Small updates are coming to Toyota's small hatchback for 2017. Making an appearance at the Geneva Motor Show, the Euro-spec Yaris receives a slightly different design as well as updates to improve NVH.
0:00 / 0:00
It may not look like it, but the Yaris receives more than 900 new parts affecting its design, performance, and safety. In terms of exterior updates, the changes appear evolutionary. Along with more prominent headlights, the Yaris dons a new front bumper that has been sculpted to give the car a three-dimensional look. Toyota updated the grille and added new vertical lines to the fog light housings. In the back, look for new taillights, a new bumper design, and black garnish detailing. Inside the cabin, the Yaris features an updated information display, propeller-style air vents, and other updates.
Although not available in the U.S., a hybrid Yaris is offered in Europe. Not only is it an option, but the hybrid version currently makes up more than 40 percent of all Yaris sales in the region. As part of its update for the Yaris, Toyota has made it a point to reduce cabin noise in the hybrid model with a sub-silencer for the exhaust system as well as redesigned engine mounts and other updates. The new engine mount design also contributes to less vehicle shake, Toyota says.
European Yaris models are taking a cue from the U.S., replacing their 1.33-liter gas engines in favor of a new 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The new unit in the Euro Yaris is 0.8 second quicker in acceleration to 62 mph compared to the outgoing engine, but it's still a bit of a slowpoke with an estimated time of 11 seconds.
On our shores, the Yaris is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 106 hp and 103 lb-ft of torque. A refreshed Yaris is coming to the U.S. as well and will have different powertrains than the ones arriving in Europe.
Although the Yaris is Toyota's most basic model, it receives a whole slew of safety features as standard. The Toyota Safety Sense system boasts a pre-collision system with automatic braking, automatic high beam, and lane departure alert.
Meanwhile, Toyota has also brought out a limited-edition hot hatch inspired by Toyota's return to the World Rally Championship this year. The Yaris GRMN features a 1.8-liter engine pumping out 210 hp. Unfortunately, only 100 copies will be made and none are destined for the U.S.
Source: Toyota
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
Read More