Toyota PH teases new model that could be Yaris Cross

Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) has released a teaser on its official Facebook page that shows a shadowy vehicle with its daytime running lamps (DRL) glowing and peeking through the darkness. 

The teaser from TMP's official Facebook page

If we based our clues on previous reports, this could be the Toyota Yaris Cross. We know that this model is coming to the local market since its initial specs were detailed by a Land Transporation Office (LTO) memorandum to its regional heads and its new registration unit (NRU). 

The shapes of the daytime running lamps from the teaser are also dead-ringers for the one released in Indonesia a while back. Their hook shapes are quite clear to see from the teaser. Brightening up the dark teaser image with some minor editing also reveals a similar frowny quadrilateral grille. It isn’t clear even when the brightness was turned up but some hints of the same mesh grille and curvy front bumper are also there.

Turning up the teaser's brightness reveals more details

 As a reminder, the Yaris Cross might be slotted between the larger Corolla Cross and the smaller Raize. Note also that this isn’t the European Yaris Cross that's based on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) which is smaller. Instead, the Philippine-spec version might be based on the Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA). 

It was also reported previously that this upcoming Toyota will be getting a 1.5-liter gasoline engine or a 1.5-liter hybrid mill. There’s a chance that these are the 2NR-VE engine from the Vios and the 2NR-VEX found on the Indonesian Yaris Cross. 

The Indonesian-spec Toyota Yaris Cross

On the Vios, the said engine can make up to 104 horsepower and 138 Nm of torque. Meanwhile, the Indonesian version of the Yaris Cross Hybrid can churn out 89 horsepower and 121 Nm of torque out of its combustion engine. Its electric motor meanwhile can add 79 horsepower and 141 Nm of torque. 

With all that said, TMP’s teaser might mean that the official launch is just around the corner. No official dates were mentioned in the teaser, so stay tuned here on Philkotse for more updates.