Overview

The Toyota Yaris is the firm’s bestselling model in the UK – as well as a trendsetter. It wasn’t the first full hybrid supermini, but it was the one that UK buyers actually bought. In taking this step, it led the way for others to follow, especially as the Government further restricts the most polluting cars.

If you want a Yaris, you’ll have to plump for a 1.5-litre Hybrid, with an automatic gearbox. That’s right, there are no non-hybrid or manual gearbox options. However, Toyota has beefed up the power output on its range-topping Yarises for 2024, while adding a couple of new trim levels to spruce up the range.

Broadly, the Yaris uses its hybrid angle to set itself apart from the competition. Its biggest rivals include the Volkswagen Polo, Renault Clio, and Skoda Fabia. The Vauxhall Corsa and Peugeot 208 are also rivals, although both can be spec’d as fully electric cars.

Toyota is aiming for the Yaris to be ‘the world’s safest small car’, thanks to software like a pre-collision system that can detect pedestrians, as well as being the first Toyota to be equipped with central airbags.

Inside, space is good and the interior is hardwearing, if not all that luxurious. There are now five trim levels to choose from, including an updated GR Sport line and a new Premium Edition trim. There’s also the Toyota GR Yaris – a 261hp all-wheel drive hot hatch that will embarrass cars that cost twice as much.

But is the Yaris a supermini we’d actually recommend? Over the next few pages we’ll let you know exactly what it’s like to drive, how spacious it is and what it’ll cost, before offering a verdict.