Yaris Hybrid Reviews

Made in France conventional and hybrid Yaris

How a front can change the character of a car, no?



Which one you like best? Not colorwise of course.

 

Re: Made in France conventional and hybrid Yaris

Can you hear the breathing ?
Phooosh, Whooosh. Phoosh, Whoosh ... ...

 

Am I missing something here?

 

Let's just say the driver wears black gloves, and has a rack for his sabre

 

I hope the piano player does not have to fear something?

 

Darth, guys. Darth Vader

 

I finally got it! :bounce::roll:


The new expression of Toyota's face...

 

The chief designer Akihiro 'Dezi' Nagaya did a great job. The trapezoid lower grill made a huge difference.

 

YES! Definitely a creative guy, and working for Toyota!

Yaris gets average 67 mpg on the European scale

According to Autobloggreen:

This seems to be the higher value some of the Prius c owners now report. The European scale is more optimistic then the EPA scale, but many Prius (and Auris Hybrid or Lexus ct200h owners) get very close to it.

Hyper-milers do even considerably better.

 

Too late, VW snagged Darth Vader.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0]The Force: Volkswagen Commercial - YouTube[/ame]

 

I just got an offer for a Yaris Hybrid Mid Grade level (called Life in Germany), with the Comfort Package and Red metallic for 15990 Euro (20950 Us $), all taxes and delivery charge included. This is 18% off the offical dealer price!

Without these extras, it costs 15190 Euro.

It comes standard with:

Unique front bumper with aero grill
4 disk brakes
7 airbags (it lacks the front seat anti-dive ones)
dual zone automatic climate control
Height adjustable driver seat
Adjustable leather steering wheel with distant controls
Projector headlamps with LED Daytime Running Lights
Follow me home lights (headlight switch-off delay)
Rear LED lights
Electric coloured-keyed door mirrors
The Toyota Touch providing a colour touch screen control for the audio, MP3 / ipod and telephone and even converts to a rear-view camera to help whilst reversing into tight spaces.
ECO-Drive-Monitor
Height Adjustable trunk bottom
Softtouch-Elements on the Dash and front doors
central door locking per key with distant control
no start button

It has no Alloy wheels (15 in.), but I'll keep these for the winter tires, and I'll buy the Toyota Yaris Alloys for the summer tires.

The confort Package includes:

Keyless Smart-Start System (replaces the key in the standard version)
Cruise control with speed limit
Rear electric windows
Rain sensing wipers
Dusk sensing headlamps
Auto-dimming rear view mirrors

All in all, this is a Prius c 3 with quite a bit of extras unavailable on the Prius c range.

Jan

 

15190 is a nice price
<15000 for base would be better but looking at what you get for 15+ it nice and toyota HSD

 

I was last week at my Toyota Dealer and he gave me new brochures for the Yaris Hybrid and the Prius Plus. Both cars will be launched on June 16th, 2012. Shortly after this I will make sure to test drive both...
I will post the pictures of the Prius Plus brochure in another thread in the Prius alpha/+/V forum.
Some interesting things to note from the brochure (which is unfortunately not available online as a PDF download):

- 79g CO2/km and 3.5L/100km (67MPG) preliminary values for the combined cycle; this is 0.4L/100km less than the Prius 2010, which means in real life more or less the same delta
- efficiency class (compulsory rating in EU for cars since this year) A+; all Toyota Hybrids currently land in this class
- EV mode is up to 50km/h and 1.5km max
- the Yaris Hybrid can be already ordered; the dealer told me he has already sold about 15 of them...
- all prices in the last pages are in €, with 19% VAT included; on top of this you need to add the registration costs (about 100€) and delivery costs (about 600€); usually a dealer discount of 5-6% is possible without too much hassle, if you pay cash;
- notes on the options that caught my eye:

• on the basic version you already have dual-zone A/C;
• alloy wheels are available standard only in the pricier version "Club" (whereas on the Prius already in the mid-version "Life" they are already standard);
• radio is not standard in the basic version (whereas on the Prius is), though 6 speakers and on-wheel commands are already there (why? why not offer the radio+CD player standard, which are available as an option in the basic only at 450€? maybe to keep the price below 17.000€...);
• LED back lights only available from "Life" version;
• remotely controlled central door-locks only available from "Life" version;
• rear parking camera available standard from "Life" version; on/off via button rather than key only in the pricier version "Club";
• Smart Key available only as a 700€ option (with other things as well), from "Life" version only (standard in Prius);
• navigation system Touch&Go available at a reasonable 550€ from "Life" version;
• parking sensors available only for back (no front) at 350€;
• black is mica/metallic and not opaque!! (why the Prius black is a dull opaque black...???);
• a couple of interesting colours to be seen live (mauritius blue and blue steel, both mica/metallic)

A dedicated web site with a pic gallery and a somewhat cool promotional video here: Toyota Yaris Hybrid

As a comparison, the cheapest Yaris 5 doors, with 1.0L engine (69HP, 93Nm, 4.8L/100km combined FE, efficiency class C), with manual A/C, opaque body colour, can be bought for 13595€ (and likely some accessories are still missing. The delta is 3355€. Considering the fuel consumption in town is 5.7L/100km (likely the Yaris Hiybrid will be <4L/100km), and with all the compromised on the drivetrain performance, I don't think that there is any reason not to buy the Yaris Hybrid... You would really need to drive very few km a year, to justify the purchase of the 1.0L version.

The 1.33L version (99HP, 125Nm, efficiency class D, 5.5L/100km combined and 6.8L/100km city FE), standard A/C, with Start/Stop engine management (not available on the 1.0L...), basic version, costs 15100€. Delta with the Yaris Hybrid basic, 1850€ (and I am not even sure the standard accessories are the same on both versions...I doubt).
Essentially the Yaris Hybrid can cannibalise its own market...and shows how HSD is advanced and convenient compared to a standard motor of its same manufacturer!

Unless you are on a really constrained budget and are looking to buy a Yaris, there is *no* reason to not buy the Hybrid version.

 

Thanks for the photgraphs of the brochure. I also got it from my dealer last week, when I tried a 1,33 l with CVT gear box called MultiDrive-S.

@Pakitt: I fully agree with your point of view. If you're in for a super-mini with automatic gear and low fuel consumption, only the similar sized, but more practical Honda Jazz (or Fit) mild-hybrid (IMA, same as the Insight) is an alternative. I also tested that car, and in addition, a used Prius 2 facelift Sol with Navigation, intelligent park assist, and a back-up camera (offered for 13,900 Euro).

Our North-American readers need understanding though, that where we live, this car segment is the second most popular, beyond the compact cars like the Golf, A3, Astra, Focus, 316i, Benz B series, i30, Mégane, C4, 308 and many others. Yaris competitors are Polo, Fiesta, Corsa, Mini, A1, Benz A series, Punto, i20, Rio, Jazz non-hybrid, 208, Clio, C3, and others. Most of them are also offered with rather popular, while fuel efficient Diesels, even when they are polluting and relatively expensive. Few of them are available with an efficient automatic gear box. Many users do not care about that or even don't want one at all. Maybe the most interesting conventional super-mini with "automatic" gear box is the Polo with double clutch automated 7 speed gear box. Some offer CVT, like the Jazz... and Yaris 1,33.

I liked the Yaris CVT while test-driving it for about 30 minutes on two-lane roads, through speed-limited villages and in a small tawn with heavy traffic and stop lights. It's responsive, dynamic, relatively comfortable, and roomy for its compact size. The CVT gearbox is a hammer, contrary to reports I read. It keeps engine revving low while allowing for good accelerations. Of course, if you floor it, it screams, but this is only seldomly necessary. The only situation the drive train feels laborious is during initial accelaration. Fuel consumption is in the higher 30 mpg range (5,5 l/100 km), except for city driving (nearly 7,0 l/100 km). Front seats are excellent (same as the Prius c) and the analog instruments are fine and well readable. From the Life model on, the car comes with the T. Touch system which incorporates a Back-up camera (lacking in the whole Prius c range!), which works well. I liked less its position too far to the right and too low. Moreover, its screen is too reflective in daylight strongly diminishing the readability. All in all, this car is pleasing and well made. I heard no rattles. I did not have the opportunity to test it on a four-lane highway. From what I read, it is fine until 120 km/h and becomes more noisy beyond.

I liked the drive train of the Jazz (Fit) Hybrid. Its CVT gearbox is as good as that of the Yaris, but the assistance by a small electric motor gives it good acceleration from the start. Its magic seat system is unsurpassed and the large windows and panoramic glass roof give it a mini-van like roominess. I liked much less the front seats, which are too short and small, and unconfortable. The instruments are not well readable. Road and wind-noise increase more rapidly with speed, but below 90 km/h, it is not loud. I consider this car, which is similarly priced as the Yaris Hybrid as an interesting alternative if one needs more trunk space and variability. I like its look.

The Yaris Hybrid will change the landscape, provided Toyota makes clever marketing and the sales force is competent with explaining the workings and best way to drive it. Its pricing is competitive and the HSD system has an excellent reputation with regard to reliability and durability. Still, it costs a lot of money compared to less well equiped and less powerful super-minis, and it will be interesting to see how it is accepted by the public new to the HSD drive train. If Europeans react like the people here on PriusChat, one may run into some surprize!

I hadn't driven a Prius 2 yet, (only an Auris Hybrid, two years ago), and when I finally did, I was much surprized and impressed. Many here know this car well, and I simply conform everything I read here and elsewhere. If one is in the market for a larger car with Hybrid drive train, they are now available for a good price. The facelift seems very recommendable. We are thinking of acquiring one on offer in a nearby town, since we do not live in a crowded town.

Jan

 

mm adding al those non standard this and you close to a auris or prius
well the price you have to pay more for a lot bigger car gets smaller and smaller....
i like to see some real life MPG with the yarid HSD..
the basis is really basic.. dual AC but no central locking?? i dont need dual AC.. dont see there is any use for it.
the car is way to small to have zone's

 

You're right, especially if the larger one (Auris or Prius) is a used one with < 20,000 miles. Some people will be better off with a super-mini, for example when living in crowded cities and often looking for parking space. I guess the best thing is waiting a year until used Yaris Hybrids (and for that also Prius C) will become available.

The MPG of the Yaris Hybrid will be about 10-15% better then an Auris Hybrid or 3d generation Prius, except at higher, european speeds on fast highways (> 130 km/h). The MPGs reported in the US mostly come from driving in optimal conditions well below such speeds. Have no doubt, its competitors are driven very often at those speeds (at least up to 150 km/h) by super-minis, especially those with Diesels. The Yaris better does well here too.

Yes, the basic Yaris would have been better with other items then dual AC, which in such a small car, mostly driven by one person, will not be very useful. It has central locking, but not from a distance. That comes with the medium grade and is in fact very fine. Many people will like the fact that this and the classic shift lever resembles what they are used to. And compared to the Prius C, they may also like the analogue dash intruments. Still, the basic Yaris is in my view maybe the best deal. It makes sense to not only think about MPG, when buying a car, but also about the whole package and what you get for the money.

As to our dilemma, ordering a new Yaris Hybrid or buying a 2nd generation 4 1/2 years old Prius (with 30,000 miles) for 3,000 $ less, we are still in doubt what to do. One concern is the lack of reliable data on HT battery life say after > 10 years life time. If we buy this car, that's what it will have to last. The slightly lower MPG would not make the difference up over time. It really drives comfortably and quietly.

Jan

 

The battery is a classic NiMH technology, just smaller, lighter.
The lifespan of it will be very similar, if not same, as in Prius II, III generation.

 

I think the potential issue is that it may be using the battery in a different way. However, it should be remembered that since it's smaller it should also be cheaper to replace.

At least in the UK, Toyota has priced the Yaris Hybrid to compete with the Polo BlueMotion.

 

Which is also over priced. Why not just price it correctly rather than try to get clever and price it out of the reach for a lot of the usual Yaris owners. The hybrid option is a third more expensive than the petrol yaris! Even at $9 a US gallon, that's a lot of miles to make it even half viable.

Toyota UK have obviously tried to price the Prius plug in to compete with the Ampera/Volt, without realising that that is over priced too. At least the Volt has a 40-50 mile range rather than 10-15 like the PIP, but at £28,000 for the PIP AFTER the £5,000 grant, it is a LOT of money even for here.

I guess it's because Toyota don't really understand these cars passed to them from Japan HQ and thus market them for these 'early adopters' who apparantly have loads of money to burn. What they don't appreciate is that early adopters are by their very nature, not stupid!

 

My youngest daughter (age 25) is in love with the Yaris and has had a hankering for one for three years now. I'm glad they're bringing out the hybrid, but *why* are they so slow to introduce the Hybrid into all their models?

Surely the success of the Prius and the Camry has shown them that THIS is the car of our future?

THIS is a sweet ride! Why not make this technology available in all the Toyota products?