Toyota working on a second baby SUV
News of another small Yaris-based SUV surfaces only months after Japan-only Raize launchesToyota is readying yet another baby SUV to sit below the current C-HR to help it compete head-to-head with cars like the Mazda CX-3 and upcoming Volkswagen T-Cross.
The unnamed small SUV is reportedly already green-lit for production and will arrive in the middle of 2021, says Brit mag Auto Express.
Not to be confused with the Toyota Raize, which was unveiled back in November 2019, the latest small SUV being developed by the Japanese car-maker will be based on the more sophisticated TNGA-B platform that underpins the new Yaris hatch.
That's a different platform to the closely-related, but simper, 'DNGA' that's the basis for the Raize and its sister car, the Daihatsu Rocky.
In contrast, the TNGA-B platform is capable of supporting Toyota's next-gen hybrid powertrains, which will be necessary to pass Europe's stricter CO2-based emissions.
Speaking to
, Toyota's European VP Matt Harrison confirmed the need for a small entry-level SUV for the British market: "I don’t think for a minute that we’ve got it all covered with C-HR.”"The B-SUV segment is also growing, pulling customers down from the C-segment. So we’re looking, we’re evaluating, and we see an increasing number of players doing that. There may be opportunities in future. The platform is flexible enough to support something like that, for sure.”
Measuring in around the 4.0-metre mark, the baby Toyota SUV is being designed to share largely the same footprint as the Yaris supermini but will be around 40mm taller to provide a higher seating position.
It's been reported that, instead of the basic 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine in the Japan-only Raize, the small SUV tailored for the Euro market will get a more advanced 1.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid.
Around town, engineers are said to be tweaking the new hybrid to be capable of completing 80 per cent of all journeys on electric power alone.
In some markets an all-wheel drive version may also be offered but in the UK buyers will only get front-drive.
Inside, the baby SUV will share its cabin and 10-inch infotainment system with high-grade Yaris models, that incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Since the second baby SUV has been engineered for right-hand drive markets it could be destined to be sold Down Under, although Toyota Australia may prefer the cheaper Raize that could be priced lower to rival the likes of the Hyundai Venue.
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