Toyota Yaris: not the hot one, but good anyway
Only kidding. New Yaris might be WRC-ready but it’s still a Yaris
There’s a buzz from the rear of the Yaris. This transforms into a Batman-esque thwack! as the Yaris’s 17-inch wheels sniff out divots in the road and make mountains of the tarmac molehills. Hmm… this isn’t very Yaris, is it? Or at least it’s not in line with what we know and like about the Yaris. Surely Toyota wouldn’t be so daft as to think that most Yaris buyers want the WRC-inspired sportiness of the GR version? This is, surely, still a car that’s mostly about reliability, affordable finance and in-town nippiness. Turns out we needn’t have worried. The new fourth-generation Yaris is available with three different wheel sizes (15-, 16- and 17-inch), all of which have different damper and spring settings. Toyota engineers assures us the smaller-wheeled cars – which we haven’t driven yet – are more forgiving. Good.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The new Yaris is wider, shorter and lower than before. The new nose looks modern and a bit more aggressive, while the rear is clean and unfussy. And while the doors may look odd – too tall, too slim, too circular – open them and there’s easily enough room for two adults in the rear. At 286 litres, boot space is the same as in the outgoing car, and a little disappointing. It’s eclipsed by the Renault Clio’s 391-litre cargo bay.
Up front, the plastics feel sturdy and the fabrics on the doors are pleasant enough, but for interior quality this Toyota’s no Peugeot 208.
Cast your eyes below the infotainment screen and you’ll notice an auto gearknob. The Yaris is only available as a hybrid (for at least a couple of years) and there’s no manual option.
So it’s e-CVT or nothing. But, unlike the worst of the breed, Toyota’s has software to dull down that elasticky feeling. It works well here, with engine noise and revs rising in harmony, which isn’t always the case with CVTs. The 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine helps by being remarkably quiet and relaxing.
Let’s not forget the battery either, which is bigger. Total output (e-motor and engine) is 114bhp, 16 per cent more than the outgoing Yaris
hybrid. The bigger battery means the car can make more use of electrical energy under hard acceleration. This results in less mooing than you’d get from the outgoing car, plus the Yaris can really shift off the lights. Bang it into Sport and you’ll embarrass many a warm hatch on the 0-30mph sprint.
Fuel economy also improves to 68.9mpg, up from a WLTP-certified 48.7mpg previously. Toyota even reckons the latest Yaris can operate in pure EV mode for around 80 per cent of a typical urban journey.
Anyway, back to the thwack! Our test car is on the firmest set-up, which won’t be available in Blighty. Just as well – it’s simply too firm. At motorway speeds the ride is fine but in town, where the car’s likely to spend time, it’s poor.
The upside is that the Yaris really clings on round the corners. Dial in a bit more lock on a tight roundabout and there’s heaps of grip before safe understeer intervenes. Put the grip down to Toyota’s TNGA architecture, which helps transform the Yaris into a decent steer, if not one offering quite as much fun as a Ford Fiesta.
First verdict
Nearly 70mpg and a five-year warranty will be enough for some people. Fiesta better to drive, Polo and 208 nicer inside