Toyota’s commitment to continuous improvement, embodied by the principle of Kaizen, is vividly demonstrated in the latest iteration of the Yaris. Building upon the remarkable success of the current generation launched in 2020, the Toyota Yaris 2024 emerges as a significantly enhanced model, poised to solidify its position as a leader in the competitive European B-segment.
The Toyota Yaris 2024 doesn’t just refine its predecessors’ strengths; it elevates them. Performance, safety, and style have all undergone meticulous scrutiny and upgrades, ensuring the Yaris remains a compelling choice for discerning drivers. Key enhancements include the introduction of a more potent “Hybrid 130” powertrain, substantial advancements in safety and driver assistance systems, and a state-of-the-art digital cockpit experience. These advancements are seamlessly integrated without compromising the core attributes that have made the Yaris a beloved and enduring model – its renowned reliability, driving pleasure, and exceptional efficiency. Designed and manufactured in Europe for European drivers, the Toyota Yaris 2024 reinforces its award-winning legacy of innovation and excellence in the realm of compact car engineering.
Unleashing More Power and Driving Fun: The New Hybrid 130 Powertrain
The 2024 Toyota Yaris introduces the option of a new, more powerful full hybrid electric powertrain, aptly named “Hybrid 130”. This new powertrain joins the already established “Hybrid 115” option, offering customers a choice tailored to their performance preferences. The Hybrid 130 leverages the cutting-edge fifth generation Toyota hybrid technology to deliver sharper acceleration and amplify the Yaris’s inherently agile character.
This enhanced performance profile directly addresses the evolving demands of B-segment car buyers, particularly those considering downsizing without sacrificing driving enjoyment. Toyota’s strategic expansion with a “dual hybrid” approach broadens the Yaris’s appeal in a crucial market segment where hybrid technology is a primary purchase consideration for the majority of buyers.
The foundation of the Hybrid 130 is Toyota’s acclaimed 1.5-liter full hybrid electric system, renowned for its class-leading fuel efficiency, low emissions, and extended electric vehicle (EV) driving capabilities. These core strengths are not just maintained but amplified through intelligent re-engineering for increased power output.
The central upgrade lies in the incorporation of a new hybrid transaxle featuring a more powerful electric motor-generator, boosting output from 59 kW to 62 kW. This hardware enhancement is complemented by refined software within the power control unit (PCU). The result is a significant 12% surge in total system power, climbing from 116 DIN hp/85 kW to an impressive 130 DIN hp/96 kW. Beyond peak power, the Hybrid 130 delivers enhanced responsiveness across the rev range, with maximum torque from the MG2 electric motor increasing by a substantial 30%, from 141 Nm to 185 Nm.
This translates to a noticeable improvement in acceleration, shaving half a second off the 0-100 km/h sprint, now achieved in a brisk 9.2 seconds. Overtaking maneuvers are also more effortless, with the 80-120 km/h acceleration time reduced to just 7.5 seconds.
The Toyota Yaris 2024 is designed for nimble handling and responsive performance in urban environments.
Despite the performance gains, Toyota’s decades of hybrid technology expertise ensures that the Toyota Yaris 2024 maintains its class-leading CO2 emissions, ranging from 87-98 g/km, and impressive fuel economy of 3.9-4.3 l/100 km (WLTP combined cycle data).
Further fuel efficiency is achieved through features like Predictive State of Charge Control. This intelligent system analyzes navigation data, including downhill sections and traffic congestion, to optimize battery charge levels. By maximizing EV driving in appropriate conditions, the system enhances fuel efficiency based on the planned route, traffic conditions, and road gradient.
The new “Hybrid 130” powertrain comes standard on the flagship Toyota Yaris Premiere Edition and the sporty GR Sport models. In select European markets, it is also available on the High grade, providing broader access to this enhanced performance option.
A Revolution in Digital User Experience
The Toyota Yaris 2024 embraces digital technology to transform the user experience, extending its influence across driver information, in-car entertainment, connectivity, and even vehicle access.
Customizable Instrument Displays for Personalized Information
Depending on the chosen model grade, the Toyota Yaris 2024 features either a 7-inch or a 12.3-inch digital driver’s instrument display. Both options boast crisp, full-color graphics that ensure excellent readability in all lighting conditions.
The larger 12.3-inch display, standard on High, Premiere Edition, and GR SPORT grades, offers extensive customization, allowing drivers to tailor the displayed information and presentation style to their preferences. Twelve distinct display patterns are available, incorporating left, center, and right-side multi-information displays.
The central multi-information display is strategically positioned to present frequently accessed information, such as advanced safety system status, vehicle settings, and driver alerts. The left and right displays can be configured to show journey information, fuel consumption data, audio details, and navigation prompts. For even greater personalization, widgets can be added to the left and right displays, accessible via steering wheel-mounted controls, providing quick access to additional information. Drivers can save up to three different layout combinations, optimizing the display for various driving scenarios.
Further customization extends to four distinct display themes – Casual, Smart, Tough, and Sporty – and the choice of one, two, or no dials. The 7-inch display, featured on the Mid grade, offers nine patterns, three styles, and a selection of three function displays: tachometer, hybrid system indicator, and an analog speedometer.
The 12.3-inch digital instrument display in the Toyota Yaris 2024 offers customizable layouts and themes for a personalized driving experience.
Toyota Smart Connect Multimedia: Intuitive and Feature-Rich
The Toyota Yaris 2024 introduces the latest Toyota Smart Connect multimedia package, engineered for seamless and intuitive operation with a highly responsive interface. This system incorporates cloud-based navigation, providing real-time traffic updates and route optimization for efficient journey planning.
Access to the system is provided via a 10.5-inch touchscreen display or through enhanced voice commands. The voice recognition system has been significantly upgraded with the “Hey Toyota” voice agent, capable of understanding more natural and conversational language. For instance, saying “Hey Toyota, I’m cold” will prompt the system to automatically increase the climate control temperature. Importantly, the voice agent can process requests without interrupting audio playback.
Seamless Connectivity and Over-the-Air Updates
Recognizing the modern driver’s demand for seamless smartphone integration, the Toyota Yaris 2024 provides wireless connectivity for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, simplifying smartphone integration.
Toyota further streamlines the ownership experience by offering over-the-air (OTA) software updates for multimedia functions and advanced safety features via the car’s data communication module. These updates can be conveniently downloaded and installed at the owner’s preferred time, eliminating the need for service center visits for routine software maintenance.
Digital Key: Access and Convenience at Your Fingertips
The digital transformation of the Yaris extends to vehicle access with the new Smart Digital Key feature, standard on the Premiere Edition and optional on GR SPORT and Mid grade models.
Integrated with Toyota’s MyT app, the Smart Digital Key allows up to five authorized users to access the vehicle using their smartphones. This system prioritizes convenience, enabling users to lock, unlock, and start the car without physically removing their phone from their bag or pocket.
Compatible with both Apple and Android devices, the Smart Digital Key includes one year of complimentary connectivity with the vehicle purchase.
The MyT app further expands functionality with remote vehicle locking and unlocking, remote climate control operation to pre-heat or pre-cool the cabin, and hazard light activation for easy vehicle location in crowded parking areas.
Enhanced Safety and Driver Assistance with Toyota T-Mate
The current generation Toyota Yaris was designed with a strong emphasis on safety leadership within its segment, incorporating a comprehensive suite of active and passive safety features. The Toyota Yaris 2024 elevates safety standards even further with added and enhanced features under the umbrella of Toyota T-Mate, advancing Toyota’s commitment to eliminating road traffic accidents.
Toyota T-Mate and Toyota Safety Sense: A Comprehensive Safety Suite
Toyota T-Mate encompasses all the advanced features that contribute to safer and easier driving and parking in the Toyota Yaris 2024. These features, including the latest generation Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) driver assistance systems, have been refined for even greater effectiveness.
The Toyota Yaris 2024 is equipped with a new camera and radar system that boasts extended forward and wider scanning ranges, significantly enhancing the detection of potential accident risks. This enhanced sensor capability expands the functionality of the Pre-Collision System (PCS), which can now recognize potential head-on collisions and a broader range of objects in the vehicle’s path, including pedestrians, cyclists, and, for the first time, motorcycles.
Acceleration Suppression is a new addition to Toyota Safety Sense, designed to mitigate the severity of potential collisions by intervening to limit sudden acceleration when a risk of collision with a preceding vehicle is detected.
Proactive Driving Assist (PDA) is another new feature, proactively addressing common low-speed accident scenarios. PDA provides gentle deceleration when the driver releases the accelerator pedal as the vehicle approaches a slower vehicle ahead or when entering a curve. PDA also incorporates Steering Assist, subtly adjusting steering force to aid the driver in executing smooth and stable turns when approaching bends.
The innovative Emergency Driving Stop System (EDSS) is designed to provide support in situations where the driver becomes incapacitated. Active when Lane Trace Assist is engaged, EDSS monitors driver input. If no steering, braking, or acceleration inputs are detected for a certain period, the system initially issues audio and visual warnings. If the driver remains unresponsive, EDSS will bring the car to a controlled stop, activate hazard lights, and unlock the doors.
Safe Exit Assist (SEA), available as an option, enhances safety for passengers exiting the vehicle by providing visual and audio warnings to prevent doors from being opened into the path of approaching vehicles or cyclists. The Rear Seat Reminder System (RSRS) is another valuable addition, reminding the driver with warnings and audio alerts if a child or pet may have been left in the rear seat, mitigating the risk of heatstroke incidents.
Beyond these new features, the Toyota Yaris 2024 benefits from upgrades to established Toyota Safety Sense systems. The Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) has been recalibrated for quicker response and a more natural and reassuring feel. For example, when another vehicle merges into the Yaris’s lane, deceleration is now smoother and more gradual. Drivers can also select extended vehicle-to-vehicle gap settings, and the system’s curve speed reduction function activates earlier, resulting in more refined speed control on bends.
New functionalities have been integrated into the ACC to enhance overtaking safety. Overtaking Prevention Support actively prevents unintentional “undertaking” (passing on the wrong side of a vehicle). Preliminary Deceleration/Turn Signal-Linked Control assists drivers in safely merging back into the traffic lane after overtaking, ensuring an appropriate speed and distance from other vehicles.
The Lane Departure Alert system has been enhanced to recognize intentional lane departures made to avoid obstacles (pedestrians or other road users) and will temporarily suspend lane departure warnings in such situations.
The Lane Trace Assist (LTA) lane-centering function has been refined for a more natural steering feel. Furthermore, the speed limiter adjustment is now seamlessly integrated with the Road Sign Assist system, requiring only a single touch to synchronize the speed limiter with detected traffic sign information.
Toyota Safety Sense in the 2024 Yaris provides a comprehensive suite of active safety and driver assistance technologies.
Premiere Edition and GR SPORT: Leading a Refreshed Model Lineup
The Toyota Yaris 2024 lineup is spearheaded by the new top-of-the-range Premiere Edition, a model that maximizes equipment levels and is exclusively powered by the new “Hybrid 130” powertrain.
The Premiere Edition makes a bold visual statement with a bi-tone paint finish, combining an exclusive Neptune Blue with a contrasting gloss black roof and pillars, and newly designed 17-inch black machined alloy wheels. Blue accents extend into the cabin, featuring in the seat upholstery stitching and deco lines that accentuate the instrument and door panels.
Platinum Pearl or Silver Metallic bi-tone paintwork options are also available for the Premiere Edition, alongside a new Juniper Blue option for other model grades.
Across the range, a new five-spoke alloy wheel design is introduced – silver for the Mid grade and with a machined finish for the Mid+ model. The cabin interiors are refreshed with a new seat upholstery pattern.
GR SPORT: Injecting Sporty Flair
For drivers seeking a sportier aesthetic, the GR SPORT grade embodies the spirit of Toyota GAZOO Racing, Toyota’s globally successful motorsport division.
The GR SPORT trim features exclusive 18-inch machined alloy wheels with striking red deco lines, front sport seats with red upholstery and trim stitching, sports pedals, a perforated leather steering wheel trim, and GR badging on the seats, starter button, and steering wheel.
The Dynamic Grey exterior color is exclusive to the GR SPORT grade, further distinguished by GR SPORT badges on the front and rear and a unique G-shaped front grille motif.
Muscular Exterior, Spacious Interior: Design and Packaging
The Toyota Yaris 2024 retains its distinctive muscular and agile design, setting it apart within the compact hatchback segment. Its sporty profile conveys energy and dynamism, reflecting its responsive handling and well-balanced chassis, underpinned by the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) GA-B platform. While maintaining compact overall height and length, the Yaris features a comparatively long wheelbase and wide front and rear tracks. This design approach maximizes cabin space and provides a stable and confident stance on the road. The Yaris’s dimensions are perfectly suited for urban environments and tight parking spaces, with short overhangs and a compact 5.2-meter turning circle (on models with 16-inch wheels).
The interior exudes a sense of quality and spaciousness, adopting a “less is more” design philosophy. The focus is on tactile appeal, incorporating harmonious lines and soft-touch materials, such as a padded dashboard and felt door panel inserts. The interior layout is characterized by a low-set driver’s instrument binnacle, a wide center console, and a sporty, small-diameter steering wheel.
Yaris: A Legacy of Achievement and Innovation
The Yaris stands as one of Toyota’s most successful global models, surpassing 10 million worldwide sales in 2023. This milestone underscores the Yaris’s success in delivering on its original promise of “big-small” thinking – a compact car that offers a surprisingly spacious interior and practical functionality.
The first-generation Yaris achieved instant acclaim, securing Car of the Year titles in both Europe and Japan at the turn of the millennium. Subsequent generations have consistently raised the bar for performance and technology in the segment. Notably, the third-generation Yaris pioneered full hybrid electric power in its class.
Continuous improvement and a deep understanding of evolving customer preferences have kept the Yaris at the forefront of the B-segment. The current, fourth-generation model was awarded the prestigious Car of the Year 2021 title, marking the second time the Yaris has received this accolade. The jury lauded the Yaris’s hybrid technology for its smooth driving experience, low emissions, and accessible price point – highlighting why over 80% of Yaris buyers opt for the hybrid powertrain. The Yaris was also recognized for its design, dynamic performance, and class-leading safety standards.
The Yaris served as the foundation for Toyota’s return to the World Rally Championship in 2017 under TOYOTA GAZOO Racing, achieving immediate success and culminating in four Manufacturers’ Championships (three consecutively) and five Drivers’ Championships (four consecutively).
Inspired by the rally-winning Yaris World Rally Car, Toyota introduced the GR Yaris in 2020, the first pure performance GAZOO Racing sports car. This model further cemented the Yaris nameplate’s reputation for innovation and garnered widespread acclaim from media and enthusiasts, quickly becoming a modern classic.
In 2021, the Yaris family expanded with the introduction of the Yaris Cross, blending Toyota’s small car expertise with its SUV heritage to create a versatile and engaging crossover model. Shortly after its launch, the Yaris Cross further solidified the Yaris family’s award-winning pedigree, being named the 2022 World Urban Car.
As the Toyota Yaris 2024 debuts, the Yaris continues to maintain strong sales performance in Europe, remaining a top-seller with approximately 170,000 units sold in 2023.
The new Toyota Yaris hatchback range is now available across Europe, bringing enhanced performance, technology, and safety to the popular compact car.
