Car Reviews > Toyota > Yaris 1.0 > Toyota Yaris 1.0 Car Review
Prices: £12,760 Power: 68 bhp
Engine: 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol
Gearbox: Front-wheel drive, five-speed manual
0-62 mph: 15.3 seconds
Top Speed: 96 miles per hour
Economy: 58.9 miles per gallon
Emissions: 111g per kilometre
Equipment: Bluetooth connectivity, alloy wheels, air conditioning, reversing camera, MP3 player connectivity
On Sale: Now
This entry-level version of the new super-mini intends to keep running costs to an absolute minimum – but how does it fare on UK roads?
The 1.33-litre petrol version of the new Toyota Yaris was perhaps not as impressive as it could and indeed should have been, so will the new 1.0-litre variant be any improvement?
The smaller engine is certainly much cheaper to run and even more efficient than it was before, with a fuel economy rating of no less than 60 miles per gallon and CO2 emissions of just 111g per kilometre, which is pretty impressive especially in comparison to the 52 miles per gallon fuel economy rating and 123g per kilometre CO2 emissions offered by the 1.33-litre version. This actually succeeds in making the new vehicle one of the most efficient in the whole of its class – with entry level Ford Fiesta and VW Polo models only able to return a fuel economy rating of 50 miles per gallon and 128g per kilometre in CO2 emissions.
So the Yaris certainly saves money both in terms of fuel and road tax, but what is it actually like to drive? The 1.0-litre 3-cylinder engine, capable of a bhp rating of 68, should be familiar to anyone who has experience driving the smaller Aygo city car, and it is a cracking little engine that has a distinctive and enjoyable soundtrack that practically oozes character.
The problem however is that there is only 92 Nm of torque available, and then only at 3600 revs per minute, which means that this small engine really has to be kept permanently on the boil to be any real use. This is not so much of a problem just driving around town – the car is peppy and responsive enough, and there is real precision in the 5-speed manual gearbox.
On the open road however, the car feels somewhat underpowered and there is really no more that needs to be said when you look at the 0-62 miles per hour time of almost 15 seconds. The car is fairly quiet when cruising on the motorway at around 70 miles per hour, but the level of acceleration is quite poor. The rest of the driving experience proves to be reasonably good, but nowhere does it even start to approach being a leader in its class. There is also rather a firm ride and numb steering, though the good news is that if you can see past that, the Yaris proves to be unexpectedly grippy and poised when taking on corners.
The test car came with flagship TR specification, with the trim level Toyota expected to be the most popular. There is also plenty of standard equipment, including smart alloys, a reversing camera, connectivity for iPods as well as other MP3 players, and Bluetooth. While the price tag of £12,700 is certainly on the high side, the level of included equipment does go some way toward justifying it.
The interior does hold some disappointments however, with strangely textured and rather cheap plastic making up the dashboard and a steering wheel that can only be adjusted for height.
The new Yaris is spacious, being 100 millimetres longer than its predecessor is, and there is a big boot and plenty of room for adults in the rear, but it is still hard to get excited about the latest Yaris offering.
by Autoweb
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