The latest Toyota Yaris comes with a quick update to its look in addition to its long warranty and Toyota’s stellar reputation for reliability.
The Car
It comes in 4 trim levels – Active, Icon, Design and Excel. The entry-level model will give you electric front windows, 60:40 split-folding rear seats, a USB socket and a multifunction steering wheel as it is
Our recommendation would be for you to go up a step and you’ll get Bluetooth, DAB radio, as well as a perk to the interior material quality. Another perk of this trim would be the air-conditioning and Toyota’s Touch 2 infotainment system on an all new 6.1-inch touchscreen media system.
In any case, the Yaris pulls the full 5 stars on the ANCAP safety rating with 7 airbags (dual front, front side, full-length curtain and driver’s knee) as well as a standard reverse-view camera and stability control which is amazing addition for the price you pay.
The Drive
We have to comment about how the drive has changed with the reverse-view camera installed. The car has great visibility as is, but the ease of parking in addition to the already light steering and small turning circle makes this car amazing for driving in and out of the city car parks and small streets.
The ride in the cabin is smooth too, it handles speed bumps and imperfections on the roads quite well and at lower speeds, the little bump’s will hardly even register. At a higher speed, the car might seem to fly a little when it comes into contact though.
The 1.3-litre engine obviously needs a bit of a pardon when it comes to reaching speeds as well and it can sputter a bit if you start to load up the car with baggage or other groceries, but otherwise if you and a couple of friends are generally zipping around town, it does its job well enough.
The Interior
The new model looks all snazzy now with the new touch-screen installed and it is pretty easy to use. The rest of the interior remains unfortunately unchanged and can look a little cheap with the hard plastic and lack of trim.
There is a fair amount of storage pockets in and around the cabin. The back seats don’t get door storage but the presence of a centre bin provides a little cubby for any items that your passengers may have brought on board. The boot provides 286 litres of space but the back seats do fold, even if not entirely flat.
Overall
The Yaris gives a new car buyer a good value for money, especially if they intend to use the car in and around the city. The reverse-view camera, big infotainment screen and stamp on safety is an excellent draw to the car too and can help you overlook the bland interior.
Original : Reviewing the Toyota Yaris
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