Spaced out Yaris

Toyota's crown has been slipping of late, what with recalls and falling global sales, but the situation may have turned the corner for the beleaguered Japanese company.

Launched last week in South Africa, the new Yaris is one of the products that will surely help restore the company's global image.

It's far better than the previous model with a better finish, more space inside and also in the boot. One of the drawbacks of the previous generation was the limited boot space which barely took a computer bag and packet of groceries. But how things have changed!

Thinner seat backs for the front seats mean more knee room for those sitting in the back - rear seat space has increased by 35mm and knee space has improved by some 30mm over the outgoing model which translates into a class-leading figure of 645mm for rear seat space, says Toyota's Clynton Yon. In fact, I found it to have better leg room than a BMW 3 Series!

A similar design treatment for the rear seats has helped increase load space depth by 145mm to 710mm.

Overall luggage capacity has grown by an incredible 49% to 347 litres (to roof line) with the rear seats in place and 768 litres when they are folded flat.

Powering the new Yaris are a range of powertrains featured in the previous generation model - 1.0 and 1.3-litre petrol units - but with substantial improvements, and in the case of the 1300 variants, a new engine.

All engines benefit from the application of Toyota Optimal Drive, a range of engineering and design technologies which, combined with weight-saving measures and aerodynamic improvements, help cut fuel consumption and emissions without harming power and torque levels.

Toyota's three-cylinder 1.0-litre VVT-i petrol is linked to a five-speed manual transmission. The latest version of the 998cc unit generates 51kW at 6000rpm and torque of 93Nm at 3600rpm.

The sprint from 0-100km/h is dispatched in 15.3 seconds. Fuel consumption has been improved by 6% to 5.1 litres/100km in the combined cycle and CO2 emissions are down by 6% to 119g/km (therefore no CO2 tax as this effectively places the 1.0-litre Yaris below the emission tax threshold of 120g/km).

The all-new 1.3-litre Dual VVT-i engine is also light and compact, with a small bore and long stroke to give a very high power-to-weight ratio.

Power is up 16% over the outgoing model - 73kW is produced at 6000rpm and peak torque of 125Nm at 4000rpm (torque is up 3%). Acceleration from 0 to 100km/h takes 11.7 seconds.

Emissions (131g/km) and fuel consumption (5.6 litres/100km) are down 7% when mated to the six-speed manual transmission.

There is an option of a CVT transmission which . features a manual override, sequential seven-step mode that the driver can operate using either the gearshift lever or paddle shifts on the steering wheel. With this configuration CO2 emissions drop even more to just 125g/km, while fuel consumption is the biggest beneficiary - just 5.4 litres/100km in the combined cycle.

However, this is where I fear Toyota may have boobed! I have yet to drive a vehicle with a CVT transmission that is acceptable!

They are no good for towing a trailer of any size and South Africans are a trailer loving nation.

Grannies and grandpas with arthritic hands and legs may be the only people who will enjoy a CVT box. Changing through gears is like listening to a Singer sewing machine, which has not been serviced for decades, picking up revs and speed.

My advice to Toyota - drop it! It spoils the Yaris.

The launch venue was Toyota's impressive Eston Research and Development facility, just outside Durban where all new products are subjected to comprehensive testing.

We were able to drive the Yaris under various conditions and came away impressed with the capabilities of the small car, which slots into the highly competitive B-segment.

Inside, the Yaris has also undergone significant improvements with a new focus on creating a "fun-to-drive" cockpit environment for the driver. The principal instruments (now in sportier analogue format) and switches have moved from the centre of the dashboard to sit directly in the driver's eye line behind the steering wheel.

The new Yaris is also better looking with revised styling that is bolder and sharper and with a more masculine demeanour.

The Yaris comes with a four-year/60000km Service Plan included in the purchase price (service intervals are every 15000km), along with a three-year/100000km warranty.

The Specs:

Yaris 1.0 litre

Engine: three-cylinder, 12-valve DOHC with VVT-i

Power: 51kW at 6000rpm

Torque: 93Nm at 3600rpm

Top speed: 155km/h

Acceleration: 0 to 100km/h 15.3 secs

Fuel cons: 5.1 l/100km

CO2: 119g/km

Yaris 1.3 litre

Engine: four-cylinder, 16-valve DOHC with dual VVT-i

Power: 73kW at 6000rpm

Torque: 125Nm at 4000rpm

Top speed: 175km/h (CVT 175km/h)

Acceleration: 11.7 (CVT 12.6 sec)

Fuel cons: 5.6 l/100km (CVT 5.4 l/100km)

CO2: 131g/km (CVT 125g/km)

Prices:

Yaris 1.0 (prices include VAT and emissions tax)

1.0 Xi 3-dr R124000

1.0 Xi 5-dr R130000

1.0 XS 3-dr R141000

1.0 XS 5-dr R147400

1.0 XR 3-dr R151100

1.0 XR 5-dr R157900

Yaris 1.3

1.3 Xi 3-dr R157000

1.3 Xi 5-dr R163000

1.3 XS 3-dr R171600

1.3 XS 5-dr R177600

1.3 XS 5-dr CVT R189000

1.3 XR 3-dr R203700

1.3 XR 5-dr R200600

We Like

Styling, space, price

We don't like

CVT gearbox