The 2024 Toyota Yaris Cross has just been launched in the Philippines, further expanding the Japanese automaker’s crossover SUV lineup as well as its hybrid vehicle range. Interest surrounding the vehicle is quite huge, and to further pique your interest, here are three things you probably didn’t know about the Yaris Cross.
The Color
The first thing you need to know about the Yaris Cross is its choice of colors. What you’ve probably seen the most is the blue paint seen across Toyota’s ad campaigns and marketing materials, and there’s a perfectly good reason for that. The dark blue paint is called Dark Turquoise SE, and in the case of the range-topping 1.5 S Hybrid that we drove, this is matched with a black contrasting roof. Did you also know that Dark Turquoise SE isn’t available in other ASEAN regions? Yes, the Philippines is the only market in Southeast Asia to have a Yaris Cross painted in this special shade of dark blue. Oh, the special perks that Toyota Motor Philippines is able to get since we’re one of the Japanese automaker’s biggest markets globally, believe it or not.
A New Battery Chemistry
For most of Toyota’s history, its hybrid models have used a more rudimentary nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) as opposed to the ever-growing popularity of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. According to HowStuffWorks, Ni-MH is more affordable and for most of history, also more durable especially at temperature extremes and during the various charge and recharge cycles these batteries experience with regular use of the electric motors. However, that durability gap in extreme temperatures has slowly narrowed down over the years, and Li-ion has eventually caught up in that aspect.
And that’s exactly why Li-ion has become the primary choice for pure electric vehicles. Li-ion batteries are more energy dense, which means in hybrid car applications, the size of the battery can be reduced while its electric-only range can be similar to a bigger Ni-MH battery. Toyota, on the other hand, has finally decided that Li-ion is finally durable and fit for use in ASEAN’s extreme temperatures, and therefore, the Yaris Cross is the first hybrid in the Philippines with this type of battery.
What’s In A New “HEV” Logo?
If you’re keen on the details, you’ve probably noticed that the 2024 Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid has a new “HEV” logo. If you’ve also seen cars like the new Prius and bZ4X electric vehicle (EV), that circular logo is probably familiar to you. Well, the Yaris Cross is the first hybrid model in the region to be sold and developed under Toyota’s new carbon neutrality mantra called “Beyond Zero”. That’s exactly what the “bZ” in bZ4X stands for, and that’s what the circular logo represents.
With this Beyond Zero moniker, Toyota is doubling down on its multi-solution approach to carbon neutrality. Instead of relying solely on EVs, Toyota believes that no one should be left behind in the path toward solving climate change. Therefore, with cars like the new Yaris Cross, Toyota is making electrified technology more accessible to Filipinos.
The 2024 Toyota Yaris Cross is now on sale across all dealers nationwide, and you can get yours at these suggested retail prices:
- 1.5 G: P1,199,000
- 1.5 V: P1,306,000
- 1.5 S Hybrid: P1,598,000
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