THE style gurus have been hard at work in ensuring the latest Toyoya Yaris, launched last autumn, can punch above its weight. Now into its third generation, the popular supermini may be a smidgeon longer than the previous model but remains more compact than most of its rivals and also has a lower height and shorter overhangs. Upshot is a car that now looks appreciably sportier than before, but also has a lower centre of gravity and is more agile. The payback for slicker design can often be less available space and if that’s the case with the Yaris, then you wouldn’t know it. Because for a small car, the accommodation is terrific to the point that you can slide the front seats fully back and still have ample legroom behind for a pair of six-foot passengers. Some call it the Tardis factor, Toyota prefers ‘compact outside, spacious inside’, but whatever, it’s something that certainly adds extra appeal to a Yaris that now also looks better than ever with its fresh face and large lower grille that will feature on all upcoming models from the Japanese manufacturer. And that’s far from the whole story. The latest Yaris doesn’t just look smarter, it also houses a piece of technology which sets it apart from the crowd. In a range that runs from £11,170 to £15,385, and is available as either a three or five door, all but the entry level models are fitted with Toyota’s Touch multimedia system. A smart piece of kit it is too with a six-inch, colour touchscreen mounted in the middle of the dash and including Bluetooth, trip data, mobile music player hook-ups and a rear view parking camera. And for an extra £500 it can be upgraded to the Toyota Touch and Go set-up which provides full map sat-nav, traffic alerts, camera warnings and can be linked into Google Maps. Four trim grades – T2, TR, SR and T Spirit – are available with a choice of 1.0-litre VVT-i and 1.33-litre dual VVT-i petrol engines and an 89bhp 1.4-litre D-4D diesel. Transmissions are five and six-speed manual plus, new to Yaris, Toyota’s Multidrive S automatic. The tested mid-range 1.33 TR model is certainly a neat car for urban conditions with its composed feel, electric power steering, decent insulation and passenger comfort. All round visibility, especially to the rear, has been improved and there is now a single windscreen wiper which clears the screen effectively. The sum total is a supermini with a Coke bottle silhouette; one that should go a long way towards fulfilling Toyota’s aim of attracting younger customers – especially now it’s backed up by a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty. FAST FACTS Toyota Yaris 1.33 TR Price: £13,260 Mechanical: 98bhp, 1,329cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox Max speed: 109mph 0-62mph: 11.7 seconds Combined mpg: 52.3 Insurance group: 8 CO2 emissions: 123g/km BiK rating: 15% Warranty: 5yrs/100,000 miles | 
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