Toyota has not one but two models called Yaris. For most of the world, the name refers to an oddly-shaped supermini, but Asian markets have an entirely different version which just got updated.
The most important of the two new models is the Yaris Ativ sedan because it is going to replace the popular Etios sedan in India. The Ativ is retailed in Thailand as an alternative to the Nissan Sunny, Honda City, and Suzuki Ciaz. Those are cars you probably never heard about, right?
In Thailand, the new Yaris Ativ is powered only be a 1.2-liter gasoline engine that produces 87 HP and 108 Nm of torque. The engine is mated to a CVT automatic gearbox or a 5-speed manual. However, in other markets, the sedan will also receive a 110 HP 1.5-liter and a 1.4-liter diesel with 90 HP and 205 Nm.
The Yaris Ativ petrol will return around 11 km/l in the city and around 14km/l on the highway. The auto version will have a mileage of 9km/l in the city and around 12km/l on the open road. The diesel will return 13km/l in the city and 18km/l on the highway.
The styling is what got us interested in the Yaris sedan. It's inspired by the Asian market Corolla and features a pair of tapered headlights with a red halo. The grille is much bigger at the bottom and is finished off with a couple of LED bars.
From the side, the Ativ is defined with plenty of creases and indentations, as well as shiny door handles. Around the back, we see yet more inspiration from the bigger Corolla.
The hatchback is almost like an afterthought, with a trunk shape that's too rounded for our tastes. Inside, it's quite similar to the European Yaris and boasts a 7-inch touchscreen multimedia with features like Mirror Link and Android Auto along with navigation and a reverse camera.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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