Australian prices and specifications for the all-new 2020 Toyota Yaris have been announced. The new compact car hits showrooms boasting segment-first safety tech, incredible fuel economy, and an advanced platform and sporty design.
Three main variant lines are being pitched in Australia, spanning from the Ascent Sport, SX, to the top ZR. These are then split up with manual and CVT auto options, and there’s a 1.5L petrol and a new 1.5L hybrid, depending on the model grade.
All versions are built on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA). What’s the big deal? Well, this introduces a lower centre of gravity (by around 15mm), increased body rigidity for improved safety and driving dynamics, and an improved suspension setup that reduces body roll and enhances stability during braking. Noise and vibrations are also reduced.
Local buyers can choose between a new 1.5-litre petrol three-cylinder engine that develops 88kW and 145Nm. It can be had with a six-speed manual or CVT auto in Ascent Sport grade, while the others are CVT only. Alternatively, a 1.5-litre hybrid is being offered for the first time, on the SX and ZR, producing a combined 85kW.
Going for the regular 1.5L with the manual transmission presents an official average fuel consumption of just 5.4L100km, or 4.9L/100km with the CVT auto. However, the hybrid is rated at an amazingly low 3.3L/100km – the lowest average of any Toyota production vehicle offered in Australia.
As standard, all models come with a range of safety systems which, Toyota claims, make the new model the world’s safest compact car. Some advanced segment-first features include centre airbags, secondary collision braking, and special sensors that can detect vehicles or pedestrians at interactions.
All models come with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, auto high-beam, lane management systems, and speed sign recognition. A rear-view camera is also standard. Going for the ZR adds front and rear parking sensors, and parking support braking.
Inside, all models come with a comprehensive 7.0-inch touch-screen media interface packing Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as a 4.2-inch digital display for the instrument cluster. The SX and ZR add sat-nav, climate control, and a digital speedo and tacho, and then the ZR includes a 10-inch head-up display.
With all of this added technology and clever systems, prices have climbed quite a bit for the Yaris compared with the outgoing model. For example, the absolute base model now starts from $22,130, up from just $15,390 for the outgoing model. The top-spec ZR hybrid is now over $30k, well above the outgoing ZR’s starting price of $22,670. See below for the full prices (excludes on-road costs):
2020 Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport 1.5L petrol manual: $22,130
2020 Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport 1.5L petrol CVT auto: $23,630
2020 Toyota Yaris SX 1.5L petrol CVT auto: $27,020
2020 Toyota Yaris SX 1.5L hybrid CVT auto: $29,020
2020 Toyota Yaris ZR 1.5L petrol CVT auto: $30,100
2020 Toyota Yaris ZR 1.5L hybrid CVT auto: $32,100
Premium paint: $500
Two-tone paint: $450
