Toyota - Yaris Euro NCAP - 5 STARS
Fun to drive Toyota's hatchback, available in 3 and 5 door versions, is the by-word for reliability. Low running costs, superb build quality and high residual values - the Yaris has them all.
Although the Yaris remains one of the shortest cars in this class it is still very roomy and shows most other hatchbacks how it's done when it comes to practicality. It makes full use of the fact that there is no central transmission tunnel running the length of the floor to create plenty of foot space for passengers in the back. However the best feature is the rear seats that split, fold totally flat and slide to give a mix of extra legroom or more load space - the largest in it's class. What's more its all operated by the flick of a switch!
The Yaris is available in three trim levels: T2, T3 and T Spirit. All level's come with remote locking, electric windows and a CD player. The mid-spec T3 models add air-conditioning, leather trimmed steering wheel, colour keyed door handles and mirrors and an upgraded stereo, while the top of the range T Spirit has climate control, front fog lamps, 15-inch alloys, and a keyless entry and start system. Turn-by-turn satellite navigation is optional on all models.
There are three engines are on offer, the 1.0-litre and 1.3-litre petrol and a thrifty 1.4-litre diesel engine.
With a B VED rating and co2 omissions of only 1194g/km the 1.4D Yaris has one of the lowest carbon dioxide outputs, and for London commuters driving in and out of the city centre there is the added bonus of being able to save up to £2000 a year in charges as the vehicle is exempt from the London Congestion Charge.
Whats more 12 months road tax will currently cost a mega £40 or £50 depending on whether you purchase the petrol or Diesel Yaris respectively. Incredibly it doesnt stop here because with a combined fuel consumption figure of 62.8mpg (an incredible 70.6 mpg under extra urban conditions) the Yaris must be one of the most frugal and eco friendly cars of its class currently on our roads.
With a top five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating the Yaris comes with a long list of safety features. There's two front airbags, emergency brake assist, which applies extra braking in severe situations and ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution on all cars. T3 models add front side curtain airbags and - a first for this size of car, and a driver's knee bag. Security-wise, every car has an engine immobiliser (concealed in the engine management system to deter thieves) and remote central locking. 'Smart Entry' on T Spirit senses you approach and unlocks the doors; there's no key to put in the ignition.
Toyota was joint winner of the prestigious WhatCar? Green Award for 2007.
Toyota's reputation for reliability is second to none, even so, every new Toyota car is protected by a comprehensive warranty. In addition to the 3 year or 60,000 mile (whichever comes first) Mechanical Warranty, that includes full RAC recovery service for the first 12 months, there is a 3 year Paint Surface Warranty and a 12 year anti-corrosion and perforation warranty.
About the manufacturer
The Toyota name has for a long time been synonymous with pioneering developments of greener motoring, and the organisation is totally committed to reducing its environmental impact. From improving fuel efficiency and reducing exhaust emissions, to the management and reduction of the environmental impact throughout the entire lifecycle of vehicles - from development to production, use, disposal, and recycling.
Toyota's mission has always been to provide clean and safe products. Thus, the company has positioned the environment as one of its most important issues and has been working toward creating a prosperous society and a world that is comfortable to live in. With this goal in mind, Toyota has been actively developing various new technologies from the perspective of achieving energy security and diversifying energy sources, which is necessitated by the dwindling supply of petroleum resources. For example, in motive power sources for automobiles alone.
Toyota has been continually improving conventional engines and have developed and commercialised lean-burn petrol engines, direct injection petrol engines and common rail direct-injection diesel engines, etc. They have also been modifying engines so that they can use alternative fuels, such as compressed natural gas, instead of gasoline or light oil, and have been installing these engines in commercially sold vehicles. Toyota has also developed and been marketing electric vehicles that use motors for the driving source; hybrid vehicles that combine an engine and a motor, fusing the advantages of these two power sources; fuel cell hybrid vehicles (FCHV) that use fuel cells to generate electricity based on a chemical reaction between hydrogen and the oxygen in the air and that supply this electricity to electric motors to produce driving power.
In pursuit of the ultimate environmentally friendly car, in 1997 Toyota introduced the world's first mass-produced hybrid vehicle, the Prius - one of the most fuel efficient 5-person mass-produced gasoline passenger vehicles in the world.
In December 2002 Toyota began limited marketing in the U.S. and Japan of the hydrogen-powered TOYOTA FCHV (Fuel Cell Hybrid Vehicle, the first-ever market-ready fuel cell vehicle. After further improvements, the TOYOTA FCHV became the first fuel-cell vehicle in Japan to acquire vehicle type certification under the amended Road Vehicles Act, and on July 1, 2005, Toyota began leasing it in Japan and the U.S. The FCHV is seen as the closest yet to the ultimate eco-car.
However, Toyota will not be satisfied until such ultimate eco-cars become available to everyone. Toyota's completely original fuel cell - the Toyota FC Stack - is a performance leader among vehicular fuel cells worldwide, and is already on the verge of surpassing gasoline engines in power density.
Toyota has developed the concept of Hybrid Synergy Drive, upon which it has developed a new-generation Toyota hybrid system called THS II, which achieves high levels of compatibility between environmental performance and power by increasing the motor output by 1.5 times, greatly boosting the power supply voltage and achieving significant advances in the control system, aiming for synergy between motor power and engine power. As a consequence the Harrier and Kluger hybrids have qualified as vehicles that meet an exhaust emissions level 75% lower than the 2005 Exhaust Emissions Standards.
Since 1990 Toyota has been actively working to make easy to recycle vehicles, taking into consideration the entire vehicle lifecycle, from development to disposal. In the development stage Toyota has been developing easy to recycle materials and designs that take dismantling into consideration, while developing and introducing various recycling technologies in the production stage. Toyota has built a system for dealers to promote the reuse of automobile parts and for collecting and recycling bumpers that have been replaced. For end-of-life vehicles Toyota has been advancing research into efficient dismantling technologies as well as promoting the use of shredder residue. The recycling activities of the individual stages are coordinated and information from each stage is provided to Toyota's development divisions.
Toyota's efforts in recycling end-of-life vehicles began with the foundation of a shredding company in 1970, Toyota Metal Co Ltd, and in 1990 the establishment of the Recycling Committee, which led to the operation of the world's first mass-production ASR Recycling Plant in 1998. In 2003 Toyota announced the Toyota Recycle and the launch of the new Raum into which Toyota incorporated many new designs for recycling features. Toyota plans to continue taking action to attain goals such as the early achievement of a 95% vehicle recovery rate.