Toyota YARIS D-4D RANGE
Saving And Fun Are Two Concepts That Rarely Go Hand In Hand. The
Toyota Yaris D-4D Diesel Range Is An Exception To The Rule. Andy Enright Reports
Theres nothing like excess to create a headline or two. The Yaris has always been feted for its fuel economy, but Toyota know that to be simply good is not good enough in the closely-fought small car sector. Hence the improved Yaris D-4D diesel range, cars which major on parsimony at the pumps and average 64mpg in mixed driving conditions. Question is, does anybody care?
After all, with the standard 1.0-litre model easily able to see the distant side of 50mpg, will the additional fuel economy be a sufficient draw to encourage buyers to stump up an additional £1,000? Its a tough call. Despite the growth in sales of diesel cars, its still a fact of life that two-thirds of new car buyers still opt for petrol engines. When you factor in the reality that superminis like the Yaris dont tend to cover huge annual mileages, do the maths stack up? For example, the Yaris were to cover 7,500 miles per year for the first three years of its life, the total fuel saving realised by running a diesel as opposed to a 1.
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0-litre petrol would be around £400. Take the additional cost of credit involved in buying the more expensive car into consideration and the saving is small, coming down to any slight difference in the percentage of new value retained when the time came to sell it on which could well swing the balance. So is this justification enough in plumping for a Yaris D-4D?
"With an all-up weight of just 99kg, the engine is one of the lightest diesel units ever made"
Well, firstly, were only looking at the fuel consumption benefits in a purely financial term. One side effect of the D-4Ds economy is the low environmental impact. An exhaust gas recirculation unit also reduces particulate emissions and NOx discharges. Not convinced? Well, for those of you without a green conscience, lets talk driving dynamics.
The old-school view of diesel cars is that they are dirty, smelly, slow and handle poorly due to the huge weight of the engine. We can knock the first assertion on the head: your nose will never detect youre in a diesel when seated behind the wheel of the Yaris D-4D. Performance isnt far shy of the 1.3-litre petrol versions, the D-4D engined models capable of hitting sixty in a mere 12.7 seconds and running on to 106mph.
The driving characteristics of this 1.4-litre diesel are certainly different to a petrol car. Instead of relying on high engine revs to extract power, the diesel is happier at relatively low engine speeds, delivering the sort of torque youd expect from a 1.8 or 2.
0-litre petrol unit. Driven in this fashion, the D-4D feels far more muscular than any other Yaris engine, the 1.5-litre in the T Sport included. The D-4D diesel engine features many of the contemporary must-haves technology such as pilot injection and knock reduction, high-pressure 1600bar fuel injection through common-rail design all of which results in an impressively refined powerplant.
Rev the engine beyond 4,000rpm and it all becomes a bit vocal, but by this point its best work is done and further depression of the gas pedal merely seems to raise volume levels exponentially. With an impressive 123lb/ft of torque on tap at between 2,000 and 2,800rpm, youll rarely feel the need to thrash the engine. The Yaris has undergone a mild facelift, getting a revised front grille, lights and bumper and a subtly redesigned tail lights and bumper set. Interiors have come in for a reappraisal, with sleeker fascias incorporating a central digital display.
Trim colours and materials have been revised and many of the minor controls have been improved; the mirror controls are a case in point. The Yaris set new standards for supermini safety when it was first launched and the current car aims to augment that reputation. The body structure has been enhanced to offer extra crashworthiness and side airbags are standard on all D-4D models bar the entry-level T2 version. All three rear seats now feature proper three-point
seat belts and all models feature anti lock brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution.
The eagle eyed amongst you may have spotted another revision to the Yaris D-4D line up.
Toyota brought the Yaris in line with the rest of their model ranges by ditching the original trim designations and replacing them with T2, T3 and T Spirit. The manufacturer reckoning on the simplified product line up to cut out much off the confusion when it comes to choosing a new car. As well as trim levels being reappraised, equipment levels were boosted with a drivers airbag standard on all models and passenger and side bags present on grades T3 and above.
Prices start at £9,595 for the T3 three-door (the D4-D engine is not available in T2 form) and rise to £11,595 for the T Spirit five-door. The Yaris D-4D proves that making economies neednt be a painful experience. Offering big car features with a decidedly supermini price tag, the latest Yaris diesel is a better and better value car than ever.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Toyota Yaris D-4D range
PRICES: £9,595-£11,595 [excl Verso] - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 3E-4E
CO2 EMISSIONS: 113-117g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 12.9s / Max Speed 106mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [S/GS] (Urban) 55.4mpg / (extra urban) 76.3mpg / (combined) 67.3mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags on all except entry-level model, ABS, EBD
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [standard 5dr] Length/Width/Height" 142/65/59"
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