Review - 2023 Toyota Yaris

For what it lacks in size, the Toyota Yaris makes up for when it comes to user-friendliness, and a charming driving experience, making for a great first car or daily driver.

Just how good is the Yaris in its latest form? Let’s take a closer look at the range to find out.

Toyota Yaris Competition

Starting Price: $24,800

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How Much Does It Cost?

The Toyota Yaris range kicks off from $24,800 for the entry-level Yaris Ascent Sport, with prices rising to $28,190 for the Yaris SX.

From here, the range moves to the Yaris SX Hybrid, priced at $30,190, while the Yaris ZR is priced at $31,260 and the range-topping Yaris ZR Hybrid is priced at $33,260.

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change and do not include on-road costs.

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Toyota Yaris (SX HYBRID) Specifications

What Features Does the Toyota Yaris Have?

Toyota’s entry-level Yaris Ascent Sport comes riding on a set of 15-inch steel wheels, and receives LED tail lights and daytime running lamps, cloth upholstery, air conditioning, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assistance and a 7.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB+ which is paired with a six-speaker sound system.

Stepping up to the Yaris SX adds 15-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, keyless entry & start, climate control, a digital instrument cluster, leather steering wheel, satellite navigation and upgraded fabric upholstery.

Toyota’s range-topping Yaris ZR comes riding on 16-inch alloys, and receives a head-up display, sport seats, and rear spoiler, as well as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alerts.

Range Features:

• 15-inch steel wheels 

• LED tail lights & daytime running lamps 

• Cloth upholstery 

• Adaptive cruise control 

• Rear-view camera 

• 7.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto 

• 15-inch alloys (SX)

• LED headlights (SX)

• Leather steering wheel (SX)

• 16-inch alloys (ZR)

• Head-up display (ZR)

• Sports seats (ZR)

Is the Toyota Yaris Comfortable to Drive?

Toyota is sticking to its guns with the latest Yaris, offering a simple platform that is easy to get used to and lends itself to some seriously smooth, user-friendly driving around town.

Power for most of the range comes supplied by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder pushing out 88kW of power and 145Nm of torque to the front wheels via a CVT automatic that feels nice and smooth around town.

Opt for the SX or the ZR with Toyota’s legendary hybrid tech and you pick up the same three-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor that adds a healthy amount of torque to the mix to push you up to speed.

While it doesn’t come packing huge power figures, the Yaris’ lightweight platform and short wheelbase make it feel nice and zippy off the line and super agile when you’re hopping through the urban jungle.

On the road, the Yaris feels more confident than you might expect from a car of its size, handling moderate bumps without much of an issue while remaining stable at highway speeds, adding to the versatility of the package.

As a complete package, the Yaris is a strong performer on everything from a town drive to a long-distance trip, making for one of the best options in the segment when it comes to the overall driving experience.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

Both of Toyota’s engines offer impressive fuel economy figures, with the standard petrol engine sipping a very reasonable 4.9L/100km on the combined cycle.

Of course, the fuel efficiency hero of the Yaris range are the hybrid options, which are rated at just 3.3L/100km on the combined cycle, representing one of the most fuel-efficient members of the small car segment.

Is it Practical and Spacious?

While the Yaris’ platform doesn’t have a huge footprint, Toyota has done an impressive job when it comes to interior packaging which makes it far more practical than you might expect.

Up front, the driver and passenger have a decent amount of headroom in the cabin and a great view out of the road thanks to the tall roofline that adds to the sense of space in the front cabin.

The layout is a familiar affair, with a straightforward design that emphasises user-friendliness and ergonomics over style, and while the base model is a bit bland, it won’t leave buyers feeling short-changed.

Practical touches in the front of the cabin include a storage tray hiding behind the gear lever, a pair of cup holders, storage inside the armrest and some large door bins on either side of the cabin.

Move to the rear and things get pretty cramped, especially for taller adults who can squeeze into the rear thanks to the tall roofline, though legroom leaves a lot to be desired.

The Yaris’ legroom figures aren’t the smallest in the segment, but it’s not a class leader either, with the rear bench more suited to younger kids and a place to accommodate child seats thanks to the ISOFIX anchors and top tether mounts.

Finally, the Yaris comes packing boot space figures of 270L, which is somewhere in the lower-to-middle of the pack for cargo storage options in the small car segment.

Is it Safe?

The Toyota Yaris has picked up a five-star ANCAP safety rating, scoring 86% for adult protection, 87% for child protection, 78% for pedestrian protection and 87% for safety assist.

As standard, the Yaris comes fitted with autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and junction assist, a rear-view camera, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, emergency steering assist, lane-departure alerts and traffic sign recognition.

Unfortunately, if you’re looking for rear cross-traffic alerts and blind-spot monitoring, you’ll have to upgrade to the range-topping ZR.

Our Verdict: Is the Toyota Yaris Worth it?

The Toyota Yaris remains one of the leading options in its segment, offering a charming driving nature, a decent amount of space in the front of the cabin and exceptional fuel economy figures in both the standard and hybrid variants.

It’s difficult to fault the Yaris range when threading your way through the city or heading out on the highway, making for a super versatile and user-friendly little hatch.

If you’re tossing up your best options in the world of small, urban-friendly hatchbacks and sedans, be sure to reach out to one of our car-buying specialists who can help find you a great price.

Five Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty 

2. SX & ZR available with 1.5-litre three-cylinder hybrid engine 

3. 4.9L/100km economy figures drop to 3.3L/100km in Yaris Hybrid 

4. 270L boot space 

5. Five-star ANCAP safety rating