Toyota Yaris review: Improved tech and power for the economy champion

“There are no small, affordable cars any more,” is a common complaint among both industry-watchers and those who value a compact, cheap-to-run hatchback – most often the oldest and youngest drivers. And they are correct… sort of. With the Ford Fiesta having bowed out, small, useful, attainable cars are thin on the ground. But they haven’t disappeared altogether.

First point of evidence: the Toyota Yaris. This little hatchback is only available as a full hybrid and it was Car of the Year in 2021. Quite rightly, too, as it handles brilliantly and offers great efficiency and safety at a competitive price.

It’s now received a mid-life refresh, which includes a new, slightly more powerful version of the 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain. There’s also more “big car” equipment in the top-spec models, including a head-up display, full digital driver’s readout and a larger, improved touchscreen system.

So, do the changes for this facelift bring even more greatness to an already rather excellent small car? Or is more power, more digital gimmickry and – inevitably – more expense exactly what the Yaris didn’t need?

Pros

• Chuckable handling
• Great real-world economy
• Fairly affordable

Cons

• Top-spec models get pricey
• Interior feels cheap in areas
• Grainy touchscreen graphics

Digital digest

One of the biggest areas of change is the interior upgrades, especially on higher-specification models. The top three trims – GR Sport, Excel and Premiere Edition – get a new 10.5-inch colour touchscreen system complete with voice control that responds to “Hey Toyota”. More importantly, standard features also include satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while every Yaris now has over-the-air software updates.

The screen works well thanks to shortcut icons permanently visible (when not in phone mirroring mode) on the right of the screen, which allow you to hop easily between functions. It’s all pretty straightforward, even if the graphics are a bit grainy. 

It is a bit annoying that there’s no physical “home” button to return to the car’s native systems when you’re in CarPlay. And you have to faff through a number of menu layers in the settings, via the steering wheel controls, to turn off the lane-keep assist and speed-limit warning.

Still, these are small niggles in an otherwise very decent dash layout and interface that now has all the media modernity that buyers want and expect.

Having said that, one of our favourite features is the set of boring, old-school rotary air-conditioning controls beneath the screen on every Yaris model. A lingering analogue delight…

I found the voice control hit-and-miss to use. Given that the screen and air-con are both a doddle to reach and use, trying to converse with the voice control seems like more hassle rather than less.

The new, configurable digital driver’s readout is another significant update. It’s easy to see as well as having four views, named Casual, Smart, Tough and Sporty. Even Toyota doesn’t seem to know why “Tough” is named as such, and the screen settings sound like the members of a terrible Spice Girls tribute band, but regardless – it functions just fine and adds to the Yaris’s “big car” tech feel.

Having said all of that, the more basic Design model I also drove makes do with fewer speakers, a much smaller digital readout and a 9-inch touchscreen with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, but no navigation… and honestly, the car was just as enjoyable. Not quite as plush, but I didn’t miss the tech. Given that the £23,535 Design is £3,000 less than Excel (the cheapest trim to include the larger touchscreen) and also represents a useful saving in monthly PCP costs, it’s not hard to see why Toyota reckons that half of Yaris buyers will settle for Design.

There haven’t been any changes to the car’s practicality, so if boot and passenger space are a priority then you may want to look at the slightly larger and pricier Honda Jazz. The 286-litre boot in the Yaris will suffice for a small family, though, while the rear seats will be fine for kids or shorter adults, so it’s roughly on a par with the Renault Clio on that front.

On the road

The big news for this update is the introduction of a 129bhp version of the 1.5-litre, three-cylinder hybrid engine, which gets its uplift in power from a new hybrid transaxle set-up and more powerful electric motor. Top-spec GR Sport and Premiere Edition trims get this as standard, for a 0.5sec improvement in the 0-62mph time (down to 9.2sec). The rest of the range retains the old 114bhp unit.

In practice, there is a touch more vigour in the mid-range response than in the lower-powered model, but ultimately the Yaris still doesn’t feel fast even by small car standards and the CVT automatic gearbox still has the engine groaning under any kind of moderately heavy acceleration. More importantly, in everyday driving, the Yaris’s powertrain flicks into electric mode regularly, the pedal responses are easy to judge and the steering is light but confident, so it all gels nicely.

The uprated powertrain has made fairly incremental improvements in terms of how the Yaris performs but it does bring it more in line with the performance of the impressive Renault Clio E-Tech hybrid, which is no bad thing.

There are no mechanical changes to the suspension or steering, so this remains a joyously chuckable little car that’s surprisingly entertaining on a challenging road, while also being just as light and wieldy as you could wish in urban driving. 

The larger 17 and 18-inch alloy wheel options make the ride comfort a bit lively on scruffy roads so, again, I favoured the modestly-specced Design trim as its 16-inch wheels soften the slightly sharp-edged ride of posher Yaris models in town.

Most satisfying of all, the Yaris remains as economical as ever. I achieved an average of more than 50mpg during mixed driving in the 129bhp Premiere Edition tested here, with more than 53mpg in the less powerful Design model. 

The Telegraph verdict

The Yaris is a great small car – pre or post-facelift. The fact that buyers can now choose to have a classier finish and “big car” infotainment and features is a good thing – but only because it’s in addition to the more basic models that you can get for under £300 on monthly PCP deals.

I would do precisely that and enjoy the uncomplicated, economical delights that are at the very core of the Yaris experience. But if you’re less bah-humbug than I when it comes to the latest tech features? Well, Toyota has got you covered, too.

Telegraph rating: Four stars out of five

The facts

On test: Toyota Yaris Premiere Edition 

Body style: Five-door hatchback

On sale: Now

How much? £28,295 (range from £22,630)

How fast? 109mph, 0-62mph in 9.2sec

How economical? 65.4-67.3mpg (WLTP Combined)

Engine & gearbox: 1,490cc three-cylinder petrol with electric motor, CVT automatic gearbox, front-wheel drive

Maximum power/torque: 129bhp/89lb ft

CO2 emissions: 96-98g/km (WLTP Combined)

VED: £155 first year, £170 next five years, then £0

Warranty: 3 years / 60,000 miles – extendable to 10 yrs and 100,000 miles for free, provided servicing is maintained at a Toyota dealer

Spare wheel as standard: No (not available)

The rivals

Renault Clio E-Tech

143bhp, 96g/km, £21,295

This has ingenious, F1-inspired hybrid tech that provides similar efficiency and CO2 emissions to the Toyota, plus it’s a touch cheaper and has a larger boot. Mind you, the Toyota’s incredible 10-year warranty and reputation for reliability is a huge point in its favour next to the Renault’s three-year/60,000-mile warranty.   

Honda Jazz Hybrid

96bhp, 102g/km, £26,395

The Jazz isn’t cheap but it is still impressively spacious for a car with such a compact footprint, while there are also some appealing PCP monthly deals on offer. It’s nowhere near as fun to drive or as tech-savvy as the Toyota, but it is the practical option in this class.

Suzuki Ignis 1.2 Dualjet Mild Hybrid 

82bhp, 112g/km, £17,949

The Suzuki’s mild hybrid 1.2-litre petrol engine is very economical in real-world use, so we wouldn’t be surprised if you got very similar fuel efficiency to the two full hybrids here – despite a slightly lower WLTP economy figure of 56.9mpg. It’s cheap, too, while you can also get it with four-wheel drive.