Toyota has revealed pricing and specifications for its new Yaris, and the model is now much more expensive than the cheap and cheerful little hatch it was before.
Toyota has considerably increased the price of its new Yaris for the third-generation, announcing today that its most affordable and smallest car will be priced starting with a two rather than a one, as it once did.
That means pricing for the new Yaris basically starts where the old model lineup topped out, with the previous generation priced from $15,390 to $22,670. Now, the most affordable model, the Yaris Ascent Sport with a manual transmission, starts at $22,130 before on-road costs. That is an increase of $6780 over the out-going equivalent entry-point.
Furthermore, a new flagship ZR Hybrid enters the Yaris lineup, priced at $32,100 before on-roads. The new electrified model demands a huge $9000 over outgoing ZR. Granted, it now has hybrid technology underneath.
So why the massive price hike? Toyota’s vice president of sales and marketing Sean Hanley said today during a media presentation that it is an all-new model and not just a revision on the old, and that it has cutting edge safety inside with better technology everywhere. And of course, it has a new engine upfront.
The new Corolla is an all-new model on the same TNGA platform too, and with significant safety credentials, but that model’s entry-level hybrid ($27,395 Ascent Sport Hybrid) actually undercuts the new Yaris entry-level hybrid ($29,020 Yaris SX Hybrid). The Corolla being obviously a larger hatchback and also available as a sedan.
“You might be thinking that we are repositioning our brand and going upmarket, but that really isn’t our intention,” said Hanley.
“The all-new Yaris has more sharper styling, a dynamic new platform, powerful and efficient new powertrains, and an engaging new driving experience and the cutting-edge safety that is otherwise available only in luxury cars,” he added.
To an extent, Toyota has room to play in the small car market given the departure of rivals like the Ford Fiesta, and its hybrid technology has proven to be a success story in the Camry, Corolla, and for the Rav4. In those models, hybrid makes up for a large portion of the sales mix.
The new Yaris model replaces the old 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre petrol engines for a new 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine producing 88kW naturally and 85kw as a hybrid electric. Fuel consumption is an incredibly low 3.3L/100km combined cycle for the Yaris hybrid and up to 5.4L/100km for the normal 1.5L with a manual.
Beyond mechanical upgrades is a full safety technology suite, consisting of AEB with pedestrian and vehicle detection both at day and night, collision avoidance with pedestrian and vehicle turning detection (a first in the segment), adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, centre front row airbag, speed sign recognition and more.
Inside we also find new interior design, nicer trims, wireless phone charging tech and a 7.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android.
Expect our full first-drive review soon.
2020/21 Toyota Yaris price (before on-roads):
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
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Could they make it any uglier?
Why the massive price hike, maybe?
Governments demanding a transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles? And EV being double or more the retail price of equivalent ICEV?
So raise the ICEV prices to make EV competitive?
But what happens if consumers “hip pocket nerve” reacts and new vehicle sales decline?
I hate the interior trim fabric in the top grade. Why don’t they give a choice instead of forcing you to get that?