Automotive
In 2024, Toyota unveiled an updated version of the fourth-generation Yaris, enhancing its performance, exterior design, and interior features for this compact supermini model.
Toyota’s success in challenging Volkswagen for the top spot in European car sales was largely due to their hybrid technology. The majority of their vehicles featured electrified powertrains, giving the Japanese manufacturer a competitive edge. Among their key models was the fourth-generation Yaris, launched in 2020. Despite facing sales challenges during the global pandemic and subsequent microchip crisis, the model still received a well-deserved update. In February 2024, Toyota surprised the market by introducing a revised Yaris. Unlike many other manufacturers who reduced engine power to meet CO2 emission standards, Toyota’s updated Yaris offered increased performance while maintaining lower emissions than its predecessor.
Available in various trim levels, including the sporty GR variant depending on the market, the updated Yaris showcased a prominent lower grille with integrated fog lamp housings. The GR version featured a distinctive red and black badge on the license plate holder. All models benefited from redesigned headlights with LED daytime running lights.
The 2024 Yaris’ profile revealed newly designed wheels, ranging up to 18 inches, with the standard version equipped with 15-inch wheels. Toyota also offered a two-tone paint option with a black roof. Aiming for a more aggressive look despite its urban focus, the car featured new aerodynamic side skirts that reduced ground clearance. The rear design included innovative C-shaped OLED taillights flanking the tailgate, along with a roof spoiler and a black diffuser concealing the exhaust.
Inside, the Yaris received technological upgrades, offering drivers a choice between 7-inch and 12.3-inch digital instrument clusters. The center console housed a standard 10.5-inch touchscreen, expandable to 12.3 inches for higher trims like the High, Premiere Edition, and GR Sport. The latest Toyota infotainment system supported both touch controls and voice commands, with additional functionality through the MyT app, allowing users to control certain features remotely, such as setting the cabin temperature.
Mechanically, the base model retained the previous 116 PS (114 hp) powertrain. However, the most notable improvement was the enhanced drivetrain delivering 130 PS (127 hp) to the front wheels, achieved through a new hybrid transaxle with a more powerful motor.
