Toyota Yaris YRS five-door hatch we have just tested dropped back to Toyota after a week’s review has an efficient engine and transmission and comes with urban-friendly driving characteristics.
In looks it is a typical 21st century small hatchback with a V-shaped radiator grille and deep air dam below. Flat flanks with a fold that slopes up from the guards to the rear are another modern styling fashion that Yaris follows nicely. The arched roof of the Yaris stops at a chopped-off tail with roof-mounted lip spoiler, hinting at a sporty character (not met), and modern rear lamp array.
Slipping into and out of the little Toyota five-door hatch driver’s seat is made easier by a flat-bottomed steering wheel. There’s no excuse for not finding a comfortable driving position in the supportive cloth-bound seat as the steering column is tilt and rake adjustable.
With average-sized front passengers aboard, those in the back have a reasonable amount of legroom. This really isn’t intended to be a car for Australian families – that’s Corolla territory – but the Yaris can handle mum, dad, three young kids and a fair bit of luggage with ease.
The maker’s specifications say rear cargo space is ‘standard’, whatever that means. A week’s family groceries fit snugly behind 60:40 seat backs which can be independently folded to give more room. In bright sunlight the speedo, tachometer and fuel gauge all but disappeared behind reflection on the instrument cover at times. Which can be a danger to your licence on over-regulated Australian roads.
The 6.1-inch touch screen radio station layout has a lot displayed on such a small screen and hitting the right spot could be hard at times. Talking of instruments, Toyota has moved away from a long running tradition of the Yaris, and the Echo before it, by having instruments in front of the driver instead of in the centre of the dash. The former system was done to trim build costs as the instrument binnacle sat in the same spot no matter which side the steering wheel was fitted. The idea in the new model is to give the car a more upmarket look but doing away with this feature.
The absence of a centre console storage bin in the Yaris is surprising, but this is a small car and it’s difficult to engineer space for everything. There are just the standard glovebox and door pockets for bits and pieces.
With 80 kW of peak power coming up at 6000 rpm and 141 Nm of torque at 4200 rpm, the 1.5-litre engine mated with the four-speed automatic transmission of the test car won’t set the world on fire in the performance. But it does well in the economy stakes with official petrol consumption of 6.3 litres per 100 kilometres in the combined urban/highway cycle. Around town we found it generally sitting in the seven to eight litre range, on the highway getting it into the sixes was simple.
Australian engineers can take much of the credit for a raft of performance positives, with the Toyota Technical Centre in Melbourne contributing to steering calibration which delivers the sort of feedback we have come to expect driving in this country. A bonus for the inner-city dwellers is the tight turning circle of just over nine metres. The take-up of electric power steering is a great help when parking, while minimum steering input is needed to deal with the many twists and tight turns encountered on country roads.
A more rigid body than in the outgoing Yaris means better rear-wheel grip, sharper steering and improved stability. It all adds up to a comfortable, stress-free, if uninspiring, driving experience. Reduced noise levels are another advantage of having a stiffer body, this and additional sound proofing, means the Yaris has excellent cruising ability for long trips. Fixed cost servicing at $120 per 10,000km, Toyota reliability and strong resale values are also on the side of the Yaris.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE AND PRICING
Yaris YR 1.3-litre three-door hatch: $14,990 (manual), $16,590 (automatic)
Yaris YRS 1.5-litre three-door hatch: $16,390 (manual), $17,990 (automatic)
Yaris ZR 1.5-litre three-door hatch: $18,990 (manual), $20,590 (automatic)
Yaris YR 1.3-litre five-door hatch: $15,690 (manual), $17,290 (automatic)
Yaris YRS 1.5-litre five-door hatch: $17,390 (manual), $18,990 (automatic)
Yaris YRX 1.5-litre five-door hatch: $21,390 (automatic)
Yaris YRS 1.5-litre four-door sedan: $18,190 (manual), $19,790 (automatic)
Yaris YRX 1.5-litre four-door sedan: $21,790 (automatic)
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact any Toyota dealer for driveaway prices.
ENGINE:
Capacity: 1.497 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Maximum Power: 80 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum Torque: 141 Nm @ 4200 rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Transmission: 5-speed manual/4-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 3885 mm
Wheelbase: 2510 mm
Width: 1695 mm
Height: 1515 mm
Luggage space: Standard
Kerb weight: 1055 kg
Gross vehicle mass: 1480 kg
Turning circle: 9.4 m
Fuel Tank Capacity: 42 litres
Towing capacity: 550 kg (unbraked); 900 kg (braked)
STEERING, SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Steering: Electric rack and pinion
Suspension: Independent MacPherson struts, lower L-arms, gas dampers and offset coil springs and anti-roll bar (front); Semi-independent trailing torsion beam, coil springs and hydraulic damper units (rear)
Front Brakes: Ventilated discs
ABS anti-skid with electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control with traction control.
WHEELS/TYRES
Wheels: Steel, 15-inch
Tyres: 175/65 R 15
Spare wheel: Steel space-saver, tyre T125/70D16
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: N/A
Top speed: N/A
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
Type: Petrol 91 RON, E10 compatible
Combined Cycle (ADR 81/02): 5.8/6.3 L/100km
CO2 emissions: 147 g/km
GREEN VEHICLE GUIDE RATINGS:
Greenhouse Rating: 7.5/10
Air Pollution Rating: 6.5/10
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/100,000 kilometres
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