The European Toyota Yaris has received its first mid-cycle update since its initial introduction nearly four years ago. Visually, the TNGA-based hatchback looks identical to before, with the main revisions being a more powerful hybrid powertrain as well as improvements to the interior and safety systems.
Starting with the mechanical bits, the updated Yaris is offered with the new Hybrid 130 powertrain, which features the same E-CVT and 1.5 litre naturally-aspirated three-cylinder petrol engine rated at 92 PS (91 hp or 68 kW) at 5,500 rpm and 120 Nm of torque from 3,600 to 4,800 rpm.
The difference here is a new transaxle with the carmaker’s fifth-generation hybrid technology that sees a larger a more powerful electric motor being deployed. With this, the total system output is increased by 12% from 116 PS (114 hp or 85 kW) to 130 PS (129 hp or 96 kW), while the torque produced by the electric motor goes up 30% from 141 Nm to 185 Nm.
According to Toyota, the increased outputs help shave half a second from the 0-100 km/h time to 9.2 seconds and the 80-120 km/h sprint is also reduced to 7.5 seconds. This option does come with a modest upshift in CO2 emissions, although the company says the Yaris will still retain its best-in-class status with a range of between 96 and 116 g/km.
The existing Hybrid 115 powertrain makes a return here with the lesser outputs mentioned above, and while it may be slower in the century sprint (9.7 seconds), its top speed of 175 km/h is shared with the Hybrid 130. The Hybrid 130 comes standard on all Premiere Edition and GR Sport grades of the Yaris, while some markets in Europe will offer the higher performance powertrain in High grade.
Moving inside, the Yaris will now come with either a seven- or 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster display, with the latter offering four modes (Smart, Casual, Sporty and Tough) to choose from. Meanwhile, the size of the central touchscreen has been increased to either nine or 10.5 inches depending on grade and the new Toyota Smart Connect infotainment systems offers cloud-based navigation as standard to go along with its more intuitive and reactive interface.
Other features of the system include a voice recognition system with the “Hey Toyota” voice agent as well as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support. Another new addition is a smart digital key that relies on the MyT app to provide up to five users with access to the vehicle using their smartphone.
Toyota T-Mate, the umbrella term for the Yaris’ advanced driver assistance systems, also gets upgraded to include new features such as Acceleration Suppression (to prevent potential collisions at low speeds due to sudden acceleration), Emergency Driving Stop System (brings the vehicle to a gentle stop if no driver inputs are detected for a certain amount of time) and Road Sign Assist with speed limiter.
There’s also Proactive Driving Assist (PDA) that helps avoid familiar accident hazards when driving at low speed, which includes Deceleration Assist (provides smooth deceleration when the driver comes off the accelerator to slow down when approaching a slower vehicle ahead or entering a bend) and Steering Assist (adjusts steering force to help the driver make a smooth and stable turn when a bend in the road is recognised).
These join returning systems like autonomous emergency braking, emergency steering assist, adaptive cruise control, lane departure alert, automatic high beam, lane trace assist, rear cross traffic alert, safe exit assist and a blind spot monitor. The car can also accept over-the-air updates to improve the functionality of systems.
To coincide with the new Yaris’ introduction, Toyota is offering the hatchback in Premiere Edition guise, which features a Neptune Blue two-tone paintwork with a contrast black roof and pillars – alternatives include bi-tone Platinum Pearl White and Silver Metallic. The blue theme extends to the seat upholstery stitching and accents on the interior trim panels, and the car dies on 17-inch black machined alloy wheels.
A new Juniper Blue paint option is also available across the Yaris range, which also gets a new seat upholstery pattern, while the Mid and Mid+ grades sport new five-spoke alloy wheel designs, in silver or machined finishes respectively.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
bring it on
Because we are poor, no choice have to use Daihatsu platform..
Forgotten to mention that their 1.5L 3 Cylinder engine is from the Dynamic Force Engine which was launched back in 2019 instead of what we get here is from archaic NR engine launched back in 2008 well a bit updated to Dual VVT-i
Hopefully UMW consider to bring in this model, doesn’t mater 2NR-VE, 2NR-FE or 3 cylinder Dynamic force engine, as alone as can come with GR yaris cross looks.
Looks like a very good city car. UMW please bring it here in this exact spec. Wow got ambient lighting and fully digital instrument cluster summore. Very nice spec
Our corolla cross still got the analog meter one and foot brake. smh!
Looks like a mini chr but size reverse back to the cannot sell previous yaris model.
i really wished we got this instead of the ‘developing nation’ yaris we get.
Vios should be based on this. Not DNGA
Our Asean-baby Vios won’t ever get that large digital instrument cluster paired with Toyota’s new infotainment system software.
1.5 litre naturally-aspirated three-cylinder petrol engine?
Why Toyota doesn’t offer a 1.8 four cylinder engine in europe? Or at least the 1.5 four cylinder engine from the Vios?
Why should they the engine is of the new Dynamic Force Engine released in 2019 with full latest technological upgrade which can achieve 40% thermal efficiency (even with it’s N/A) engine unlike our archaic NR type engine which has been launched 2 decades ago which probably meets Euro 3-4 emissions.
Suddenly 3cyl. engines with 1.5l displacement are okay? Usually, there’s a lot of whining here when it comes to a 1.5l 3cyl engine from another manufacturer… ;)
this yaris is so much nicer than ours
Come on, get this beautiful Yaris here and price it at RM90k. Will sell like hot cakes. The current Yaris we have here looks horrendous.