The Toyota Yaris hybrid just got more power - and it’s now quicker to accelerate as well.
The Yaris is a really important car in the leasing market because it’s one of the most affordable self-charging hybrids you can get - alongside the Mazda 2 Hybrid, which is pretty much the same car with a different badge.
Up until now, the Yaris was available with one powertrain - the Hybrid 115 - which gave you power of 115 PS and a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 9.7 seconds.
Now, however, Toyota is introducing a new, more powerful system called the Hybrid 130.
It has, you might have guessed, increased oomph of 130 PS to bring the 0-62 mph sprint time down to 9.2 seconds. There’s a hike in torque, too, up from 141 Nm to 185 Nm.
Meanwhile Toyota says it has improved the speed the Yaris takes to get from 50-70mph, which now stands at 7.5 seconds.
That might sound like a weird metric to talk about, but it’s a key one, as it could make a massive difference when it comes to overtaking slow-moving traffic or getting up to motorway speeds.
Underpinning the Hybrid 130 is a 1.5 litre petrol engine, a battery, and an electric motor, which combine to make the Yaris properly fuel-efficient, returning close to 69 mpg.
Range-topping GR Sport models will get the 130 Hybrid powertrain as standard, while a new ‘Premiere Edition’ variant will also boast that engine.
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Of course, if you want the truly performance version of the Yaris, you’ll have to lease the track-honed GR Yaris (above), which has power of 260 PS and will hit 62 mph from a standstill in just 5.5 seconds. You can lease a Toyota GR Yaris with Select from around £426 per month*.
Besides the new powertrain, Toyota has also given the Yaris a new digital instrument display and a faster, more powerful multimedia system. The screen size ranges from 7 inch to 12.3 inch, depending on which trim you go for. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are a given.
There are also enhancements to the Yaris’ safety systems - and it was already one of the most protected cars in its class.
A Toyota spokesperson tells us: “Using a new camera and radar which can scan further and wider than before allows for a significant increase in the scope of accident risk detection. For example, the Pre-Collision System (PCS) can now recognise a potential head-on impact and a wider range of objects and vehicles – pedestrians, cyclists and now motorcyclists – in the car’s path. The Intersection Collision Avoidance Support – a safety feature which debuted for Toyota on the current generation Yaris – similarly has a wider operating scope, identifying approaching traffic across two lanes, crossing cyclists and vehicles cutting in from the side at a junction.”
There’s even ‘Acceleration Suppression’, which automatically eases off the throttle for you if it can sense you’re about to cock it up, as well as ‘Deceleration Assist’, which makes for a smoother rider when you lift your right foot.
Intelligent adaptive cruise control is standard, no matter which Yaris you lease.
New for that system is ‘undertaking’ prevention, while the tech has been improved so that when you enter a lane of traffic, you do so at an appropriate speed and at a safe distance from other vehicles.
Order books for the updated Yaris open later this year.
For the time being you can lease a Toyota Yaris Hybrid with Select Car Leasing from £238 per month*.
*Prices include VAT. Credit is Subject to Status, Ts and Cs and Arrangement Fees apply. Excess mileage may apply. Stock levels and prices correct as of 01/06/23.
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