FIRST DRIVE TOYOTA YARIS, AURIS HSD:TOYOTA LAUNCHED two new models on the Irish market this week. The first, the Yaris, has a long tradition as a top seller in Ireland. So far this year, despite being a run-out model, the Yaris was still in the top 10 bestselling cars in Ireland.
The car has always had a tradition of being something of a friendly, reliable runabout – perhaps more coveted by a female audience first and foremost, and also by an older buyer.
Toyota might just broaden the appeal of the Yaris with their new model, which looks much more robust than before. It is also bigger than before. The car now sits on a 50mm longer wheelbase yet sits 20mm lower than before, and this gives the car a much less innocent look.
The new styling works well, adopting the more European look of its Auris and Verso-S siblings. It comes with more safety equipment as standard, including VSC (vehicle stability control), TRC (traction control), and seven airbags.
There is a choice of three-door or five-door models, although most buyers choose the latter. And there will be a choice of three engines – a 3-cylinder 1.0-litre VVT-I with 69bhp that has emissions of 111g/km; a 1.3-litre Dual VVT-I with 99bhp and emissions of 120g/km, and a 1.4-litre D-4D diesel with 90bhp and with emissions of 104g/km. All engines are in band A when it comes to annual motor tax.
Most buyers will most likely stick to the 1.0-litre VVT-I, which is the entry-point to the range in this very price-conscious segment. If we disregard the three-door model, which doesn’t really sell, we can say that most sales will come from the €15,295 1.0-litre Terra five-door, or the grade above this, the Luna for €600 more. You will pay €16,440 for the 1.3-litre petrol, which comes with Stop/Start technology, or you can have a 1.3-litre with the Multidrive CVT for €18,130. The diesel model, which seemed quite unnecessary to offer, despite it being a great engine, starts at €17,600.
The specification of the Yaris is a little on the curious side. The basic Terra car doesn’t have alloy wheels, air conditioning, or a leather steering wheel but is high on safety equipment and there is even somewhere to put your iPod.
But even on the Luna grade, you don’t get the air conditioning or the alloys but you get the leather wheel with Bluetooth controls, and the clever Toyota Touch multimedia system with reversing camera.
At this level, air conditioning is a €1,100 option. It is not until the Sol grade that you get alloys and air conditioning. So, in the case of a 1.0-litre five-door Sol, that is €18,210.
Toyota Ireland says that their customers hadn’t really asked for these before as options, but perhaps they shouldn’t have to? €16,495 will get you the new Kia Rio 1.2 EX with 83bhp which offers 16-inch alloys, air conditioning, front fogs, all-round electric windows, leather wheel and Bluetooth.
Compared to its more traditional rivals of Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo, the Yaris does appear more favourable in terms of specification. Much will depend on where the Yaris buyers will come from.
Evidence suggests that the traditional buyers won’t be overly bothered by gadgets and gizmos, even though they get them in abundance in the Yaris from Luna grade up.
Either way, Yaris will sell strongly, as it always has, and this new one feels more refined, more substantial and will provide pain-free motoring guaranteed.
Perhaps a harder sell will be the new Auris HSD, which is a hybrid model of the Auris hatchback that feels more like a repackaged Prius than a variant of the Auris.
It features a 1.8-litre Atkinson cycle petrol engine with an 82bhp electric motor working in tandem to reduce effort on the petrol engine and reduce emissions to just 93g/km, and offer outstanding fuel economy.
It is, like the Prius, a really clever piece of kit and whisper quiet when it is working in EV mode and at start-up. It employs quite a ponderous CVT, but on our short drive it felt like a nicely sorted vehicle that is capable of 4.0l/100km (70mpg) without too much trouble.
Toyota is pragmatic enough about Auris HSD, which might reach 400 customers in 2012, although this would effectively double the current hybrid sales with this number. Priced at €24,925 (or €27,340 for the Luxury grade car) it is more expensive than Honda’s Insight, cheaper than the Prius and under €4,000 away from the cheapest Lexus CT200h, which has been a big hit with buyers.
The Lexus was the top-selling hybrid model in 2011 so far, outselling the Prius and Honda Insight. Hybrid models in 2011 outsell electric vehicles by a ratio of 10-to-one. As an attempt to make hybrid more mainstream, the Auris HSD is a good one and well priced.
We will see if the Irish buyer, now perhaps even more conservative than ever, will show an interest. Any taxation changes to incentivise sub-100g/km cars could hasten interest.
FACTFILE
Toyota Auris HSD
Engine1,798cc 4-cylinder petrol engine putting out 99bhp and 142Nm of torque and electric motor putting out 82bhp and 207Nm of torque
0-100km/h11.4 secs
L/100km (mpg) 4.0 (70.6)
Emissions93g/km
Motor taxband A (€104)
Price€24,925
Toyota Yaris 1.0-litre VVT-I Luna five-door
Engine998cc 3-cylinder petrol engine putting out 69bhp and 93Nm of torque
0-100km/h15.3 secs
L/100km (mpg)4.8 (58.9)
Emissions111g/km
Motor taxband A (€104)
Price€15,895