Yaris cross, those rear doors

[Primus1]

On all the reviews I’ve seen it mentions that the cross rear doors don’t open wide compared to other cars, does this impact on anyone getting into the back?, I don’t require child seats but we do take the mil out on a regular basis, she’s reasonably sprightly for an 82 year old but has slightly dodgy legs ( but mainly when she walks) but I just wondered if anyone has regular rear seat passengers, if this causes any issues?, of course it’s too late now as I’m awaiting delivery and we bought the car for our needs not anyone else’s….

[Max_Headroom]

I am sure these reviewers watch each others reviews then copy.

How wide do they want the door to open is this not wide enough for most people? (video also starts at the point he opens the door)

 

 

 

[Cyker]

I can't remember with the Cross, but the normal Mk4 Yaris definitely could do with either bigger or more widely opening rear doors.

Out of the 3 types of Yaris I've owned, they are the most awkward to get in and out of by far. Even the Mk1, which is a shorter car, has easier rear access!

I think if they opened just a few degrees more it would be better.

I'd like to get hold of a slightly longer door strap, but not sure if there is such a thing.

I think another member added some washers to batton it out further which helped slightly; I haven't tried that yet tho'!

[TonyHSD]

Yes, it does cause difficulties to get in and out even for a young people. It’s not only the angle they open but also the tight leg room and narrow bottom door opening. It’s kind of awkward access. On top of that rear seats backrest are kind of odd position and keeps body too upright and not so comfortable for a journeys longer than an hour perhaps. If I compare Corolla rear seat with Yaris cross , Corolla wins. 👍

[Max_Headroom]

 

 

 

If you are regularly fitting and removing baby seats or carrying very tall or fat people it may be an issue but it begs the question why did you but it knowing this could be a problem its mentioned in almost every review.?

The doors may not open as wide as other makes but for the odd occasion most of us carry someone in the back i don't think it'll be a major  issue. 

 

 

[Roy124]

I have a problem getting out of the front even when in my garage, though I had a problem in the Corolla and with the E Class Mercedes too. 

My MiL is 98.  She manages getting in and out the back and using the strap without assistance. 

Quite agree with Max. I said at the outset that I was not buying a car for the few times a year for my MiL. 

[Cyker]

I'm not commenting about the suitability for specific scenarios or people, just observing that the opening is more compromised in the Mk4 than previous models.

[Max_Headroom]

3 minutes ago, Cyker said:

I'm not commenting about the suitability for specific scenarios or people, just observing that the opening is more compromised in the Mk4 than previous models.

Its a good point and worth mentioning as some may order without noticing and then find its a problem.

I hadn't noticed until the reviewers all jumped on it but as i don't carry passengers often it wont put me off buying the Cross  😉

[Max_Headroom]

50 minutes ago, Roy124 said:

Quite agree with Max. I said at the outset that I was not buying a car for the few times a year for my MiL. 

If it becomes a problem there is always the boot that's where my MIL will be going 😉

[anchorman]

2 hours ago, Max_Headroom said:

If it becomes a problem there is always the boot that's where my MIL will be going 😉

Send her in forwards then tell her to reverse into the seat she just passed.  I find it awkward I must admit.  I removed the check strap and it opens a good bit further.  When I had the door in bits I couldn’t see why they couldn’t fit a longer check strap, it would miss the window runner from what I could see.

[Derek.w]

It will foul the front door if opening at some point 

I fitted a 5mm hard rubber washer to extend the check strap at least it a improvment!.

 

 

[Bernard Foy]

Poor old MIL, I would let her into the front seat 💺👏👏

[Derek.w]

Front seat already occupied.

Toyota designers must think all kids are skinny!!!!.

[TonyHSD]

This tight opening thing might be a safety function to prevent accidents from passers by or damage to the doors in car parks , something of that kind imo. Older cars the doors open slightly wider, plus they had a bit of more leg room and headroom. Corolla hatch also tight but just the seats are more comfortable especially rear backrests. 

[Cyker]

The opening size is compromised because of the gigantic B and C pillars, but on its own isn't too bad - It's the compromises with the rear bench and its position that compound the problem.

The problem arises because the door also doesn't open enough, and the rear seats are too far forward and are not flat like they are in previous Yarisusesieues, but canted backwards. This means you have lean more to get out of the seat in the first place, and shuffle awkwardly sideways to get out, whereas it's more natural to step out and pivot on your foot to get out the rest of the way. At the moment you can't because you'd pivot into the door and have to awkwardly hop around it.

All this combines to make it really awkward to get out of them, esp. compared to the Mk2 Yaris, which easily has the most rear passenger space of all 4 models despite being the 2nd shortest! 

I reckon if the seats were flatter and maybe 3-4 inches further back that would make them easier to get out of as passengers could pivot out of them more easily, but I guess a combination of traction Battery position and boot space boasting figure made them move it forward to this less optimal position.

It's the one big downside of the Mk4, as my parents find it very awkward to get in and out of the back - It's really not very friendly to anyone with mobility issues. Or anyone who isn't an olympic gymnast for that matter!  

[TonyHSD]

28 minutes ago, Cyker said:

The opening size is compromised because of the gigantic B and C pillars, but on its own isn't too bad - It's the compromises with the rear bench and its position that compound the problem.

The problem arises because the door also doesn't open enough, and the rear seats are too far forward and are not flat like they are in previous Yarisusesieues, but canted backwards. This means you have lean more to get out of the seat in the first place, and shuffle awkwardly sideways to get out, whereas it's more natural to step out and pivot on your foot to get out the rest of the way. At the moment you can't because you'd pivot into the door and have to awkwardly hop around it.

All this combines to make it really awkward to get out of them, esp. compared to the Mk2 Yaris, which easily has the most rear passenger space of all 4 models despite being the 2nd shortest! 

I reckon if the seats were flatter and maybe 3-4 inches further back that would make them easier to get out of as passengers could pivot out of them more easily, but I guess a combination of traction battery position and boot space boasting figure made them move it forward to this less optimal position.

It's the one big downside of the Mk4, as my parents find it very awkward to get in and out of the back - It's really not very friendly to anyone with mobility issues. Or anyone who isn't an olympic gymnast for that matter!  

Finally, someone who says it as is without bending the truth 👌👍! 
They are awkward as hell , Yaris, Yaris cross and Corolla hatchback, in and out rear seats is a mission impossible and exactly as you noted, people with mobility issues or those with large feet, take the front seat instead 👍

[Cyker]

I normally try to encourage my mum to go in the front as it's much easier for her to get out of it plus, amazingly, the passenger seat is height adjustable in the Excel-spec Mk4!   But she doesn't like it, I think she's scared of seeing out the front when I'm driving. Cant think why...

(In my defence it doesn't help with the car beeping alarmingly every time we go near another car or lane marking!  )

It's not the worst rear space I've been in (I think the BMW Mini still has that crown. I still don't know how they managed to make that worse than the original Mini!), but it's certainly the worst of the 4 generations of Yaris.

 

[anchorman]

We don’t have many rear passengers but I find moving the fronts forward while they get in and then back once they’re in seems to work.  Cranking the seat up (they both go up in a Cross) also provides more leg and feet room.  Four of us went out in the winter moths in neighbour’s Cross and we then had to wait while they tried to find their seatbelts in the dark.  It really does give the impression of passengers not welcome.   It also why one of the first jobs in mine was to add a light in the back.  

 

Let’s not forget though that this is a city car and even my CX-5’s and Lexus NX weren’t exactly spacious.  The CX-5 did have 90 degree opening doors though.  

[TonyHSD]

So basically most of the latest Toyota models are 4 door coupe sport cars 😂👍

[Cyker]

54 minutes ago, anchorman said:

We don’t have many rear passengers but I find moving the fronts forward while they get in and then back once they’re in seems to work.  Cranking the seat up (they both go up in a Cross) also provides more leg and feet room.  Four of us went out in the winter moths in neighbour’s Cross and we then had to wait while they tried to find their seatbelts in the dark.  It really does give the impression of passengers not welcome.   It also why one of the first jobs in mine was to add a light in the back.  

 

Let’s not forget though that this is a city car and even my CX-5’s and Lexus NX weren’t exactly spacious.  The CX-5 did have 90 degree opening doors though.  

Totally; The seatbelts haven't been as troublesome due to the light interior of mine, but everyone in the back has struggled to find the door handle to get out because it's the same colour as the doors and there isn't enough lighting  

You could probably make some money selling a kit for adding a rear light  

The 'unwelcomeness' of the back has been a double-edged sword for me, as on the one hand I feel a bit bad when my parents are trying to get out, but it also discourages my mates from using me as a taxi, and I feel has contributed in getting one of them to get their own damned license!!  

That said I do wish they'd put in the rear seats from the Mk2 - Those were awesome. You wouldn't think a few inches of front-back movement would matter but it makes so much difference!! It was one of the things that kept the Honda Jazz hybrid in the competition when I was looking for a replacement for the Mk2, but the HUD, digital dash and driving dynamics swung it for me.

 

[Max_Headroom]

3 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

Finally, someone who says it as is without bending the truth 👌👍! 

Who has bent the truth? 

I though everyone agreed the doors don't open as wide as previous models and it can cause problems, temporarily moving the front seats forward making extra room for people squeezing in is a good suggestion but as i said earlier if you are going to regularly carry people with mobility problems, very tall people or you are going switch baby seats between cars  probably best to look for something a little bigger.

 

[Primus1]

Well as I said in my original post, my mil, hasn’t any mobility issues until she’s walked a bit, then her legs play up, my wife is on the petite side and can move her seat further forward so as to give more legroom in the seat behind the front seat, ( where the mil will sit), I’ve jumped in and out of the back of several cross,s with no problems, but I suppose that’s something we’ll have to try when we eventually get our cross…

[Derek.w]

On 4/4/2023 at 11:57 PM, TonyHSD said:

This tight opening thing might be a safety function to prevent accidents from passers by or damage to the doors in car parks , something of that kind imo. Older cars the doors open slightly wider, plus they had a bit of more leg room and headroom. Corolla hatch also tight but just the seats are more comfortable especially rear backrests. 

I dont see it as a safety issue as the front doors stick out more when opened.

[TonyHSD]

4 hours ago, Derek.w said:

I dont see it as a safety issue as the front doors stick out more when opened.

Maybe you are right, but rear door perhaps with children as passengers in mind , would be good if we can get an exact answer from Toyota directly.