Toyota Yaris HSD, test drive (Equipment, price and verdict)

We have reached the end of our test with the Toyota Yaris HSD, a fuel-saving city car designed by and for the city. On the first day we discussed its mechanics, handling and consumption, while in the second part, the exterior and interior design and the finishes took up a full article.

This time, the equipment, the price and, finally, an overall assessment of this small hybrid will be what you can find in the following lines, at which point we will see whether it is worth it or not to part with the more than 20,000 euros the test unit cost.

We begin with the passive and active safety of the hybrid version of the Toyota Yaris. This small Japanese car gives its occupants traction and stability control, quite a few airbags and an ABS system that seems unnecessary on this vehicle, since the four discs (two of them ventilated) stop the car quickly.

As standard equipment, the Yaris HSD stands out not only for its abundance but for the quality of most of its extras. The rear-view camera, the 6.1-inch touchscreen, the leather multifunction steering wheel, the eight speakers, Bluetooth, white metallic paint, the 16-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and cruise control are the most noteworthy items.

Our test unit had some additional extras such as the navigation system and the panoramic roof. It comes very well equipped as standard, so in my opinion there is no need to spend money on extras that we would hardly use.

For those who do not want to spend money on extras, you can find a Toyota Yaris HSD in the Active trim from 16,900 €, a figure that can rise to 18,700 € if we opt for the Advance version. The latter comes with more and better equipment than the former, hence the price difference. It is possible that the dealership price may drop due to internal promotions or units in stock.

If we opt for a Toyota Yaris with a single engine, whether petrol or diesel, this starts from 10,900 € for the 69 CV petrol and 13,500 € for the 90 CV diesel. All of them come with less standard equipment than the hybrid variant.

After more than nine days and 700 km at the wheel of the new Toyota Yaris HSD, I can only say that it changed my mindset when it comes to driving. It is a vehicle that encourages you to drive in the most ecological and relaxed way possible, although that does not mean that if you need or want performance at any moment, the small hybrid will not deliver it.

The most notable thing was, without a doubt, the smoothness of the powertrain, especially when driving in EV mode (electric). The absence of petrol engine noise is addictive, and you constantly try to keep enough charge in the battery so you can go as long as possible without using any petrol.

On the other side we find materials quality that could be improved. The interior is very Japanese. We are talking about a sober cabin with the necessary instrumentation, not one button more or less, although the touchscreen stands out as a real success for its ease of use and functions.

Without a doubt, the car’s value for money is enviable. It is an ideal car for the city. It comes with an automatic gearbox and its consumption is ridiculously low, even lower in town than on the open road if we set out to achieve it.

Would I buy it? I would pay for the vehicle’s technology without a second thought; 16,000 euros for a hybrid is not a lot of money. What may seem expensive is the interior plastics, since at that price there are other city cars with better finishes.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackToyota Yaris9 versions · from 24,550 €