2021 Toyota Yaris ZR Hybrid Review

Toyota recently released the newest small car, the Yaris.

“It drives great,” they said. “It is packed with features,” they said. “We are not going premium,” they said. The latter should have been a big fat warning, because although the car is not premium, the prices certainly are.

What we expected:

We were promised a roomy city car that sipped fuel but did not compromise on space of performance. City cars are notoriously tight for fit, but they’re cheap so we don’t care.

All was going well until management casually ejaculated, “the starting price is $22,130.” Say What! Sean Hanley, Toyota’s boss of all things complex, said that Yaris was just the ticket for someone starting out. He went on to say if buyers wanted to spend fewer shekels than $20k, they could get a certified Toyota 2nd hand car.

Lips started to purse, severely.

Other GayCarBoys Toyota Stories:

The Outside:

Yaris is a cutie, and always has been.

Previous generations of Toyota mini-city-clippers that had a reputation for decent value, because they were cheap, cheap, CHEAP.

And, although I loathed Starlet, it had its admirers. Sadly, the super-mini Aygo never made it here. You’ll know it as the failed Cygnet, a joint venture with Aston Martin. What a catastrophe that was. 50 grand for a Toyota super-mini? I think not. In toyota guise however, Aygo was brilliant.

Leap forward to 2020, and the latest Yaris promised to bring all the latest gadgets and gizmos, and so it did.

Headlights are uber-bright LEDs with auto high-beam and dusk detection. Tail lights cut a dashing figure with lines of LEDs gently cupping the pert rump.

Rear doors are far too short for taller peeps, so best you have short mates.

ZR has 16” wheels, but the low-profile tyres can be noisy, but more about that later. Toyota’s new platform can be resized for all types and sizes of cars, with a plethora of drivetrains too.

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Car Review – 2021 All New Toyota Yaris ZR Hybrid

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ABOVE: 2021 toyota Yaris ZR Hybrid

Is the Cabin any good?

Yaris quality is a definite step up from the previous models, but once inside, you’re in no doubt that you are in an entry level car. Seat fabrics are claimed to be high quality, but instead, reminds me of a 20 year old base model Camry.

Rear seats are strictly a short trip affair. 4 adults will find their accommodations snug. Knees will be firmly against the front seats unless the posh pews are pushed forward a little.

Front seats offer slightly more advantageous positioning.

With the driver’s seat back far enough for legs to fit properly, the steering wheel doesn’t come far enough back. Since you won’t be doing any long trips in it, it probably won’t bother most folk.

The 7” touch screen includes Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and there is automatic airconditioning too. Naturally power windows come in all models, but it is the safety that Toyota stresses is Yaris’ USP (unique selling point, to you and I).

Is Yaris the safest small car?

Toyota claims several firsts in safety, so yes, it probably is the safest car.

A centre airbag is deployed between the front seats in a crash. This stops headbanging to anything but dreadful music. That’s a first in such a small car.

AEB detects pedestrians and other objects, even at intersections. It also operates in reverse so Bunnings is no longer a drain on the nerves.

Yaris will also throw out the anchors to prevent a secondary prang should the driver be incapacitated.

You get standard lane trace assist, radar cruise control, cornering assist, traction control and blind spot monitor. These systems are all active so will steer and brake as needed. Theoretically it should be harder to bang into something unintended. That remains to be seen.

What about the other gadgets?

Depending on the model, you get cool stuff like smart entry and start, intelligent clearance sonar; parking support brake system; and paddle shifters on the petrol variants.

What’s Yaris like to drive?

ZR comes in a petrol or petrol Hybrid. Both are 3 cylinder 1.5L engines, but we took the hybrid this time. Like all Toyota Hybrids, Yaris will run for a decent amount of time in EV mode. The system puts out 85kw of power to the front wheels through a CVT automatic.

I don’t get excited by CVT cars, period. The most I will ever be is vaguely tolerant of them. There are no gears, so it should always be in the most fuel efficient postion.

Suspension is Macpherson struts up front and a torsion bar around back. Combined with very light steering, the drive experience is fairly neutral. Words like “dynamic” were bandied about during the launch event, but it is not one I’d have used.

At city speeds, Yaris was ok. The raspy little 3-pot is perky enough, but it comes over all raucous at the merest prod of a peddle. The system switches from charge, to power, using the petrol and electric sources as needed. You’ll often be seen travelling in EV only mode, and  although there is no engine noise, there is still plenty rumble from down under.

In fact, that was one of my biggest grumbles. Yaris is noisy. There, I’ve said it.

At anything above walking pace, there is either a giant clearing his throat under the bonnet, or a hideous din from underneath. Our theory is that smaller wheels might be less troublesome.

Is Yaris value for money?

Hell no!

Yaris is within cooee of the very excellent Corolla. Sure, there are many firsts, particularly in the safety arena, but 32 grand is just ridiculous for the top hybrid.

No buyer in their right mind is going to shell out that many shekels, when for an extra grand you can have the much bigger Corolla.

Corolla has more room, more power, and a much nicer interior. Yaris is ludicrously fuel efficient, but the figures just don’t stack up.

YARIS PRICES

Ascent Sport manual       $22,130

Ascent Sport CVT              $23,630

SX CVT                                  $27,020

ZR CVT                                  $30,100

SX Hybrid CVT                    $29,020

ZR Hybrid CVT                    $32,100

Premium paint: $500

Two-tone paint: $450

Engine: 3cyl 1.5L petrol/electric hybrid, 85kw

Combined           3.3

Extra-urban        3.6

Urban   2.8

CO2 emissions (g/km)    76

TAGS: gay city cars, gay hybrid, gay toyota, gay yaris, ev cars, gay EV, 2021 toyota yaris, 2021 toyota yaris

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