Toyota Yaris Hybrid

Jonathan Musk drives the latest Yaris Hybrid, but just how economical is it?

Hybrids arguably started the electrification ‘gold’ rush and yet its interesting to note they also divide opinion dramatically – there are both those who deride them with the type of passion usually reserved for Trump and there are those who swear by the fuel savings and lack of fuss they offer.

Reviewing one, therefore, entails looking beyond the manufacturer hype and really getting to grips with what it’s capable of and what it will compete against.

The new Yaris is available in Hybrid form only for the first time, dropping the popular non-electrified petrol model of old and instead favouring electrically enhanced power. The car is now built on Toyota’s New Global Architecture (TNGA) GA-b platform, which promises more interior space yet a smaller exterior, for easier parking and so on. The engine is now a 1.5-litre three-cylinder (unlike the old Yaris Hybrid’s four-pot) and transfers power to the wheels via an e-CVT. Power is up compared to the Yaris Hybrid of old too, not that you’d notice it with the new facts and figures proving less than exciting.