Toyota Yaris Range : BATTLE OF THE BULGE

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Toyota's latest Yaris has installed economy and low running costs as its top priorities. Steve Walker reports.

In the UK we buy superminis in massive quantities. These compact runabouts are well-suited to the congested urban journeys that typify the British motoring experience for so many of us but they'll also hold their own amongst the cut and thrust of the motorway network, seat a family of four and swallow the results of the weekly supermarket excursion without too much drama. The supermini is the affordable one-size-fits-all solution to the problems of modern life and with so many car buyers making a beeline for this sector of the market, it's vital for the mainstream manufacturers to have a competitive entrant. Toyota's is called the Yaris.

When Toyota's original Yaris was launched, it was unquestionably the finest supermini money could buy. Then we saw the Honda Jazz, the Ford Fiesta and others all offer more space than the compact Yaris could ever hope to compete with. Toyota launched the Yaris, it did well for a while, but then the market changed. A great little car was just that, great but little. A similar fate has befallen the second generation Yaris. It looked a substantial and spacious vehicle at launch but the subsequent arrival onto the market of the likes of Ford's Fiesta, Fiat's Grande Punto and Renault's Clio have left the Toyota lagging a little in terms of sheer size. Tweaks to the latest models revealed a change of tack for the Mk2 Yaris. Rather than fighting the battle on space, Toyota is emphasising its car's environmental credentials, an area in which the Yaris could excel. Two VVT-i variable valve timing petrol engines are available - a 69bhp 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit and the clever 100bhp 1.33-litre option which actually uses the more advanced Dual VVT-i configuration plus Stop and Start technology. Diesel buyers are catered for with a 90bhp 1.4-litre D-4D engine. The 1.0-litre unit requires a sleep-inducing 15.7s to trundle up to 60mph. Though adequate for shopping duties, buyers intending to venture beyond the city limits will find one of the two remaining engines a better match. The 1.33-litre Dual VVT-i engine will feel much stronger during everyday driving and its Stop and Start system will save fuel too. It comes into play by stopping the engine when the Yaris is stationary, the gear lever is in neural and the clutch is released. All you need do to restart the engine is dip the clutch. 0-60mph takes 11.7s in this model but that's still slower than the 1.4-litre D-4D diesel's 10.7s.

"The environmental credentials and low running costs of the latest model range take some beating"

As standard the 1.33-litre engine and the diesel are mated to a clever 6-speed manual gearbox with a higher than usual 6th gear to boost fuel economy on higher speed runs. Toyota has also paid attention to smoothing out the shifting action, reducing noise and bringing improved feel to the clutch pedal. The 1.0-litre engine gets a five speed manual but the other option is Toyota's MultiMode robotised gearbox which is available with the two larger engines. This can be set to allow manual shifts via the gear lever and steering wheel paddles or to take care of the cog swapping itself. There's also a sportier mode which produces faster automatic changes. The Yaris has never been one of the more striking superminis to look at but its compact curves are easy enough on the eye. The latest models blend the front bumper and bonnet more seamlessly than before while also incorporating protection mouldings designed to take the financial sting out of minor parking knocks. The front spoiler has also been lowered slightly giving a fractionally sportier look and together with a flatter design for the dirty side of the car, this helps aerodynamics, further improving efficiency. Toyota's exemplary build quality is evident in the Yaris cabin and you'll search in vain for shoddily assembled trim components. The problem is that instances of design flare are similarly hard to come by in the rather bland cabin environment. The controls are sensibly positioned and extremely easy to get to grips with but with rival superminis offering some highly intelligent and charismatic interior designs, the Yaris falls a little short. It's a shame because the car does the hard work so effectively. Interior space is another thorny issue, a product of the Toyota being a noticeably smaller car than the latest crop of super-sized superminis. It's over 16cm shorter than the latest Ford Fiesta and while this has its advantages when parking, it's less beneficial when it comes to fitting four passengers and their luggage inside. The boot is 272-litres compared to 295 in the Ford but Toyota's impressive EasyFlat rear seats split 60:40, fold and slide bringing a useful degree of versatility and up to 477-litres of space. There are three and five door versions of the Yaris on offer with the latter coming at a £500 premium. The Yaris trim level hierarchy currently runs from T2 to TR and T Spirit and standard specification is reasonably generous. All models get a rake and reach adjustable steering column, audio controls on the steering wheel, electric front windows, remote central locking, an MP3 compatible CD stereo and Toyota's EasyFlat rear seating system. There's also ABS brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist, twin front airbags and side airbags. The TR model is predicted to be the most popular with Toyota envisaging that 68% of sales will go its way. Move up to the T-Spirit model and you also get automatic air-conditioning, keyless entry, keyless start and Bluetooth compatibility. The Toyota Yaris may not set the sector alight performance wise but it won't slash and burn the contents of your bank account either. Running costs for this toughly built and highly reliable supermini are good and low. The 68.9mpg you'll get from the 1.4-litre D-4D diesel on the combined cycle will attract a lot of attention and the petrol contingent is far from profligate at the pumps. 56.5mpg from the 1.0 unit is good but the 1.33 engine is helped to 55.4mpg by its Stop and Start system. That's a very good showing for a 100bhp supermini. Emissions are similarly low with all the Yaris range dipping under the 120g/km barrier for CO2 output. All Yaris models benefit from Toyota's Optimal Drive Technology. This is a series of small technological advances focusing on reducing weight, enhancing combustion efficiency in the engines and improving aerodynamics. The alterations made to the latest Yaris are widespread but rather too intricate to go into here. The thing to take away is the substantial improvements to economy and emissions that Optimal Drive has achieved across the Yaris range. The supermini is the car of choice for a vast section of the UK's motoring community but why do we love them so? The reality is that different buyers look for different things and at the same time as failing to inspire some, Toyota's Yaris will prove the perfect match for others. The environmental credentials and low running costs of the latest model range take some beating. The Yaris isn't the all-rounder that some of its rivals attempt to be. Its design misses the ingenuity and flair found elsewhere in this fashion-conscious market and even the sportiest Yaris can't replicate the fun served up by bog standard versions of its competitors. What Toyota's supermini does offer is solid build and outstanding reliability, first class safety provision and excellent running costs. It's comfortable and responsive to drive but not particularly engaging and although prices aren't cheap, equipment levels are good. If that sounds like your ideal supermini in a nutshell, what are you waiting for?

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Toyota Yaris range
PRICES: £8,585-£13,305 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 1E-4E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 106-119g/km
PERFORMANCE: [1.33] 0-60mph 11.7s / Max Speed 109mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [1.33] (urban) 45.6mpg / (extra urban) 64.3mpg / (combined) 55.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: ABS with brake assist, twin front and side airbags.
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height mm 3785/1695/1530