Toyota has decided that the most important qualities for its Yaris Supermini are stylish design, good fuel economy and a wide range of standard equipment. It’s a convincing package, but it can’t offer the practical space and fun driving dynamics of its best competitors.
The Yaris is a great performer around town and it certainly won’t get caught on highway stretches. However, the high prices could prove to be a stumbling block and the dreary cabin does not do justice to the cool-looking exterior.
About the Toyota Yaris
While the wonderful GR Yaris Hot Hatch has been making headlines with enthusiasts lately, the simple or simmering variety of Toyota’s Yaris supermini should be lauded as arguably the most focused. As a pioneer of hybrid technology, the Japanese brand has focused on an ever greener range. While most automakers continue to offer gasoline and diesel vehicles in their product lines, the Yaris now has a single gasoline hybrid powertrain.
Competitors like the Vauxhall Corsa, Peugeot 208 and Volkswagen Polo offer myriad engine and equipment combinations, although customers considering the Yaris might also be drawn to the Renault Clio E-TECH or Honda Jazz, which offer similar hybrid setups.
In a highly competitive supermini market, the five-door Yaris keeps things simple. The only 1.5-liter gasoline hybrid engine develops 114 hp and offers more than enough power to make it a powerful companion in the city.
Toyota claims the hybrid model’s larger battery will help it function in all-electric mode around 80% of the time during normal city driving, and it can be driven at up to 80 mph before the gasoline engine imperceptibly kicks in for a smooth run Support progress.
The dimensions of this Yaris have actually shrunk compared to the previous model, the overall length is slightly reduced and the roofline is lower than before. The effect is a sporty, more muscular look, with the metallic and pearlescent bitone paintwork particularly striking.
There are four core equipment variants to choose from; the Icon entry-level model is well equipped, followed by Design, Dynamic and the high-quality Excel equipment lines. Toyota has also introduced a Launch Edition specification with an additional luxury kit.
The standard equipment of the Yaris is quite extensive and includes 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights and wipers, adaptive cruise control, air conditioning, a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity.
Starting at around £ 20,000, the Yaris is generally more expensive than its internal combustion engine competitors, although it is somewhere between the Clio E-TECH and the Jazz Hybrid in terms of list price.