2024 Toyota Yaris: The Supermini Gets Supercharged

The Toyota Yaris is one of the most popular and successful models in the supermini segment, offering a combination of efficiency, practicality, and reliability. For 2024, the Japanese automaker has given the Yaris a major update, with a more powerful hybrid engine, a new digital user experience, and enhanced safety features. Here's what you need to know about the 2024 Toyota Yaris.

A New Hybrid Powertrain

The biggest change for the new Yaris is the introduction of a new hybrid powertrain option called the Toyota Yaris Hybrid 130. This replaces the previous Hybrid 116 system, which used a 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor to produce a combined output of 116 horsepower and 120 pound-feet of torque.

The new Toyota Yaris Hybrid 130 system uses the same engine but with some modifications to increase its efficiency and performance. The electric motor is also upgraded, delivering more power and torque. The result is a total system output of 130 horsepower and 141 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 14 horsepower and 21 pound-feet over the previous hybrid system.

The new hybrid powertrain also improves the fuel economy and emissions of the Yaris, achieving an estimated 68 mpg (US) and 98 g/km of CO2 in the WLTP cycle. This makes it one of the most eco-friendly vehicles in its class and one of the most fun to drive. The Toyota Yaris Hybrid 130 system also offers three driving modes: Normal, Eco, and Sport, allowing the driver to adjust the performance and efficiency according to their preference.

The new hybrid powertrain is available on all trim levels of the Yaris except for the base Active grade. The other engine options for the Yaris remain unchanged, including a 1.0-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine with 72 horsepower and a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with 125 horsepower.

A New Digital User Experience

Another major upgrade for the 2024 Toyota Yaris is the introduction of a new digital user experience, which includes a customizable driver's instrument display, a more powerful and intuitive multimedia system, wireless smartphone integration, and a hands-free digital key.

The driver's instrument display is available in two sizes: seven or 12.3 inches, depending on the trim level. The display shows various high-intensity information and graphics, such as speed, fuel level, hybrid system status, navigation directions, and safety alerts. The display can also be customized to suit the driver's mood and the type of journey, with four options: Smart, Casual, Sporty, and Tough. Each option has a different color scheme and layout for the display.

The multimedia system is also available in two sizes: nine or 10.5 inches, depending on the trim level. The system features a new Toyota Smart Connect interface, providing standard cloud-based navigation. This means the system can access real-time information on routes, traffic, and delays from the internet. The system also has a voice recognition function and a "Hey Toyota" voice agent to respond to natural speech commands. For example, if the driver says, "Hey Toyota, I'm cold," the system will automatically raise the climate control temperature.

The multimedia system also enables wireless smartphone integration using both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This allows the driver to access their phone's apps, contacts, messages, music, and more on the multimedia screen without using any cables. The system also supports over-the-air updates for both the software and the maps.

The new Yaris also offers a hands-free digital key as an option for some trim levels. This allows the driver to unlock and start the car using their smartphone or smartwatch without taking out their physical key. The digital key can also be shared with up to five other people via an app.

Enhanced Safety Features

The 2024 Toyota Yaris also benefits from some enhancements to its safety features, including passive and active systems. The passive safety features include seven airbags as standard and a rigid body structure that absorbs impact energy in case of a collision.

The active safety features are part of the Toyota Safety Sense package, which is standard on all trim levels of the Yaris. The package includes several systems that help prevent or mitigate accidents by warning or assisting the driver in various situations. Some of these systems are:

Pre-Collision System: This system uses a camera and radar to detect potential collisions with vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, or animals in front of the car. It warns the driver with audible and visual alerts and applies brake pressure if necessary.
Lane Departure Alert: This system uses a camera to monitor the lane markings on the road and warns the driver if they are drifting out of their lane without signaling.
Lane Trace Assist: This system works together with Lane Departure Alert to help keep the car centered in its lane by applying steering assistance if needed.
Road Sign Assist: This system uses a camera to recognize and display road signs such as speed limits, stop signs, and no-entry signs on the driver's instrument display.
Adaptive Cruise Control: This system uses radar to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front by automatically adjusting the speed and braking.
Intelligent Speed Assist: This system works with Adaptive Cruise Control and Road Sign Assist to adjust the car's speed according to the detected speed limit.
Automatic High Beam: This system automatically uses a camera to detect the headlights of oncoming vehicles and the taillights of vehicles ahead and automatically switches between high and low beams.
Blind Spot Monitor: This system uses radar sensors to detect vehicles in the blind spots of the car and warns the driver with indicators on the side mirrors.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert: This system uses radar sensors to detect vehicles approaching from the sides when reversing out of a parking space and warns the driver with audible and visual alerts.

The new Yaris also offers some additional safety features as options for some trim levels, such as:

Parking Support Brake: This system uses sensors to detect obstacles around the car when parking and applies brake pressure if necessary to avoid collisions.
Panoramic View Monitor: This system uses four cameras to provide a 360-degree view of the car's surroundings on the multimedia screen, making parking easier and safer.
Head-Up Display: This system projects key information such as speed, navigation directions, and safety alerts onto the windshield, allowing the driver to keep their eyes on the road.

Styling Updates

The 2024 Toyota Yaris also receives some minor styling updates, both inside and out. The exterior changes include:

New bumpers.
A larger rear spoiler.
New LED headlights and taillights.
New alloy wheel designs.

The interior changes include new upholstery materials and colors, new ambient lighting, and new trim details.

The new Yaris also offers some new options for personalization, such as:

Bi-tone paint: This option allows the customer to choose a different color for the roof, pillars, and mirrors from the rest of the body. Six bi-tone combinations are available, such as red with black, white with black, or blue with black.
GR Sport package: This option adds some sporty elements inspired by the high-performance GR Yaris model, such as a black mesh grille, black side skirts, black rear diffuser, 17-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, leather steering wheel, aluminum pedals, and GR badges.

Pricing and Availability

The new Toyota Yaris will go on sale in Europe in early 2024. The pricing has not been announced yet, but it is expected to be similar to the current model, which starts from $18,500 (US) for the base Active grade with the 1.0-liter gasoline engine. The hybrid powertrain is expected to add around $3,000 (US) to the price of each trim level.

The 2024 Toyota Yaris will compete with other superminis such as the Ford Fiesta, Hyundai i20, Volkswagen Polo, Renault Clio, Peugeot 208, Kia Rio, Honda Jazz, and Nissan Micra. The Toyota Yaris has a strong reputation for quality, reliability, and value for money, which should help it maintain its popularity in this segment.

The new Yaris is also expected to be sold in other markets around the world under different names. For example, in North America, it is known as the Toyota Yaris Cross, a crossover version of the hatchback. In Japan and some Asian countries, it is known as the Toyota Vitz, a name used since 1999.

The 2024 Toyota Yaris is a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering more power, efficiency, technology, and safety. It is a supermini that is supercharged with innovation and excellence.