2023 Toyota Yaris Cross price and specs: GR Sport arrives

The 2023 Toyota Yaris Cross line-up will now include a GR Sport grade, becoming the fourth model grade of the city SUV to go on sale in Australia.

Priced from $35,840 plus on-road costs, the Yaris Cross GR Sport is $3850 more than the Yaris Cross GXL 2WD hybrid it is based on, and $2150 less than the flagship Yaris Cross Urban AWD Hybrid.

The Yaris Cross GR Sport – with GR short for Gazoo Racing, Toyota's performance sub-brand – is the third entry to the company's GR Sport branded range after the C-HR small SUV and LandCruiser 300 Series four-wheel-drive.

While fully-fledged Toyota GR cars – such as the GR Supra and GR Yaris – are high-performance vehicles, the GR Sport models are mostly limited to cosmetic changes and minor mechanical upgrades.

In addition to the GXL’s standard features, the Yaris Cross GR Sport is equipped with a new black mesh grille, restyled lower rear bumper design with a rear diffuser, 18-inch twin five-spoke alloy wheels, red brake calipers with GR logos, black mirror caps, and GR badging.

Interior changes include new sports seats – with black suede-like centre sections, synthetic leather bolsters and light grey contrast stitching – an updated steering wheel, GR logos (headrests, steering wheel, smart keys), aluminium pedals, and grey shift knob, instrument panel and inner door trim.

The Toyota Yaris Cross GR Sport also gains an additional USB-C port (alongside the standard USB-A outlet) plus a Panasonic-developed air purification system – marketed as ‘nanoe X air ionisation’.

According to Toyota, the Yaris Cross GR Sport has benefited from a number of suspension tweaks – including retuned front springs, control arms and bump stops, a more rigid rear end, resulting in the new variant riding 10mm lower than the existing model grades.

An underfloor brace and a second brace between the crossmembers have also been added.

Toyota’s newest Yaris Cross variant can be ordered in five exterior colours – Frosted White, Stunning Silver, Ink, Atomic Rush and Lunar Blue – while the wider range now includes Frosted White, which has replaced Crystal Pearl.

A 67kW/120Nm, 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine is mated to two electric motors for a combined 85kW, driving the front wheels through a continuously-variable automatic transmission (CVT).

Toyota claims the Yaris Cross GR Sport can achieve a claimed fuel consumption in mixed driving of 3.8 litres per 100km.

The nine existing Yaris Cross variants are unchanged for 2023, with a full list of standard features and options included at the bottom of this story.

The 2023 Toyota Yaris Cross GR Sport is on sale now.

Note: All prices above exclude on-road costs.

Note: All colours excluding Ink and Lunar Blue can be optioned with a black roof in the Yaris Cross Urban grade, priced at $1350.

GR Sport is not available in Latte, Tuscan Gold or Mineral Blue.