It’s been two years since the ASEAN-market Toyota Yaris Cross was revealed, but it looks like the ball is finally rolling for its Malaysian launch. Even before Perodua’s related D66B – reportedly set to be named as either Nexis or Traz – was teased yesterday, the local distributor for Toyota’s Modellista line of bodykits announced it was opening bookings for accessories for the B-segment SUV. The significance of the news goes beyond the bodykit itself. See, that distributor is Wing Hin Motorsports, part of the Wing Hin group that also just so happens to be one of the biggest Toyota dealers in Malaysia. So if there’s any company that has insider knowledge of what cars are coming out from UMW Toyota Motor, it’s this firm. It’s almost certainly not a coincidence. The seemingly impending launch of the Yaris Cross is no isolated event. Its introduction is likely tied to the D66B’s, as both cars share the same Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) and should be built at the same Perodua factory in Sungai Choh in Rawang – mirroring a similar arrangement with the DNGA Perodua Alza and the Toyota Veloz. And as you will all well know, the national carmaker has had its hands full developing its first EV, the QV-E, from the ground up. Now that its “baby” is finally out the door, Perodua can now focus on producing its next most important model, which will sit above the Ativa at the top of its lineup. Only now, with the D66B set to be unveiled very soon, could the Yaris Cross be launched with it, as a more premium offering. We saw this move coming all the way back in August, when ASEAN NCAP released its crash test results (five stars, by the way) for the Yaris Cross. In its report, the agency mentioned that the car was being built in Malaysia for the local market, which wasn’t true – until now, it looks like. Not to be confused with the global Yaris Cross – a smaller but more sophisticated model built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) – the Southeast Asian version measures 4,310 mm long, 1,770 mm wide and 1,615 mm tall, making it 245 mm longer, 60 mm wider and 20 mm lower than the Ativa. Its 2,620 mm wheelbase is also 95 mm longer, which should provide more rear-seat legroom. Power comes from the same 106 PS/138 Nm 1.5 litre 2NR-VE naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine as the Alza (no turbo three-pot like the Ativa here), mated to the usual CVT. Also on offer is a hybrid version that uses a 91 PS/121 Nm Atkinson-cycle version of the mill dubbed the 2NR-VEX, paired to dual electric motors integrated into an eCVT, with the traction motor making 80 PS and 141 Nm of torque. So, it looks like both the Yaris Cross and the Nexis/Traz are coming soon, then. What do you think – would you go for the Perodua for an expected lower price, or would you pay more for the Toyota version? Let us know in the comments. GALLERY: Toyota Yaris Cross in Thailand Compare prices between different insurer providers to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services. Many payment method supported and you can pay with instalment using Grab PayLater or Shopee SPayLater.