Toyota Yaris
Winner of this Year's #WRCSafariRally2022
#WRCSafariRally
REVIEW 🧶🧶
An efficient hybrid powertrain, sporty styling and high standard specs make the Toyota Yaris a key contender in the supermini segment
The yaris has an Overall Rating of
4.0 out of 5
âž•VE
Great economy
Good looks
Entry-level models well-equipped.
âž–VE
Not as spacious as rivals
Noisy CVT transmission
Firm suspension.
In an ultra-competitive supermini market, the five-door Yaris is keeping things simple. The sole 1.5-litre petrol hybrid engine delivers 114bhp and provides more than enough power to make it a capable performer around town.
Toyota claims the hybrid model’s bigger battery will help it function in pure electric mode for around 80% of the time while on regular urban journeys, and it can be driven at up to 80mph before the petrol engine imperceptibly chips-in to support smooth progress.
The Yaris has a sporty, more muscular look, with the metallic and pearlescent bi-tone paint finishes particularly striking.
Standard equipment for the Yaris is pretty comprehensive, with the entry Icon trim including 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights and wipers, adaptive cruise control, air-con, a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity.
Mid-spec Design adds extra kit such as LED headlights, privacy glass and a bigger infotainment screen, while GR Sport and Excel specifications sit at the top of the price list
Toyota Yaris review - Engines, performance and drive
The Yaris has an efficient petrol-hybrid engine with a rating of 3.9 out of 5
Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed
The Yaris’s hybrid system delivers a total of 114bhp and, combined with a relatively low kerb weight of 1,085kg, the 0-62mph sprint is taken care of in a reasonable 9.7 seconds.
Top speed is 108mph, but these aren’t figures that many Yaris customers will be actively seeking out. It’s not that kind of car.
The Yaris can drive on electric power alone when on shorter, urban runs. A key advantage is that you don’t have to stop to plug-in and recharge, instead the Yaris’s battery pack is topped-up by a regenerative-braking function,
which produces electricity when you brake or coast. Excess power from the engine is also used to charge the battery
The Yaris suspension arrangement comprises MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear. It’s pretty agreeable, but it does crash through the worst of potholes, and becomes unsettled over uneven, broken surfaces.
The Yaris feels a little strained when on the motorway, and the CVT transmission isn’t the most involving when pressing on through twisty B-roads - becoming quite noisy under hard acceleration. The set-up is better suited to more measured inputs, which makes for a relaxing drive.
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