Yaris Cross leads Toyota success in the Carwow Awards

Compact, agile and exceptionally efficient, the Toyota Yaris Cross has been honoured with the Urban Living Award in the 2025 Carwow Car of the Year Awards.

Announced today, the award is independent recognition of the all-round excellence of the all-hybrid compact SUV range.

There was further success for Toyota with “highly commended” honours for the all-new Land Cruiser in the Adventurer’s Choice category; GR Yaris performance hatchback in the Pleasure of Driving class; and Proace City compact van in the Van of the Year award classification.

Mat Watson, Carwow expert, said: “If you want something small, economical and nippy enough to dart about in heavy traffic, look no further than the Toyota Yaris Cross. The raised driving position means you have a clear view of the road ahead and the small dimensions make navigating tight streets a stress-free experience. The icing on the cake is the hybrid engine, which is effortlessly economical.”

The Yaris Cross range was extended and enhanced this year, the changes led by the introduction of an additional, more powerful version of its 1.5-litre hybrid system. As well as providing extra horsepower, the new powertrain maintains Yaris Cross’s excellent fuel economy and low emissions profile.

Other changes include the availability of a fully digital and customisable driver’s combimeter and the Toyota Smart Connect multimedia system with 10.5-inch high-definition display, easy smartphone integration (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and access to cloud-based navigation with the benefit of up-to-the-moment traffic intelligence.

All new Yaris Cross versions are also equipped as standard with upgraded Toyota Safety Sense active safety and driver assistance systems, with a wider range of functions and hazard detection capabilities.