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Supermini, Toyota

Yaris a groundbreaker again

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Toyota Yaris Hybrid

By Bill McCarthy

It should come as no surprise to see Toyota breaking new ground again with hybrid technology. Its expertise is built on more than 20 years’ experience since the introduction of the first Prius back in 1997.

The firm has now sold more than 14 million hybrid vehicles worldwide – including 2.5 million in Europe. The Yaris has more than played its part, first going hybrid in 2012, and selling half a million in Europe, but the latest model is a quantum leap forward.

Yaris has gone all-in hybrid, together with it being built on the firm’s small car  Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA), which, says Toyota, has improved dynamic performance together with class leading safety measures.

The new petrol engine/electric motor setup  has a 15 per cent increase in combined power and a more than 20 per cent increase in fuel efficiency and can be switched a the touch of a button to electric for a fair amount of time in urban areas, delivering zero emissions. The system also uses a new lithium-ion hybrid battery which while being more powerful, is 27 per cent lighter than the nickel-metal hydride battery it replaces.

It also looks good, one of the best looking superminis, that is both practical and perfect for tackling the challenges of city or congested driving areas. As ever its even more compact size means it is highly manoeuvrable and a breeze to park in tight streets, aided by standard parking camera.

Starting at a hefty price tag of a smidge under £20k you get plenty for your cash with even the entry Icon, featuring electric windows and door mirrors, 16-inch alloys, a seven-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a reversing camera, auto headlights and wipers and air-con.

The goodies increase though Design, Dynamic to the  Excel, with the likes of 17-inch wheels, eight-inch screen, button starter, dual zone climate control, parking sensors and for added safety, auto-braking. This limited edition model had a few more cherries on the top head-up display and premium sound system.

For a small car it has striking looks, being shorter, wider and lower than the outgoing model. It features a sporty wedge shape, with sculpted door panels, deep grille and air scoop flanked by cats-eye-like headlamp clusters, with LEDs which double as indicators.

To the rear, classy touches include privacy glass and discrete black spoiler.

This limited edition range topper also included striking two-tone red with black roof paintwork, body-coloured door handles and front bumper, piano Black upper front grille, privacy glass, red insert on boot door and piano black door belt moulding.

Inside there are plenty of soft touch materials with piano black finish and a more compact steering wheel, while the instrumentation is clearly and logically laid out. The centrepiece is the multi-media screen which is the brains of the car, together with a TFT multi-information display in the instrument binnacle which can help monitor EV activity.

 The 10-inch touchscreen on this model controls infotainment and smartphone connectivity, but, oddly, there was no navigation. However hooking up your smartphone can add navigation through the screen.

Despite its more compact shape, interior space is barely compromised, with headroom remaining the same, although tight in the rear, while the firm’s GA-B platform offers a low centre of gravity which helps deliver an enjoyable and stable drive. 

It offers sharp, agile  handling and direct steering for bombing around town, while the growl from the three-pot engine is not unpleasant. It is equally at home on the motorway, with plenty of grunt available, while road and wind noise, although noticeably present, are reasonably well suppressed.

The 1.5 litre petrol engine is supplemented by two motor/generators – MG1 and MG2. MG2 is linked to the front wheels and can be used as the power source to drive the vehicle. MG1 is deployed to start the engine and to generate power to charge both batteries (hybrid and 12V).

 Mated to the CVT transmission, the combo delivers excellent economy, with the claimed 68-odd mpg proving to be pretty close to the mark. A bonus is the brisk acceleration which propels the car to 60mph in under 10 seconds, while at the same time delivering low carbon emissions. 

While the car’s handling delivers an engaging drive, the ride however, feels slightly compromised with 17-inch alloys on this top end model and stiffer suspension allowing for some discomfort over rougher surfaces. It could be the case that the 16-inch alloys could offer a more settled ride.

Stowage capacity is a reasonable 286 litres, so long as you are not planning a camping trip, but if you are, rear seats fold in hatchback fashion to open up extra capacity.

One of the safest small cars around, engineered to be the world’s safest small car says Toyota, it is packed with safety kit and including a full complement of airbags, including  a centre airbag for the first time, stability control, intelligent adaptive cruise control and lane assist, pre-collision warning, pedestrian detection, steering control and a host of other features to keep families safe.

Factfile

Toyota Yaris Hybrid Launch Edition

Price: £ 24,005

Mechanical: 1490cc, 114bhp, three-cylinder petrol engine and 85kW electric motor driving front wheels via electric CVT auto transmission

Maximum speed: 109mph

Acceleration: 0-62mph in 9.7 seconds

Economy: 65.6 mpg

Insurance group: 14E

CO2 emissions: 92-98g/km

Warranty: Five years/ 100,000 miles

Manufacturer, Motor reviews, Toyota

Lights, Camry, action

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Toyota Camry hybrid

By Bill McCarthy

‘A Toyota what?’, said a neighbour. He could be forgiven for not recognising the name as the Camry has not been around in this country for a while and he is quite young.

Toyota says increasing customer interest in and demand for hybrid vehicles have paved the way for its return to the UK after an absence of 15 years. 
The Camry does buck the trend a little, a mid-sized full hybrid family saloon where the crossover/SUV seems to rule.

But it is cheap at 31k for a hybrid, has head-turning looks and excellent performance, matched by good economy and is packed with standard kit. Performance comes via a powerful 2.5 litre petrol engine, mated to an electric motor and lithium-ion battery.
 It is the eighth generation of the model and is built on the firm’s  GA-K platform which means it sits lower to the ground, delivering a sleek profile. The front features a a slim grille, flanked by narrow headlights with LEDs and daytime running lights.
In addition a much larger trapezoidal lower grille occupies almost the full width of the bumper, which the firm says are designed to be  reminiscent of the twin hulls of a catamaran. It certainly gives it a distinctive look. The smart rear end and alloy wheels, complete a pleasing and contemporary design.

It definitely has an upmarket feel with heated, powered leather seats, while the console houses the gearshift, two drink holders and a large bin for odds and ends.

The interior features a mixture of dark and shiny in the shape of leather soft touch finishes with chrome trim and a cockpit packed with goodies.
Centrepieces are seven-inch multi-function screen and leather multi-function steering wheel, while the binnacle features two large information dials, which monitor how the hybrid system is distributing the energy between engine, battery and electric motor.
The touchscreen is small compared to some prestige competitors, but is supplemented by by buttons and controls major functions such as infotainment, connectivity via Bluetooth and navigation.The power transfer can also be monitored here.
There’s also a smartphone charging pad, but on the downside, no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto compatibility. 
It definitely has an upmarket feel with heated, powered leather seats, while the centre console houses the gearshift, two large drink holders and a large bin for odds and ends.
Standard kit on this model includes dual zone air con, footwell lights, an ambient door panel lighting and auto headlamps, smart entry and push- button start, front and rear parking sensors and reversing camera.

On the road, the car is a comfortable place to be, with the clever petrol engine electric motor automatically switching modes, while the smart suspension delivers a comfortable experience for occupants, particularly on longer journeys. Bump and lumps in the road are soaked and it is an excellent motorway cruiser with road, engine and wind noise muted.
Full hybrid system output is 215bhp and CO2 emissions are from 120g/km with fuel consumption of between  50.44 to 53.30mpg (WLTP) for this Design model and 50.44 to 51.36mpg for the  Excel. 
The car also has an EV button for electric power only where it can be driven at low speeds over short distances with zero carbon emissions, providing there is power in the battery. Where power is down the self-charging mode from the petrol engine delivers charge back to the battery. The information display tells the driver what is going on.
The driver can also select Eco, Normal and Sport driving modes using the Drive Mode Select switch. While sport mode does sharpen things up, 60mph is hit in a very respectable 8.5 seconds, the roar between shifts in the CVT box can be a bit disconcerting.
The car is also packed with safety kit including Toyota Safety Sense active safety systems which comprise a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control , lane departure alert with steering assist, road sign assist, sway warning and automatic high beam. In addition there is a full complement of airbags and hill start assist.
 A welcome return to a car many may not have heard of, but as electric power units continue to grow, it has plenty to offer. At a shade under £31k, it offers pretty good value for money, not to mention the five year, 100,000 mile warranty for peace of mind.

Factfile


Toyota Camry Design 2.5 litre hybrid
Price: £30,710
Mechanical: 215bhp, 2487cc, four cylinder petrol engine and electric motors driving front via CVT auto gearbox
Max speed: 112mph
0-60mph: 8.3 seconds
Combined mpg: 50-53 (WLTP)
Insurance group: 31E
CO2 emissions: 98 g/km
Warranty: 5yrs/100,000 miles