Toyota Yaris review

This is the fourth generation of Toyota’s now stalwart supermini, a car that was delightfully innovative when it first arrived back in 1999. It set new standards for interior packaging, providing the space and feel of a car from the next class up in a compact footprint.

It’s been a gradual evolution to the car’s current look, though the Yaris remains recognisable for its upright stance. The interior is less of a marvel these days, but the hybrid-electric powertrain is compelling for its low emissions (all the models are rated below 98g/km CO2) and the driving experience has been commendably upgraded.

When it first got its hybrid powertrain the Yaris was practically the only supermini with the tech available, but now you’ve got the likes of the Renault Clio and Mazda 2 to choose from, as well as EV offerings like the Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa Electric. The Skoda Fabia has kept it all old school and simple and nailed the brief. Tough field.

The Yaris does look good though… 

It is a very stylish looking car – and wider and lower than its previous iteration. Moving to a new downsized version of Toyota’s GA-C platform (which has done wonders for the C-HR and Corolla) has helped.

Inside, you sit 60mm further back and 20mm lower than the old car, which makes it less amenable to the sorts of drivers who are more advanced in age and appreciate a higher hip point for swivelling out of the car. But nicer for people who like to get comfortable behind the wheel.

So does it drive well too?

The Yaris is surprisingly direct and comfortable. A stiff base to push from (thanks to that shared platform) means that the suspension does what it should, the longer wheelbase adds some ride refinement to motorway cruising (it doesn’t pitch as much as the old one), and the wider stance makes it a little bit less wobbly if you tip it into a corner with too much speed.

You’ve got the 3dr GR version of the Yaris if you want to pretend you’re behind the wheel of a rally car, but otherwise this less sporty one is grown-up on the move and more reassuring to drive at most speeds. So that’s good.

What about the engines?

There’s just the one basic setup that comes with the Yaris, but it’s available in two states of tune. You get a 1.5-litre 3cyl petrol engine that pairs up with an e-motor and small battery for either 114bhp and 104lb ft of torque, or 129bhp and 136lb ft.

Both flavours send power to the front wheels through our old friend the e-CVT gearbox. It’s not as bad as you might think: whereas older iterations sent the revs sky high and kept them there, these days there’s a more naturalistic setup to the continuously variable transmission. It’ll still rev right up if you hoof the throttle, but it will settle down much quicker.

You’ll get to 62mph from a standstill in 9.7 and 9.2 seconds respectively depending on which power level you go for, but most impressive is the approximately 70mpg fuel consumption rating that’s surprisingly attainable. Around town, at least.

Drive it sensibly and carefully and you’ve got yourself a rewarding (in terms of fuel consumption at least) runabout. It’s never going to be the most exciting or engaging car to drive, but that’s largely irrelevant to the target market. And a criticism that Toyota has spectacularly addressed with the GR version of the car.

The tight turning circle, modest dimensions and light steering at parking speeds are probably of more importance to potential drivers, which make the Yaris about as fuss-free as a small automatic hatchback gets.