The next-generation Toyota Yaris has been unveiled ahead of its arrival in the UK next year.
The firm’s best-selling model across Europe, the Yaris has been given a ground-up redesign to incorporate more technology and a new three-cylinder hybrid powertrain.
Due to be built at Toyota’s Valenciennes plant in France, this Yaris sits on an all-new platform that aims to improve interior space without sacrificing the compact proportions which attract buyers to the car.
The current Toyota Yaris has been around since 2011, with major updates in 2014 and again in 2017. It occasionally pops up in the UK new car best-seller list, but has generally received middling media reviews and holds a relatively low Expert Rating of 65% in The Car Expert’s unique new rating system that aggregates reviews from across 18 of the top UK motoring titles.
New Toyota Yaris is both longer and shorter
Despite having a wheelbase 5cm longer than before, the new Yaris is actually slightly shorter than the car it replaces. It means that the Yaris will be the only supermini which is less than four metres long. Width has gone up by 5cm, however.
The Yaris will be available with one of three petrol engines, all three-cylinder units. An entry-level 1.0-litre unit will kick things off and will only be available with a five-speed manual gearbox. A larger 1.5-litre engine will be available with a six-speed manual or CVT automatic option.
Finally, there’s a 1.5-litre hybrid, which combines the petrol engine with an 80hp electric motor. Toyota claims that the powertrain is 15% more powerful than the one it replaces, yet produces around 20% less CO2.
Full economy figures have yet to be released, though Toyota has revealed that the Yaris Hybrid can travel at speeds of up to 80mph in all-electric mode.
Toyota has yet to reveal full pricing for the new Yaris, though expect this to be announced closer to the car’s official arrival next year.
