Toyota has confirmed its new Yaris Cross compact SUV will cost from £22,515 and arrive in UK dealerships this August.

Pre-orders will accepted from May 4 and Toyota says that first deliveries will commence in September.

The new compact SUV will compete alongside top-selling models like the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur and the new Ford Puma.

Powering the Yaris Cross is a 1.5-litre hybrid petrol engine, which can also be found in the new Yaris. It develops 116PS and has the capability to run on battery-power only for short periods.

Toyota says the powertrain has been tuned to provide a responsive power delivery, making it more fun to drive.

There will be four core grades plus an exclusive Premiere Edition version, which will be available for one year only.

Entry-level Icon models are equipped with an eight-inch touchscreen, keyless entry and a reversing camera.

The Design grade (£24,140) comes with LED headlights, interior ambient lighting and privacy glass.

Excel versions (£26,745) feature heated front seats and steering wheel, a nine-inch touchscreen, power tailgate and blind spot monitor.

The Yaris Cross Dynamic (from £26,465) offers a more distinctive SUV appearance and can be specified with front or all-wheel drive.

Premiere Edition versions are priced from £28,185 and include leather upholstery and a JBL sound system.

All Yaris Cross models will benefit from Toyota Safety Sense active safety and driver assistance systems as standard.

Unlike most cars in the segment, the Yaris Cross will be offered with all-wheel-drive. Toyota says it designed the car to be used both in the city and off-road.

As a member of the Yaris family, Yaris Cross is constructed on Toyota’s new GA-B compact car platform. Essentially, it borrows bits from the new Corolla and RAV4, meaning the new platform should provide greater driver engagement and refinement.

Yaris Cross has the same 2,560mm wheelbase as the new Yaris hatchback, but is 240mm longer overall, with 60mm added to the front overhang and 180mm to the rear, securing more interior space. The ground clearance is 30mm higher and the vehicle is taller and wider overall – by 90 and 20mm respectively.