Toyota says new Yaris is the world’s safest compact car

TOYOTA’s brand new Yaris has just gone on sale and costs from €19,695 for the entry level 1-litre petrol version.

The much-awaited new-generation 1.5 hybrid doesn’t arrive until October.

They are claiming the Yaris has been engineered to be the world’s safest compact car. Redesigned inside and out, it is the first of the company’s small cars to benefit from the new GA-B platform which plays such a key role in improving dynamics. It also provides for a lower centre of gravity and greater body rigidity.

The Toyota Safety Sense systems are standard. They include Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) such as Lane Trace Assist, Emergency Steering Assist and Intersection Turn Assistance.

They have broadened the application of the Pre- Collision System so it can now detect pedestrians by day and night and cyclists in daytime driving.

Intersection Turn Assistance is a first for a small car and can recognise the risk of a collision with oncoming traffic and pedestrians when making a turn at a crossroads. It is also the first Toyota to be equipped with centre airbags which help prevent driver and front-seat passenger colliding with each other in a side impact.

Among the equipment items you can have are LED headlamps, an 8-inch touchscreen display, smart entry and ambient cabin lighting.

Simpler improvements include a reduction in the size of the steering wheel for better visibility.

The 1.5-litre petrol powering the hybrid model is claimed to be 20pc more efficient despite power being increased by 16pc (to 116hp), while acceleration is 15pc quicker to 100kmh (9.7 seconds).

They say the Yaris hybrid’s pure-electric capabilities have been “transformed”, with EVmode lasting longer in urban traffic. CO2 emissions are down to 88g/lm which translate into a WLTP combined cycle fuel economy of 3.9litres/100km - a 20pc improvement.

You will be able to see the amount of time in EV mode on your display.