Toyota Yaris Review 2024
The Toyota Yaris is a small hybrid hatchback that packs a punch. With sporty styling, loads of modern technology, and engaging performance, the Yaris is a good choice if you're looking for a nippy city car.
Rivals to the Yaris include the Peugeot 208, Volkswagen Polo, Hyundai i20, Honda Jazz, and Ford Fiesta.
Our Toyota Yaris review covers:
- Sporty exterior styling
- Pleasant interior that's well-built
- 286-litre boot
- A 1.5-litre petrol hybrid engine
- Four trims
Pros:
- Excellent fuel economy
- Good to drive
- Sporty exterior looks great
Cons:
- Boot space isn't great
- Cramped in the rear
- Basic infotainment system
The Yaris had traditionally been a pretty boring car you'd expect to be driven by your grandparents. But, these days are no more. The new Yaris features a sporty exterior, such as an aggressive front end, larger alloy wheels, and a small rear spoiler.
The Yaris is a city car, so interior space isn't of the essence, but even so, you get a decent amount of space. There's enough space in the front for two adults to get comfortable, while a pair of six-footers should fit in the rear. The headroom is a bit tight throughout the cabin and isn't as generous as the Honda Jazz or Volkswagen Polo.
Boot space is just 286 litres, which is way short of the Volkswagen Polo or Skoda Fabia. However, you'll find that, in reality, the boot is quite practical. Because it doesn't have a load lip and is a square shape, you can fit four suitcases on board, which is on par with most city cars.
The Yaris has a pleasant interior, featuring a good range of materials and feeling very well put together. You'll find a range of soft-touch plastics, and there's a leather steering wheel as standard. As you move down, a few cheaper plastics start to appear, but this is nothing out of the ordinary for a city car.
All Yaris's come with a touchscreen infotainment system, which ranges from seven inches to nine inches and includes a DAB radio, Bluetooth, and Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. Whatever size, the system is responsive and easy to use, thanks to the inclusion of shortcut buttons around the screen.
Four trims are available for the Yaris: Icon, Design, Excel, and GR Sport.
Icon has 16-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, automatic air conditioning, auto wipers, a three-spoke leather steering wheel, a reversing camera, a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and adaptive cruise control.
Design has 16-inch five-double-spoke alloy wheels, an eight-inch infotainment system, privacy glass, LED headlights, and rear electric windows.
Excel has 17-inch alloy wheels, a satin chrome grille surround, a nine-inch infotainment system, smart entry/push button, front and rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
GR Sport adds 18-inch alloy wheels, GR Sport suspension tuning, and front sports seats.
Just one engine is available for the Yaris, a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that's helped by a pair of electric motors. They combine to return 114hp and shoot from 0-62mph in nine seconds. On paper, this is quicker than the Ford Fiesta EcoBoost 125 engine but falls short of the Honda Jazz.
You'll get a fuel economy of around 60mpg and emissions of either 92g/km or 110g/km.
The Yaris is a comfortable drive that's undoubtedly suited to city driving, but get it on a country road, and you can have a bit of fun.
Around town, the Yaris is in its comfort zone. The automatic transmission is smooth, its handling is light, and the suspension deals with potholes and bumps in the road very well. At lower speeds, you'll also get the best fuel economy, averaging in the high 60s. You can opt for an all-electric mode, but it's best to let the car decide when to use this.
Get up to motorway speeds, and the Yaris cruises well. The engine is powerful enough not to feel overwhelmed, and although you won't be zipping around in the outside lane, it will certainly meet the bill. It also comes with adaptive cruise control as standard, which is very generous from Toyota.
On a country lane, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the Yaris. Its sporty exterior certainly resonates with the drive, and you'll be able to corner without body lean, and there's a good amount of road grip. We'd avoid the larger alloy wheels for comfort, which fall well short of the Ford Fiesta on a twisty road.
Prices for the new Toyota Yaris start from £21,694.00 OTR* or to lease from £255.20 per month.
Looking to get behind the wheel of the Toyota Yaris? Nationwide Vehicle Contracts is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals to suit your every need.
Leasing may be cheaper than an outright purchase, thanks to a low initial deposit and fixed monthly rentals.
*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change; always check with your nearest retailer.
