Toyota Yaris review

The Yaris has a fresh design and a comfortable interior. The ride is good, the engines are decent for most daily needs and there’s even a performance model.

The Yaris is also the only supermini available in the UK that's a proper petrol-electric hybrid so you can whizz around town in electric mode for short periods.
It's been refreshed with design and tech updates, but the focus of the Yaris continues to be on good value motoring with a touch of style.

The interior is simple and well laid out with everything easy to use. There's a lot of hard black plastic but some models have a dash of colour to brighten things up.

The five-door models offer the best practicality, especially for small families.

There are also over 20 model options so you can find everything from the base spec model to much higher-end cars that come with touchscreen infotainment systems and cruise control, as well as other useful features. The fully-loaded Yaris comes with leather upholstery.

Boot space is 286 litres which is big enough for several bags and a similar size to the market-leading Ford Fiesta. You don’t lose any boot space in the hybrid model, which can be an issue in some models with the electric motor taking up space. This is one reason why it’s a very popular choice.

The Yaris is great if you’re looking for a small, reliable car that can carry a few passengers from time to time or to use for the weekly shop.
It may not be as enjoyable to drive as rivals such as the Fiesta, but the seats are comfortable even on longer journeys. The driving position is decent so you won’t feel too tired on a cross-country journey. The light steering is great in town and its good, all-round visibility makes urban driving and parking easy.

Production of diesel engines stopped in 2017 but it’s best to opt for petrol, unless you do a high mileage (over 12,000 miles a year). If you’re planning longer trips, go for the manual which has a smooth gearbox. The automatic (CVT single-speed) gearbox will better suit those who spend their time in cities. Regular automatics are also available and are the best option for the hybrid model.

The hybrid models hold their value the best so you’ll pay slightly more for one, while diesels lose the most.

Petrol cars will return very good consumption figures in the 50s. The diesels will be better but the difference isn't significant.
With the exception of the sporty and rare GRMN, insurance and road tax costs are all very low and Toyota servicing and parts are also low cost, making the Yaris one of the most cost-effective cars to run.

Toyota prides itself on the reliability of its cars and the Yaris is no exception. Although there have been recalls for the model, including a global airbag recall, all should have been fixed through regular services.
Safety is good and the Yaris received five stars from the Euro NCAP crash test. Further safety improvements came in 2017 when Toyota’s active safety systems became standard across the range.