Toyota Yaris greener than ever

The styling, for instance, benefits from the new face and looks fresher. Toyota has stripped out a few niceties, but the cabin still feels homely and well put together.

The drive delivery is smooth and the full hybrid system works well, particularly in traffic. Toyota claims 3.6 litres/100km; I was averaging around 5.4 litres/100km during my tenure with the car.

The same four-cylinder Atkinson cycle 1 497cc petrol engine does duty in the Yaris but adjustments have made it more efficient as it returns 82g/km of CO₂ instead of 88g/km. Power is transferred to the wheels via a CVT box, which, besides the loud hum as it seems to rev endlessly, it does help deliver a smooth drive.

South Africans are slow on the uptake of hybrid technology and with a price tag of R276 900 for the Yaris Hybrid, I don’t think too many people will be flocking to a dealership to buy one.

The hybrid version comes standard with a four-year/60 000km service plan and an eight-year/195 000km warranty on the battery, in addition to the standard Toyota warranty of three years /100 000km.