starts very smoothly and quietly.

Thanks to the hybrid engine, the car feels very agile and instantaneous in acceleration. On the most advanced GR version, the driver is also equipped with a gear shift lever behind the steering wheel so he can actively seek out more exciting driving experiences.

Soundproofing ability of Toyota Yaris Cross 2023 is rated quite well when operating at low and medium speed ranges. The soft suspension system ensures a smooth experience when going over speed bumps or potholes. The feeling of continuously zig-zag steering at low speeds is also quite fun.

Notably, the vehicle’s turning radius is extremely impressive, only 4.2m – making it move extremely flexibly and manage conveniently in crowded, narrow areas. This is a point that makes a strong impression compared to HR-V or Creta.

According to Mr. Fumitaka Kawashima – Marketing Director of Toyota Astra Indonesia Joint Venture, this urban SUV model brings a fun driving experience, while also aiming at the carbon neutral goal set by the global Toyota group: “The Toyota Yaris Cross 2023 is very suitable for the diverse needs of Indonesian consumers. The value that this model brings compared to the selling price is extremely attractive and this is a factor worth considering.”

The safety aspect is also highly emphasized, when Toyota Yaris Cross 2023 owns a series of attractive standard equipment: electronic handbrake with Auto Hold, 6 airbags, ABS-EBD-BA brakes, reverse sensor, emergency brake lights, hill start assist, body control, rear cross-traffic warning, blind spot warning and even a small fire extinguisher in the storage compartment under the dashboard.

On higher-end versions, Toyota is equipped with the full TSS safety technology package of Yaris Cross, including: Adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning and automatic braking to prevent collisions, smart lights with automatic high/low beam, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, avoiding the wrong accelerator pedal, warning of vehicle movement in front and even parking assistance in restricted areas.

Outstanding amenities and facilities of Toyota Yaris Cross 2023 These include: 360-degree camera, electric panoramic sunroof, electric driver’s seat, wireless phone charger and electric trunk with boot – these are all bright spots compared to competitors such as Kia Seltos or Hyundai Creta, which have to cut down on equipment in exchange for attractive prices.

Toyota Yaris Cross 2023 built on Daihatsu’s DNGA platform for developing markets, different from the Yaris and Yaris Cross versions sold in high-end markets such as Japan, North America and Europe with the TNGA-B platform. Therefore, many details and equipment on the car are also very familiar, especially the steering wheel, gear lever, dashboard… shared with Raize, Veloz, Avanza…

Similar to its junior Toyota Raize, the Yaris Cross is equipped with a 7-inch TFT screen behind the steering wheel. Meanwhile, the central infotainment screen is 10 inches; Comes with interior lighting system, two front seats are electrically adjustable. In particular, car users can also install the T-Intouch phone app to manage and control the car remotely via smartphone.

Toyota Yaris Cross 2023 Possessing overall dimensions LxWxH: 4,310 x 1,770 x 1,615 mm – smaller than Honda HR-V and Hyundai Creta in the B-class high chassis segment. On the contrary, the paperwork parameters seem unfavorable, the car offers the widest interior compartment in the segment – something Toyota has always done very well.

Practical experience shows that passengers with a height of about 1.7m can still comfortably sit and stretch their legs in the back row, when the first row of seats has been adjusted to the correct position. The amount of light between the head and the ceiling of the car is also very good. The Yaris Cross’s luggage compartment is also among the most spacious in the B-class high-undercarriage car segment, with a volume of 452 – 458L depending on the version and can be expanded up to 800L.

The vehicle’s ground clearance promises to bring smoothness on asphalt roads and can ensure gentle offroad ability through bad terrain. In particular, the Toyota Yaris Cross 2023 was launched with 10 exterior paint color options, including 7 monochrome colors and 3 two-tone combinations. Like its junior Raize, Toyota ensures that customers can “confidently show off their personality” with the Yaris Cross in the desired paint color.

Previously on June 13, 2023, Toyota Yaris Cross was launched in Indonesia. The vehicle production line is located at the company’s factory in Karawang, West Java province and Toyota plans to export the Yaris Cross to 25 different markets around the world, including Vietnam. The car’s battery pack is imported from Japan.

Toyota Yaris Cross Present in Indonesia with 6 versions (4 regular engine versions and 2 hybrid versions), with converted selling prices from 351 – 711 million VND – extremely attractive compared to competitors. This price does not include other attractive promotions such as battery warranty policy of up to 8 years or 16 thousand km; T-Care package offers free first 7 maintenance periods (both maintenance fees and spare parts), 3-year or 60,000 km warranty extended by 1 year or 20,000 km if periodically maintained at the genuine system…

Especially in Indonesia, users can register for a subscription (6 million Indonesian Rupiah per month – equal to 1/60 of the car’s value; minimum 36 months and maximum 60 months) to be able to use the car without having to buy it outright, through the extremely attractive Kinto program. Kinto car rental policy allows customers to directly use the car without having to worry about taxes, registration fees, insurance, rescue vehicle services and maintenance fees; Or even changing tires or car batteries.

Meanwhile in Vietnam, dealers have also started accepting deposits for Toyota Yaris Cross from around May 2023. The car is expected to launch in August 2023 with two high-end versions priced from 680 – 720 million VND. Delivery is expected to take place in September.

Mr. Phan (Tuoitrethudo)