2025 Toyota Yaris ZR Hybrid Review: Cute Looks, Old Bones

The cutsie-pie city car is entry-level Toyota but not at an entry-level price.

HEV. Once just “hybrid,” now a marketing minefield. Toyota’s latest Yaris ZR is the top-spec entry in its newly all-hybrid lineup, and it’s dressed to suggest virtue while quietly burning the same old fuel.

SPECIFICATIONS HERE:yaris specsheet_

The press release is a masterclass in euphemism: “self-charging,” “electrified,” “no compromise.” All designed to imply EV purity while delivering ICE convenience. But internal combustion is only convenient until the climate isn’t.

The ZR asks $34,530 RRP or $38,599 drive-away. For that, you get Bi-LED lighting, 16” alloys, and a badge that glows blue to suggest it’s doing something noble. The body is shared across the range, with HEV badging slapped on for good measure.

You get a year of Toyota connected Services after which a subscription applies. Like all carmakers now, they’re expanding ongoing costs in order to maximise profit. Yes, it gives drivers that bit extra but without it many of the really cool features vanish.

The Cabin

Inside, the cabin is less down-market than before. There’s a reduction in tacky plakky bits, and although the door cards no longer feel like flocked egg cartons, they still feel cheap. The ZR adds a 7” digital dash, Head-Up Display, and single-zone climate control. All models get wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, voice control, and a 6-speaker setup. Front seats are manually adjustable and fabric-clad—functional, not fancy.

The seat cladding has the feel of Toyotas gone by and is never far from its entry-level roots. There is a touch of 90’s shell suit about them. The rear seats are useless for adults and we didn’t try them on camera such was the kerfuffle before the shoot.

Having said that, I watched a rather hot basketballer-sized teen unfurl himself from the Yaris like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. He says it’s easy to park in town and confirmed his masculinity didn’t need proof of its abundance, and left it at that. He didn’t need the car to write cheques for him—good for him.

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Review – 2025 Toyota Yaris ZR HEV review – Is Toyota Keeping Up?

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ABOVE: Yaris, Yaris Cross and GR Yaris

The Drive

Yaris’ power comes from a 3-cylinder hybrid producing 85kW and 141Nm, sent to the front wheels via Toyota’s e-CVT. It’s fine. Frisky in traffic, reluctant under pressure. Drive modes add a hint of urgency, but this isn’t a car that enjoys being rushed. It prefers a calm, civilised pace. That’s not to say corners weren’t a bunch of fun—in some cases it felt rather like a cat on carpet.

Toyota’s “electronic CVT” doesn’t use belts and pulleys like a traditional one, but a clever planetary gear system that splits power between the petrol engine and electric motor. It’s smooth, efficient, and eerily quiet—but if you’re hoping for drama, you’ll be disappointed.

Toyota claims 3.3L/100km, which assumes you drive like a monk. Push it, and the savings evaporate. Ride quality is surprisingly plush, and handling has a kitten-on-carpet charm. The torsion bar rear end isn’t sophisticated, but it keeps things tidy.

Back seats are tight but the driving position is excellent. Boot space is 270L. The 36L tank offers decent range, but remember this little hunk of pluck isn’t designed to be a long-hauler for families. A couple could certainly manage a weekend away comfortably. All Yaris HEVs weigh just 1130kg—a featherweight in a world of rolling bunkers.

The Bigger Picture

CO₂ can dip as low as 76g/km, but you’re still burning ancient organic matter. Hybrids are a halfway house—fine for now, but not a long-term solution. Toyota’s EV strategy feels hesitant, and Japan’s reluctance to embrace electric cars is holding the brand back.

Chinese brands MG, BYD, and GWM have now replaced the defunct Holden and the ailing VW and Honda in Australia’s top ten. The MG 4 Excite 51, for example, is cheaper, better equipped, fully electric, and backed by a longer warranty. It’s $37,990 drive-away, or $30K on special.

Toyota’s hybrid nostalgia is starting to look expensive. The future isn’t halfway—it’s already here.

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