Toyota Yaris Cross Gets Gazoo Racing Upgrades, Mud Flaps Included

Toyota has vowed to make high-performance versions of everything it sells. That's right – even a workhorse such as the Hilux is getting the Gazoo Racing treatment. As a matter of fact, the pickup truck already got some GR tweaks back in 2018 for a special edition, while a fully fledged performance variant is said to be in the making with a torquetastic V6 diesel.

The pint-sized Yaris is another example of how serious Toyota is about launching go-faster versions of virtually all of its models. The GR Yaris is a 257-horsepower pocket rocket with all-wheel drive and equipped with the most powerful three-cylinder ever installed in a production car. The supermini has recently spawned a small crossover that goes by the simple name of Yaris Cross. While a performance-oriented derivative hasn't been revealed yet, Gazoo Racing is introducing the next best thing.

In Japan where the Yaris Cross goes on sale first this fall before arriving in Europe next summer, Gazoo Racing is presenting a catalog of accessories for the city-oriented crossover. While our Japanese is a bit rusty, images show buyers can opt for black 18-inch alloy wheels and a sports exhaust system with dual tips.

There are other ways one can accessorize the Yaris Cross, including mud flaps, tinted rear windows, and body add-ons on the corners of the front bumper as well as the side doors for a greater visual effect. Gazoo Racing's catalog for Toyota's small crossover also includes a sunshade and a cargo area mat, not to mention a carbon fiber license plate frame and a door handle recess protection foil.

While these bits and pieces are a far cry from actual performance enhancements, Gazoo Racing is just getting started with the Yaris Cross. The cute crossover could sure use some extra oomph considering it tops out at only 116 hp and 107 lb-ft (145 Nm) from an electrified three-pot setup. A proper GR Yaris Cross would join not only the aforementioned GR Yaris and the rumored GR Hilux, but also a GR Corolla hot hatch.