Cambodia is one of the most underdeveloped countries in Southeast Asia but it is the first left-hand drive (LHD) market and possibly the first market outside of Indonesia to launch the DNGA-based Toyota Yaris Cross ahead of even Thailand.

Launched alongside the Perodua Axia’s twin, the Toyota Wigo, the Cambodian-spec Yaris Cross is only offered with one variant, the petrol-powered 1.5-litre D-CVT which is priced from USD 37,500 (~RM 175k).

The naturally-aspirated 1.5-litre 2NR-VE Dual-VVTi  4-cylinder unit produces 106 PS and 138 Nm. The D-CVT automatic transmission comes with 7 virtual gears and sends power to the front wheels.

Also read: ASEAN's Toyota Yaris Cross debuts; DNGA platform, hybrid available - HR-V rival also previews Perodua D66B

Even though Cambodia has a high concentration of hybrid-powered taxis, many of them are parallel-imported models from the States. The extremely high tax imposed on new cars as well as the people being more favourable to those used imports might be some of the reasons why Toyota Cambodia decided not to bring in the Yaris Cross Hybrid.

Also read: Toyota doesn’t sell hybrids in Cambodia, so why is Phnom Penh SEA’s Prius capital?

Based on the specifications, the sole Yaris Cross variant in Cambodia is similarly equipped as the highest petrol-powered variant in Indonesia, the S Type variant. These include 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charger, as well as a power tailgate with a kick sensor.

Also read: Prices of 2023 Toyota Yaris Cross DNGA announced in Indonesia, 6 variants, from equivalent of RM 109k

On the safety front, the Cambodian-spec Yaris Cross comes with 6 airbags and Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) ADAS which comprises Pre-Collision Warning (PCW), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Auto High Beam (AHB), and Rear Cross-traffic Alert (RCTA).

The Yaris Cross is rumoured to preview Perodua’s upcoming D66B SUV which could slot above the Ativa and compete against the likes of the Proton X50. As the Yaris Cross is also offered with a hybrid, the upcoming Perodua SUV might be the Malaysian carmaker’s first publicly available hybrid model, barring the subscription-only Ativa Hybrid.

Also read: Here's the explanation of why you can't buy the Perodua Ativa Hybrid