Toyota Yaris: More Safety, Style, Comfort And Performance
Published: 5th April 2003
In 1999-2000 the Toyota Yaris made motoring history as the first model to be named both European and Japanese Car of the Year in the same year. Now Toyota has taken the exceptional qualities of its supermini to new levels with a series of changes designed to deliver improved safety and handling, greater economy, more style and better equipment levels all round.
The new-look Yaris goes on sale in the UK on 1 May. The revised range adopts the new Toyota specification grading system, with T2, T3 and T Spirit replacing the previous S, GS, GLS, CDX and SR designations. The T Sport grade continues, but now includes a five as well as three door body style.
On the road prices start at £6,995 for the 1.0-litre T2 and rise to £12,495 for the five door 1.5 VVT-i T Sport. Changes to the Yaris have introduced additional specification worth up to £500, yet there has been no increase in price over the equivalent, previous models.
Setting Standards In Safety
The Yaris set a new benchmark in car safety in the supermini sector when it was launched, awarded four stars in Euro-NCAP testing and achieving the highest score in its class. Moreover, its performance in side impact crash tests has only been bettered by more recent models, in spite of the fact the 1999 Yaris was not equipped with side airbags.
Toyota is not prepared simply to sit on its laurels; it has made significant safety improvements to the Yaris. Under the skin these include further reinforcement of the impact-absorbing body structure in the front pillars, rockers and the floor. Strengthening the body has also enhanced the Yaris’s ride quality and dynamics and helps reduce levels of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) to levels more usually associated with larger, heavier cars.
In the cabin, driver airbags are standard; a front passenger airbag is provided on all but the entry-level T2 grade models; front side airbags are standard on T3 grade and higher. Three point seatbelts are now provided for all three rear seats.
Special attention has been paid to development of the braking system and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and ABS are fitted to all models in the range.
The restyled headlamps are not just pretty to look at: the larger reflectors project light further ahead and wider, both on dipped and high beam.
