Car: Toyota Yaris 1.0-Litre range
Prices: £8,585 - £10,030 – on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 1E-2E
Emissions: 118g/km
Performance: 0-60mph 15.7s / Max Speed 96mph
Fuel Consumption: (urban) 47.1mpg / (extra urban) 62.8mpg / (combined) 56.5mpg
Safety: ABS with brake assist, twin front and side airbags
Dimensions: Length/Width/Height mm 3785/1695/1530
URBAN SCOOT
Our Rating: 7.3 / 10
The entry level Yaris shows that Toyota is putting up a fight at the lower end of the Supermini sector. Steve Ghosley reports.
A 1.0-litre engine sounds a little small for a supermini but Toyota is confident that its 3-cylinder unit can give the Yaris the affordability factor it needs at the value end of the supermini sector.
First impressions of the mk2 Yaris were that Toyota had taken the old Yaris and plugged it into a garage forecourt airline. It’s bigger in every dimension and markedly more bulbous. It’s also way better in terms of perceived quality. The double-sealed doors feel thicker and weightier and shut with a thunk rather than a clang. The rather unconventional fascia looks removed from the supermini norm, with a 3D effect on the main display. More conservative buyers may find it a bit Buck Rogers but it’s certainly distinctive.
Toyota’s exemplary build quality is evident in the Yaris cabin and you’ll search in vain for shoddily assembled trim components. The problem is that instances of design flare are similarly hard to come by in the rather bland cabin environment. The controls are sensibly positioned and extremely easy to get to grips with but with rival superminis offering some highly intelligent and charismatic interior designs, the Yaris falls a little short. It’s a shame because the car does the hard work so effectively.
Interior space is another thorny issue, a product of the Toyota being a noticeably smaller car than the latest crop of super-sized superminis. It’s over 16cm shorter than the latest Ford Fiesta and while this has its advantages when parking, it’s less beneficial when it comes to fitting four passengers and their luggage inside. The boot is 272-litres compared to 295 in the Ford but Toyota’s impressive EasyFlat rear seats split 60:40, fold and slide bringing a useful degree of versatility and up to 477-litres of space.
This entry level model comes with an ultra-lightweight 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. Built in Japan, this engine will appeal to buyers who are attracted by the city car credentials of the Yaris. The 0 to 60mph sprint figure is a little irrelevant on this type of car but for the record, the mark is achieved in 15.7 seconds. A top speed of 96mph is accompanied with a CO2 emissions level of only 118g/km. Where the Yaris 1.0-litre really scores however, is with its miserly fuel consumption, returning 56.5mpg on the combined cycle. With keen fuel economy, low inertia and low emissions, it’s a better choice than the diesel for the urban sprawl and crawl. Marry that to the Yaris tight turning circle and you have a very agile and wieldy small car.
Two trim levels are available with this entry-level model - T2 and TR, in both 3-door and 5-door guises. The T2 model comes with a rake and reach adjustable steering column, audio controls on the steering wheel, electric front windows, remote central locking, an MP3 compatible CD stereo and Toyota’s EasyFlat rear seating system. There’s also ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist, twin front airbags and side airbags. The TR model adds an uprated stereo, air-conditioning, body-coloured door mirrors, curtain airbags and a driver’s knee airbag. VSC stability control is a cost option.
The Yaris isn’t the all-rounder that some of its rivals attempt to be. Its design misses the ingenuity and flair found elsewhere in this fashion-conscious market and even the sportiest Yaris can’t replicate the fun served up by bog standard versions of its competitors. What Toyota’s supermini does offer is solid build and outstanding reliability, first class safety provision and excellent running costs. It’s comfortable and responsive to drive but not particularly engaging and although prices aren’t cheap, equipment levels are good. If that sounds like your ideal supermini in a nutshell, what are you waiting for?
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