TOYOTA is strengthening its offering in the booming compact SUV market with the announcement that a new crossover based on the Yaris will be joining its line up next year.

The Yaris Cross will be an alternative to the likes of the Renault Captur, Skoda Kamiq and Kia XCeed and it becomes the third member of the Yaris family alongside the hatch and hot GR derivative.

To be built alongside the Yaris hatchback at Toyota's factory in Valenciennes in France, the Cross comes with SUV-like styling with a raised body and de rigueur cladding panels around the wheels and on the sills.

At 4.18 metres long the Cross is some 24mm longer than the hatchback but shares the same wheelbase dimensions of 2.56 metres. It is also higher and slightly wider.

The Yaris Cross will be powered by Toyota's latest hybrid system with a 1.5-litre, 114bhp petrol engine. Toyota says it will have a CO2 emission figure below 120g/km for a front-wheel-drive model.

The Cross will also be available with Toyota's electric AWD-i intelligent all-wheel drive system which is said to come in below 135g/km on the CO2 front.

When the car goes on sale in 2021 Toyota says it plans to produce up to 150,000 versions a year. Further details - including pricing - are to be announced closer to the launch date.