“Toyota’s second-
  generation ‘big-small’
  Yaris ‘supermini’
  will appeal to a wide
  range of people.
  Particularly those with
  a logical turn of mind...”

THE LATEST TOYOTA YARIS range will do nothing to harm the reputation previous generation models set for Toyota quality, reliability and user-friendliness.

While these are all core attributes sought out by the 'mature' buyer wanting a well-equipped, durable single car, they also fit the bill for anyone looking for a suitable vehicle to tackle the family shop, the school run or simply as the family's second car. And, don't be put off by the fact that the Yaris appears to be targeted at those in the 30-40 year old bracket. Because, whether you are youthful or in your Autumn years, drivers of all ages will find the Yaris is worthy of consideration.

With such a broad appeal, finding a single word that best describes the new Yaris to would-be owners is not as easy as it sounds. However, there is one: Logical.

Positioned in the Toyota range between the Aygo city-car and the Corolla hatchbacks, saloons and estates, the Yaris functions effect-ively as a smaller alternative to the excellent — and much larger — Toyota Verso MPV.

The Yaris is also a 'supermini' — one of the new breed of larger cars in that sector selling against the likes of the Fiat Grande Punto, Renault Clio and now the Peugeot 207 ranges.

With an overall length of 3,750mm, the Yaris is quite compact. But
it really does make the best use of interior space in its sector.
A relatively short car, it benefits from a high roofline to provide the
feel of a much bigger car than its paper dimensions would have you believe.

The front cabin is well thought out, with loads of storage space and elbowroom so you don't feel confined. The rear seat offers plenty of legroom for two adults and one child and, as the seat can be slid backwards or forwards, the legroom can be increased to suit the requirements of the moment. The rear backrests also recline. With the rear seat in its normal position, both three- and five-door Yaris models offer 30 per cent more boot space than the earlier version. A very logical explanation of why Toyota markets the Yaris as their 'big-small' car.

For the record, the first generation Yaris range was introduced to the UK in 1999. It has progressed to being the top-selling model in Europe for Toyota, accounting for one-in-four of all Toyotas sold. Since its launch in 1999, over 209,000 Yaris have found permanent homes in the UK. In Europe, sales have reached 1.2 million units. The UK sales target for Yaris models for 2006 is a healthy 38,000 units.

January 1 this year saw the new Yaris introduced under the marketing banner of 'Big Car Thinking'. I rarely agree with marketing hype, but I would say that this is spot-on for accuracy.

This June Toyota introduced the new (and cheaper) special edition Yaris 'Ion' models with prices starting at £7,995 for the 1.0-litre VVT-I three-door and £8,495 for the five-door variant. Prices of others in the range start at £8,610 and go up to £13,280. Option packs, including turn-by-turn satellite navigation with Traffic Avoidance, are available. Some versions might seem a bit pricey, but residual values are so strong that retail customers really do get pretty good value for money.

There is a choice of three engines: 1.0-litre and 1.3-litre variable valve timing petrol units and a 1.4-litre D-4D direct injection diesel unit. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on all models, although a multimode semi-automatic gearbox option is available for 1.3 and 1.4-litre engines. Specification levels are Ion, T2, T3 and T Sport, and all models are available with the option of three or five doors.

Now to my test car — the Yaris 1.0 VVT T3 3-door priced at £9,810. As I find three-door hatchbacks are not — in real-life situations — as versatile or as user-friendly as five-door models, I'd prefer to spend the extra £500 and have the extra doors and extra convenience.

As I've already mentioned, the big news about the Yaris is its logical use of space — including upper and lower gloveboxes, a driver's side glove compartment, an underfloor boot storage area as well as a storage tray beneath the front passenger seat. This logical use of space is an outstanding feature, backed up by impeccable build quality, renowned Toyota reliability, low insurance ratings, a high Euro NCAP five-star passenger safety rating and good residual values.

On the subject of safety, the Yaris is well specified to take good care of you should the worst happen. Standard passive safety kit includes driver and front passenger airbags, front side airbags, curtain shield airbags, a driver's knee airbag, five three-point seatbelts, a retractable brake pedal and ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Brake Assist.

The fold-flat floor and 60:40 split folding rear seat system is just
what any hatchback needs, and in the Yaris it gives a best-in-class 737 litres of maximum load space.

The interior design, fixtures and fittings could be described as 'funky'. They will not suit all tastes, but they work and are certainly user-friendly. These days — winter or summer in our globally-warmed UK climate — air conditioning is an absolute must. Thankfully it's standard on the T3 and also the higher specification models. The high upright seat positions provide very good all-round visibility and also make getting in and out of the car easier for even the older owners.

The ride quality is not brilliant, feeling unsettled if the car is not fully loaded: a little bounce with some body roll during cornering. But then it's not a 'hot-hatch'. There is some road noise intrusion as well, in varying degrees depending on the surface of the road. The engine noise can also be rather intrusive at first, but after a while you get used to it.

The 1.0-litre, three-cylinder, 68bhp petrol engine with its variable valve timing (as also used in the Toyota Aygo) is a little gem. It's nippy, responsive and a bit noisy when under stress, but it is a willing worker and it performs nicely with the slick, five-speed manual transmission. Its low emissions (127g/km) put it in road tax class C — £100 per year.

A big attraction for the younger buyer is an insurance group rating
of one, or at worst, two. As for fuel economy — well, Toyota quote 57.6mpg as the average and as my test car returned a healthy 54.4mpg I'd say that's possible. Yet another plus point.

Overall the Yaris is pretty good: some areas excel; some are okay.
And while it doesn't handle as well against, say, the likes of the new Renault Clio, as a complete package it has to be a logical consid-eration if you are thinking of buying a new-age 'supermini'. For your money you can expect a versatile interior that, for a supermini, is undeniably roomy; a distinctive body that's well built throughout, good reliability and low running costs. And while some buyers may see it
as being on the pricey side, this is offset by good residual values.
As Mr Spock would be the first to say: The Yaris? Yes, Captain. The choice is logical. — David Miles

Toyota Yaris 1.0-VVT T3 3-door | £9,810 Maximum speed: 96mph | 0-62mph: 15.7 seconds Overall test MPG: 54.4mpg | Power: 68bhp | Torque: 71lb ft Visit Toyota's website