Toyota's best-selling Yaris supermini has been released as a hybrid with claimed fuel consumption of up to 85.6mpg. There’s a strong argument for getting your chequebook out for that reason alone, but we think you’ll love the Yaris Hybrid for other reasons.
Of course, emissions are also low. On Icon models, they fall from 79 to 75g/km and they emit almost no NOx and particulate emissions. That’s great for the planet but even better for your bank balance, as road tax won’t cost a bean.
But why is the Yaris so good? Well, it’s unique. Among superminis, it’s the only one offering petrol, diesel and hybrid engines.
The
new Toyota Yaris Hybrid combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor to generate 100bhp. With plenty torque, though, the engine feels more powerful than it is, and you’ll have no trouble being first away from the lights.
If you’ve got a light right foot, you can drive for more than a mile without troubling the petrol tank. But when you do accelerate, the ride is smooth, thanks to the engine, a smaller version of the unit used in the
Prius.
Inside, the higher instrument panel is thinner and there’s a restyled instrument binnacle for a slicker look. Door panels are more fluid, the central touchscreen is bigger by nearly an inch and there’s a nice new grain on the central dashboard panel.
There’s plenty of soft-touch finishes around the cabin and shiny chrome has given way to a more-sophisticated satin look.
The Hybrid comes with new seat trims and new interior colour schemes include red, black and tan.
You can choose from two trims: the Icon and the Excel. Select the Icon and you get a leather steering wheel, multimedia and air-con, while climate control air-con is standard.
With the higher-spec Excel, you’ll enjoy cruise control, part-leather seats and intelligent wipers and headlights.
The Toyota Touch 2 system comes with high-resolution 7in display in a package that includes Bluetooth. You also get a rear-view camera, trip data, door-setting management and climate-control profile. Digital radio is standard.
Toyota Touch 2 uses MirrorLink, so you can connect and operate your smartphone through the touchscreen. Add Go and you’ll get traffic information, navigation and information, including fuel prices and parking.
With the hybrid drive system well concealed, there’s plenty of boot space – over 270 litres, a figure that rises to 477 when the rear seats are lowered.
The Yaris is hugely popular in the UK and this latest twist on a successful theme is a real winner. The Hybrid range starts at just £16,195.
You can test drive the new Toyota Yaris Hybrid at our Howards
Weston-Super-Mare dealership. Call in or call us on 1934 332700.