Top Car of 2020: Toyota Yaris
Toyota has transformed the Yaris into a world-class small car that is packed with technology and fun to drive. We reckon that makes it the Top Car of 2020, writes Damien O’Carroll.
Well, here we are – after a very weird and unsettling year that featured a global pandemic, a brutally divided United States election, a remarkably united New Zealand election, and the loss of rock legend Eddie Van Halen, we have stepped back, taken a breath, let the dust clear and decided on our Top Car for 2020.
To be brutally honest, no-one here thought we would ever be writing the words ‘‘The Stuff Top Car for 2020 is the Toyota Yaris’’, but that just adds to all the other stuff we never thought we would see, hear or say, but did in 2020.
Yep, that’s right – the Toyota Yaris is our pick for the best car we drove in 2020.
But it’s not only that – the Yaris also took out the Top Compact/Small Car category and the Top Hybrid category for good measure.
And it thoroughly deserves the titles. All-new from the ground up, the Yaris is now based on the excellent TNGA (Toyota Next Generation Architecture) platform that brings the same engaging feel to the Yaris that it endowed the Corolla and RAV4 with, but the Yaris takes it even further by being lighter and packing a thoroughly brilliant 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine that is charmingly growly and brutally fuel efficient, even in non-hybrid form.
But that hybrid is where you want to look if you want truly serious fuel sipping, particularly buzzing around in an urban environment.
You see the Yaris hybrid is something that hybrids have been long-promised to be (and EVs actually are) in that it is more fuel efficient at urban speeds than open road speeds – our first experience with a Yaris saw us register a frankly remarkable average consumption of just 2.8l/100km during a week urban pottering.
It wasn’t just the supreme frugality of the hybrid that swung the Top Cars needle the Yaris’ way either – the level of equipment and technology you get for your investment in a Yaris is deeply impressive too, with every model – yes, even the rental special base model GX – coming with Toyota’s Safety Sense package of driver aids and assists.
But wait, as they say on the telly, there’s more: the Yaris is also fun to drive – that TNGA platform is even more engaging under a lighter car, while that brilliantly growly triple gives its all across its rev range.
Of course, we can’t talk about the Yaris without mentioning the fact that it is now a family
of cars, even if the rest of that family didn’t quite arrive in time to make consideration for Top Cars.
I am, of course, referring to the Yaris Cross small SUV and the GR Yaris hot hatch.
The Yaris Cross uses all the same bits underneath the hatch, but wraps them up in a higher-riding baby SUV body, while the GR Yaris saw Gazoo Racing unleashed all over it for spectacular results.
We have driven both cars since the Top Cars decision was made and can happily report they would only have bolstered our decision to give the Yaris the win if they had been included.
That the Yaris hatch alone was enough to clinch our Top Car award speaks volumes about just how damn good the basic package is.
While the overall winner is always the focus, we also had a lot of category winners that all deserve recognition as well.
Medium/large car: Volvo S60
While SUVs have decimated medium and large car sales, the Volvo S60/V60 offers slick Euro looks and power, but not the same old badges.
Luxury car: Bentley Flying Spur
Are you a fan of rich leather and knurling in your car? But do you also want to enjoy a dynamically spirited drive? Then Bentley’s fine Flying Spur is the car for you.
Sports/performance car: Ford Fiesta ST
Unparalleled bang-for-you-buck and a proper hot hatch attitude saw the feral little Ford Fiesta ST chase off much bigger dogs for this category win.
Compact/small SUV: Mazda CX-30
Not too big, not too small, just right – that is what Mazda wanted the CX-30 to be. And it is just right to be our top pick for this year.
Medium SUV: Mercedes-Benz EQC
Forget the fact that it is an EV, the MercedesBenz EQC 400 is just a startlingly good SUV and a real Mercedes-Benz one at that.
The fact that it is electric is a nice bonus.
Large SUV: Land Rover Defender
Living up to an icon isn’t easy, but luckily the Land Rover Defender has managed that and then some. An effortless blend of rugged capability and luxury see it take this category win.
Luxury SUV: Mercedes-Benz GLS
Can an SUV be a credible alternative for a LWB luxury sedan? The Mercedes-Benz GLS 400d certainly makes a convincing argument for that, which is why it is the winner here this year.
Sports/Performance SUV: Audi RS Q3
A fantastic engine and tenacious handling sees Audi’s frantic little powerhouse charge to the head of the performance SUV queue to be our top pick for 2020.
Top ute: Toyota Hilux
The Ford Ranger knocked it from the top sales spot, but the Toyoya Hilux is back with a vengeance in 2020 with loads of tech, more power, a convincingly good ride and lower prices. That’s a Top Ute pick from us.
Top EV: Porsche Taycan
The Porsche Taycan is a thoroughly excellent electric vehicle, but it is also a real
Porsche. Superb handling, sensational looks and serious performance makes it our top EV pick for this year.
Top van: Ford Transit Custom Sport
Ever fancied the idea of a sports van? No? Well, our pick for the Top Van of 2020 is one! The Ford Transit Custom Sport gets stripes, wheels and more power on top of an already excellent package.
Top brand: Toyota
It’s not just the excellent new Yaris and fantastic refreshed Hilux, Toyota has continued to be interesting and, as a result, has taken out our Top Brand award for the second time in a row.
The rest of the best:
Here’s a round up of the other categories we thought rated consideration this year.
■ Top interior: Porsche Taycan
■ Sexiest car: Porsche Taycan
■ Top car for a budget: MG ZS
■ Top car for a family: Land Rover Defender/ Renault Duster
■ Top car for a commuting lifestyle: Tesla Model3/Mercedes-Benz EQC 400
■ Top car for the environment: Toyota Yaris Hybrid
■ Top non-hybrid car for fuel efficiency:
Toyota Yaris
■ Top performance-per-dollar car:
Ford Fiesta ST.