Yaris Cross: Benefits of AWD?

[LodgeMoorLocal]

For many years, I’ve driven VAG cars, most recently (from new) a 2011 4x4 diesel Skoda Yeti. None of these have been as reliable as the pop-top campervan conversion of a 03-reg Toyota Hiace I had for a few years. In my experience , VAG group cars    become troublesome with age, especially in non-engine electrics  

Now considering Yaris Cross to replace the Yeti, in pursuit of Toyota reliability. My question is, is AWD worth the extra cost, loss of boot space, and poorer economy?  

How good is the traction of the 2WD Cross?

I live high on the Peak District edge of Sheffield, where, most winters even  recently, we do get obstructive snow a few times. 

Maybe all-season tyres would give sufficient grip?

I wonder how much benefit AWD Yaris Cross owners feel they gain? Accepting this isn’t an off-reader, are there benefits  even in mild weather? 

I’ll be most grateful for any advice or experiences that members of this group can share   
 

Many thanks for reading this  

 

 

[Derek.w]

It all down to the type of severe winter weather you expect and if you do any towing.

Yes fit all weather tyres if you require more grip.

[SinglePointSafety]

2WD with either winter or all-season tyres will give much better traction in snow and ice than AWD with summer tyres, fair few Youtube videos from respected testers

Once you have the correct tyres, I really don't know how much better the AWD will be cf 2WD: it's not a 'linked' AWD in the Yaris like that in the Yeti (see Youtube vids of the roller test, that's a carefully controlled but somewhat artificial test) so unless someone has done the A/B comparison - which I doubt - the AWD is likely to help but unsure by how much

Edit: I test-drove the Excel 2WD and now I have the 4WD, with the changed suspension, and it might be imaginary but the ride does seem to be better, so that might be a decider for some folk

Edited January 8, 2023 by SinglePointSafety
Extra info

[anchorman]

The press pack says the drive ratio is up to 60:40 which is quite good enough unless you get into really drifting snow.  I’m in the Peak District and just had a new AWD and Cross Climates fitted.  I’m as geared up as practicably possible without getting into LR territory.  Don’t forget you get completely upgraded multilink suspension on the AWD too.

[SinglePointSafety]

8 hours ago, anchorman said:

Don’t forget you get completely upgraded multilink suspension on the AWD too.

Indeed Don: do you also think this has improved the ride at all cf 2WD with its simpler suspension? 

[anchorman]

1 hour ago, SinglePointSafety said:

Indeed Don: do you also think this has improved the ride at all cf 2WD with its simpler suspension? 

You mean changing the tyres?   I’ve talked about my neighbour’s car before which came on Falkens.  Changing it to Continental Cross Climates seemed to soften the ride.  Mine came with Good Year tyres which already seemed quite soft and quiet so mine has changed very little in the short experience I had of it.  Regarding the 2WD, I watched the attached Elk Test the other day which really impressed me if it’ll stand being thrown about like that.  I was reading about the GR Cross the other day which has uprated springs and dampers so it would be interesting to see how they compare on the Elk Test (AWD and GR).  
 

 

[LodgeMoorLocal]

Thanks for all comments, much appreciated   I take from these that cross-climate tyres are likely worthwhile for both 2WD and AWD variants if you live where I do.  I already use such on my SWB ‘57-plate Merc Sprinter campervan to good effect. On the factory-fit summer tyres, the rear (driven) wheels spun horribly at the slightest excuse, despite the heavy load of camper habitation kit over the rear axle. 
 

But that doesn’t quite let me off the hook re committing to doing without AWD!

But, it may be relevant to add the following: We bought our 4x4 Yeti and a second set of wheels shod with Michelin Alpin tyres soon after moving up here, swapping wheels seasonally until the Michelins wore out. A couple of milder winters have led us to manage on summers only, planning to switch to cross-climates when the summers become due for replacement. In the recent December cold snap, we managed OK on summers but the Yeti 4x4 system was working harder than it had done with the Michelins.  So, maybe, for us, an AWD Yaris Cross wouldn’t need cross-climates?

I’d love to hear more direct evidence re the benefits of the suspension upgrade applied to the Cross AWD variant. Has anyone any pointers to where to find that? Overall, reviews I’ve seen of Yaris Cross ride and handling have been somewhat mixed, leaving possible room for welcome improvement. 
 

thanks

 

David

[anchorman]

1 hour ago, LodgeMoorLocal said:

Thanks for all comments, much appreciated   I take from these that cross-climate tyres are likely worthwhile for both 2WD and AWD variants if you live where I do.  I already use such on my SWB ‘57-plate Merc Sprinter campervan to good effect. On the factory-fit summer tyres, the rear (driven) wheels spun horribly at the slightest excuse, despite the heavy load of camper habitation kit over the rear axle. 
 

But that doesn’t quite let me off the hook re committing to doing without AWD!

But, it may be relevant to add the following: We bought our 4x4 Yeti and a second set of wheels shod with Michelin Alpin tyres soon after moving up here, swapping wheels seasonally until the Michelins wore out. A couple of milder winters have led us to manage on summers only, planning to switch to cross-climates when the summers become due for replacement. In the recent December cold snap, we managed OK on summers but the Yeti 4x4 system was working harder than it had done with the Michelins.  So, maybe, for us, an AWD Yaris Cross wouldn’t need cross-climates?

I’d love to hear more direct evidence re the benefits of the suspension upgrade applied to the Cross AWD variant. Has anyone any pointers to where to find that? Overall, reviews I’ve seen of Yaris Cross ride and handling have been somewhat mixed, leaving possible room for welcome improvement. 
 

thanks

 

David

If you keep the comparison the same including the standard supplied tyres, the AWD will perform better in the snow than the FWD.  If you now add Cross Climates or winter tyres to them both, they’ll both improve significantly in the snow but the ratio of improvements between FWD and AWD will be similar.  There are sceptics on the forum but they won’t be there when you’re stuck up Castleton Road in a snow drift.  I’ve attached some info on the rear suspension.  

Rear sus parts location.pdf Rear sus General.pdf Rear sus multi link AWD.pdf

[TonyHSD]

Here latest test in rollers. 

 

[RonYarisX]

That's shocking! 

People talking about all weather tyres but that only applies to weather. There's more to AWD than driving in snow.

As can be seen in the video, fat lot of good all weather tyres are when the front axle looses grip. Begs the question whats the purpose of an AWD Yaris Cross?

 

[anchorman]

7 hours ago, RonYarisX said:

That's shocking! 

People talking about all weather tyres but that only applies to weather. There's more to AWD than driving in snow.

As can be seen in the video, fat lot of good all weather tyres are when the front axle looses grip. Begs the question whats the purpose of an AWD Yaris Cross?

 

It’s a zero friction test at a Dacia dealer.  Absolutely pointless waste of time.  Shocking is a nut case running round a supermarket with a hatchet not a woke BBC term used for everything including the price of eggs.   There’s an owner on this forum who’s tested one in real poor weather conditions and he reports performance that he’s very impressed with and won’t leave anyone needing paramedics to treat them for shock.

[Yugguy1970]

Point of order - neither the RAV nor the YC is four-wheel drive in the proper old school sense of diffs everywhere and offroad capability.  They are awd just designed for a bit more grip in slippy conditions.  

[anchorman]

16 minutes ago, Yugguy1970 said:

Point of order - neither the RAV nor the YC is four-wheel drive in the proper old school sense of diffs everywhere and offroad capability.  They are awd just designed for a bit more grip in slippy conditions.  

BobHos has reported very good results in real world conditions.  There’s also the multi link suspension which I can report as being much more settled than my Mk4 Yaris.  There’s a stretch of road which is very uneven and steep downhill.   The Yaris and even my Lexus would lose grip and I’d get the VSC light over it but no matter how I throw this YC into it, it remains in contact with the road and glides over without any hint of it getting unsettled.   

[Hybrid21]

Landrovers they are not 😃😃

[TonyHSD]

In my personal opinion the only time awd system in Yaris cross will have any benefit over the fwd only car will be the test example of BobHos mentioned by Don. He has tested it starting from 0mph on icy uphill, this is when the weight of the car will move towards the rear axle and having a motor there to push will help indeed. 
Where this system will fail you most is driving fast or going on the dirt roads no matter of called off road or soft road. And it’s not just Toyota awd hybrids but also many more other ice cars with 4x4 set ups. 
The reason is you have two open differentials that will add extra task to the car ecu and traction control. The fwd Yaris has only one differential and TC will work better plus you need to gain momentum only for the front axle and if you have a suitable tyres your car will be even good for some off-road adventures.
Here two videos that will show my point: 

If me I will pick the fwd car. Just my personal thoughts and preferences. 👍

[Bob66]

44 minutes ago, Hybrid21 said:

Landrovers they are not 😃😃

TFFT

[Yugguy1970]

Oh aye, I think they have some off road capability but they're not offroaders.

For me I would like an awd RAV as I find because of the electric torque the fwd can come unstuck on set off quite easily.

[TonyHSD]

Definitely  not a Land Rovers or Land cruisers .
Here another video this time to show that the fwd cars even with a winter tyres aren’t capable going uphill in slippery conditions. If this was the awd Yaris it would have made it easier. 👍

 

[anchorman]

1 hour ago, TonyHSD said:

In my personal opinion the only time awd system in Yaris cross will have any benefit over the fwd only car will be the test example of BobHos mentioned by Don. He has tested it starting from 0mph on icy uphill, this is when the weight of the car will move towards the rear axle and having a motor there to push will help indeed. 
Where this system will fail you most is driving fast or going on the dirt roads no matter of called off road or soft road. And it’s not just Toyota awd hybrids but also many more other ice cars with 4x4 set ups. 
The reason is you have two open differentials that will add extra task to the car ecu and traction control. The fwd Yaris has only one differential and TC will work better plus you need to gain momentum only for the front axle and if you have a suitable tyres your car will be even good for some off-road adventures.
Here two videos that will show my point: 

If me I will pick the fwd car. Just my personal thoughts and preferences. 👍

Tony, it’s a Yaris with a computer controlled electric motor.  If you want to go up a field, buy a Land Rover and keep your fingers crossed it doesn’t fall to bits while it’s up there.  You seem determined to prove it isn’t a capable AWD when it was never intended to be but if you think a FWD will get you over the tops in the snow as well as an AWD version of the same car either same tyres then you’re deluded.  If it isn’t important to you to get over the tops in the snow, don’t try to convince others it’s a waste of time.  

[anchorman]

5 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Definitely  not a Land Rovers or Land cruisers .
Here another video this time to show that the fwd cars even with a winter tyres aren’t capable going uphill in slippery conditions. If this was the awd Yaris it would have made it easier. 👍

 

You can also find YouTube videos that prove you can drive up a ski slope with winter tyres on a FWD but you can’t with an AWD in summer tyres.  

[TonyHSD]

You can’t drive  fwd car uphill as good as rwd or awd, simple physics.
Back in the days when we could not go uphill with a fwd cars we were turning around and drive in reverse, same car same tyres but climbed up successfully. Don’t get me wrong about it. Yaris cross its more than obvious that it’s not a proper off roader, even the rav4 aren’t. I don’t want to prove anything. I only want to show potential new buyers to make sure they know about the system and how it works and what are the real capabilities and benefits so no more complaints about Toyota afterwards.
Some people will definitely gonna look at Yaris cross as small suv capable of going forests and wilderness.. which obviously it is not.
Here in uk perhaps it’s perfect, but other countries like Greece, Spain, Portugal where these little cars are very popular too people does use them on dirt roads and tracks so it is important they know what they are getting. 
At the end we are talking the same thing different way. From a fwd driver point of view and from a awd car driver point of view. 
No argument. 

[Tel 2]

My 1962 Mini 850, on Cross-Ply Tyres, could go anywhere in ice & snow & never failed me in the fierce Winters of Yesteryear.

My Wife"s Aygo's on narrow profile tyres were brilliant on snow & every YC AWD has received great praise for a 4x4 Road Car.

Land Rovers are designed to venture off road but YC Owners do not require this feature so making reference is silly in my opinion.

Tel

[Hybrid21]

I wonder if my RAV4 Hybrid AWD would be any better than the YC AWD off road ?

If I keep it long enough I'll certainly put better tyres on it, possible Michelin cross climates, only done about 11500 miles at moment. 👍

[TonyHSD]

1 hour ago, Hybrid21 said:

I wonder if my RAV4 Hybrid AWD would be any better than the YC AWD off road ?

If I keep it long enough I'll certainly put better tyres on it, possible Michelin cross climates, only done about 11500 miles at moment. 👍

It is slightly better but not by much. 
The thing with these systems is that they work fine on level ground and when all driving wheels in your case all 4 has a good grip. However when one of the driving wheels loose grip and the extra drive axle on the rear needs to come into help it actually makes the things even worse than an fwd car. In front wheel drive hybrids when one of the wheels loose grip the traction control works very quickly and precisely to stop the wheel without grip and so the car can get unstuck easily. I have tested that myself numerous times . This doesn’t mean that your cars are bad or anything to be worried about. It’s just system limitation. If anyone wants a real deal 4x4 can look at different cars. I personally like fwd hybrids but don’t mind getting an awd especially if it happens like with that guy from rav4 forum who had awd at the price of fwd recently 😂👌

Roller test does not only represent extreme off road conditions, even quite opposite. They just show what happens if any of the driving wheels has no grip. This for example can happen when you try to park on the street front of your house for example if there is a good amount of snow and ice. 
 

[Hybrid21]

Hi Tony, thanks for that, a bit disappointing, obviously related to the fact that there is no proper diffs and all done electronically ?

Really a soft offroader 😃