Staff Reporter
After breaking cover at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, the new Toyota Yaris is now on sale in southern Africa as part of a revised range that offers customers much greater choice and improved equipment specifications across the board.
To signify new life being injected into the range, Toyota has badged the updated Yaris as Pulse across the range. The car is now known as Yaris Pulse.
“In the revised Yaris range, Toyota has adopted new styling that is set to add further impetus to the competitive small hatchback segment.
“The car’s new exterior styling, with significant changes to the front and rear, presents a more active and dynamic look while also communicating a more refined direction,” Toyota vice president of marketing for Southern Africa Glenn Crompton said.
Customers have a choice of three uni-colour tones – including Glacier White, Satin Silver Metallic and Cosmic Blue – or Bi-tones (paired with black roofs), including Pearl White 2-Tone, Grey 2-Tone and Cinnabar Red 2-Tone.
Increased customer choice extends to a new 1.5-litre petrol engine, which delivers 12 percent more power and torque than the previous 1.3-litre engine, yet also posts an improvement of up to 12 percent in fuel economy.
Where the hybrid model is concerned, engineers have focused on achieving an even quieter ride, particularly under acceleration, introducing a raft of measures including new engine mounts, roll restrictor, front drive shafts and sub-frame.
The design of the new engine mounts and adjustments to the shock absorbers and electric power steering have also improved the hybrid’s ride comfort and steering accuracy.
The new headlamp units further develop the qualities of the frontal design, producing a new lighting signature that expresses confidence and individuality. The most striking detail is around the main lamp, where a distinctive forked pattern is created using slim chrome trim bars within the unit.
Revised rear design
At the rear the added sense of refinement and the appearance of a broader stance is created by a new tailgate design that extends the horizontal emphasis with new rear light clusters that stretch from the rear wings to the door.
Following the same concept as the new frontal design, a ‘catamaran’ architecture has also been created at the rear with a new bumper design that harmonises perfectly with the lines of the tailgate, projecting a low centre of gravity and wide on-road stance.
Changes to the interior promote a more modern feel, in particular with new colours, trims and improvements to the instruments and controls. Interior trim is a fashionable black and light grey on all models with the exception of the generously specced Yaris Pulse Plus CVT, which features a black trim.
The three-spoke steering wheel has a new look and boasts the addition of piano black trim inserts. A new chrome trim frames the combined odometer, adding to the more refined effect.
Other detail changes include new propeller-style air vents, seamless execution of the multimedia screen and controls in the centre console, including new switches that are both neater in appearance and easier to operate.
The established 1.0-litre VVT-i three-cylinder petrol engine with five-speed manual transmission completes the choice of powertrains. (For detailed engine specs please refer to the spec sheets.)