For years, Toyota was a leader when it came to hybrid drive, especially in the compact segment. However, more and more privateers are coming to the coast. Can the all-new Yaris 1.5 Hybrid compete with those new competitors?
While EVs and plug-ins rule car news, the common hybrid is far from extinct. In fact, hybrids are being added at a rapid pace in the B segment. Of course there is also a hybrid version of the new Yaris, since Toyota is the progenitor of this form of drive. Toyota’s system is in principle still the system from the 90s, of course fully developed and innovated. A 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with an economical Atkinson barrel produces 91 horsepower in the Yaris, and an electric motor then delivers an additional 80 horsepower. The two are continuously linked by means of a planetary gear system and deliver a maximum system power of 116 hp. It is nice that nowadays the electric motor delivers enough power to get some gait in the car, so that you do not get a huge speeding bale with a little acceleration. If you ask for maximum power, the engine still has to work hard, but the progression is noticeable and most city kilometers go extremely smoothly. Moreover, thanks to the stronger battery and the 80 electric horsepower, the car can also drive fully electric at a higher speed. The Yaris still determines itself at what times it can best recharge, but if you want, you can temporarily force an electric drive with the EV button. Does that powertrain also ensure low fuel consumption? Yes, the Toyota lives up to its reputation and achieves scores at various refueling times that easily exceed 1:20. If you take it very slowly, even values ​​towards 1:25 are not unattainable.
Anything but boring
With the arrival of the new Yaris, the car has clearly changed. The dull image of the model has been a thorn in Toyota’s side since the policy was introduced that the manufacturer no longer wants to put boring cars on the road. Heavy versions such as the GR Yaris and the Yaris GRMN show that things can be done differently and that sporty image must also find its way to the normal Yaris. In any case, the appearance is anything but boring. Here is just a nice car, certainly because of the two tonelacquer is a cheerful appearance on the street. The car is remarkably smaller than its predecessor. That makes it more manageable in the city, but it is at the expense of the interior space. The rear seat is not very generous and especially if you want to use it as a family car, that is something to take into account.
The Yaris cockpit looks quite frivolous. Especially the tubes in front of you are nice. The use of materials still does not make an impression, because we see a lot of hard plastic. In the Yaris we find the infotainment system that we know from larger Toyotas. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s okay. Something good in a car like the RAV4 is certainly good in a smaller model, where the bar is lower. Despite the lower seating position, the steering wheel would have to move a little further towards you for an ideal seating position, especially to realize Toyota’s sporting ambitions.
The Yaris exudes some dynamism and lives up to it. The road handling of the car is good and the low weight makes it feel spry and alert. The steering could offer a bit more feeling and the concept of the powertrain stands in the way of good throttle response, but he certainly offers driving pleasure. However, the Yaris is fairly firmly suspended and therefore not very comfortable. At a higher pace, the car is also quite noisy; a lot of wind and tire noise penetrates the interior.
For the test we got the thickest version of the Yaris from the importer, a fully loaded Launch Edition. It has a beautiful audio system and also ACC. The Toyota sprinkles with safety options anyway. So is Safety Sense with autobrake standard on every Yaris, even on the slip-on. This makes it still a strong offer in the ever-growing collection of hybrids in the compact segment.