Even with six airbags as standard, the model falls short of expectations in terms of pedestrian protection, child protection and active assistance.
The Toyota Yaris Cross, produced in Brazil, was a negative surprise when it only achieved two stars in Latin NCAP, as reported by Mundo do Automóvel para PCD. Although it offers six airbags and electronic stability control as standard, overall performance was below expectations for a recently launched SUV.
In detailed results, the model achieved 77% protection for adults, 69% for children, 55% for pedestrians and 58% in safety assistance. The ratings therefore show that the Yaris Cross still needs to evolve a lot to meet the higher protection standards currently required.
During the frontal impact, the structure was considered stable and the floor was well preserved. However, the driver’s chest protection was rated as marginal, a factor which directly contributed to the reduction in the final rating.
In the case of child occupants, performance was better, particularly for children seated in rear-facing car seats. This is due to the correct use of ISOFIX anchors, which guaranteed total protection in this specific test scenario.
On the other hand, the absence of a switch allowing deactivation of the passenger airbag hampered the overall result. This item prevents the safe installation of rear-facing car seats in the front seat, which is considered critical under current protocol.
Additionally, the Yaris Cross showed significant limitations in pedestrian protection during external evaluations. The SUV does not have an autonomous emergency braking system capable of detecting vulnerable road users.
Thus, several areas of the bodywork offered only fair or weak protection, particularly at the windshield and front pillars. Therefore, Latin NCAP understands that the model does not meet the most modern active safety recommendations.
Another negative point was the lack of advanced speed assistants in the simplest versions of the range. Additionally, features such as blind spot monitoring are not available, which directly impacts the final rating.
Therefore, even with six airbags, the lack of advanced technologies prevented the Yaris Cross from achieving a top rating.
Therefore, the consumer must carefully analyze the material offered before making the purchase.
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