Toyota Yaris Tweaked for Geneva

Small updates are coming to Toyota’s small hatchback for 2017. Making an appearance at the Geneva Motor Show, the Euro-spec Yaris receives a slightly different design as well as updates to improve NVH.

It may not look like it, but the Yaris receives more than 900 new parts affecting its design, performance, and safety. In terms of exterior updates, the changes appear evolutionary. Along with more prominent headlights, the Yaris dons a new front bumper that has been sculpted to give the car a three-dimensional look. Toyota updated the grille and added new vertical lines to the fog light housings. In the back, look for new taillights, a new bumper design, and black garnish detailing. Inside the cabin, the Yaris features an updated information display, propeller-style air vents, and other updates.

Although not available in the U.S., a hybrid Yaris is offered in Europe. Not only is it an option, but the hybrid version currently makes up more than 40 percent of all Yaris sales in the region. As part of its update for the Yaris, Toyota has made it a point to reduce cabin noise in the hybrid model with a sub-silencer for the exhaust system as well as redesigned engine mounts and other updates. The new engine mount design also contributes to less vehicle shake, Toyota says.

European Yaris models are taking a cue from the U.S., replacing their 1.33-liter gas engines in favor of a new 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. On our shores, the Yaris is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine making 106 hp and 103 lb-ft of torque. The new unit in the Euro Yaris is 0.8 second quicker in acceleration to 62 mph compared to the outgoing engine, but it’s still a bit of a slowpoke with an estimated time of 11 seconds.

Although the Yaris is Toyota’s most basic model, it receives a whole slew of safety features as standard. The Toyota Safety Sense system boasts a pre-collision system with automatic braking, automatic high beam, and lane departure alert.

Meanwhile, Toyota has also brought out a hot hatch inspired by Toyota’s return to the World Rally Championship this year.  The Yaris GRMN features a 1.8-liter engine pumping out 210 hp.

Source: Toyota

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