Photo: Toyota
Toyota keeps joggling with nameplates, platforms and body styles, trying to find the best way to sell its vehicles to an increasingly higher number of customers as it battles Volkswagen for supremacy.
Following a mix-them-’till-they-fit logic, the Japanese decided to further confuse European and American customers with a new nameplate on the board.
The car presented by Toyota on Monday sells in Europe and elsewhere as Mazda 2. On the U.S. market, it has been rebranded as the Toyota Yaris iA until last year, but that designation apparently doesn’t sit well with those in charge of naming the Japanese models.
Just as it happened with the Corolla iM earlier this month, the iA will drop its Scion-related two-letter designation in favor of a more self-explanatory word: sedan. Hence, on the U.S. market the Mazda 2 has now become the Toyota Yaris Sedan.
For the new model year, the sedan will be offered in three trim levels, L, LE, XLE, each building upon the previous one in terms of features and equipment. As a rule, however, the mildly restyled Mazda/Toyota will feature across all trim levels a new sport-inspired front grille with a honeycomb insert design.
Regardless of the model chosen, the car is powered by a 1.5-liter engine developing 106 horsepower and 103 lb.-ft. of torque. It is matted to a manual transmission by default, but can be ordered with an automatic one.
The new Yaris comes equipped as standard with an Active Safety, Low-Speed Pre-Collision System, Brake Assist and Tire Pressure Monitor System.
The Japanese have not announced when the rebranded car will be available for order, nor did they mention any prices.
Considering the fact that the biggest change for the new year is, in fact, the renaming of the model, it’s unlikely the prices will be much higher than the ones Toyota asked last year for the Yaris.
The car presented by Toyota on Monday sells in Europe and elsewhere as Mazda 2. On the U.S. market, it has been rebranded as the Toyota Yaris iA until last year, but that designation apparently doesn’t sit well with those in charge of naming the Japanese models.
Just as it happened with the Corolla iM earlier this month, the iA will drop its Scion-related two-letter designation in favor of a more self-explanatory word: sedan. Hence, on the U.S. market the Mazda 2 has now become the Toyota Yaris Sedan.
For the new model year, the sedan will be offered in three trim levels, L, LE, XLE, each building upon the previous one in terms of features and equipment. As a rule, however, the mildly restyled Mazda/Toyota will feature across all trim levels a new sport-inspired front grille with a honeycomb insert design.
Regardless of the model chosen, the car is powered by a 1.5-liter engine developing 106 horsepower and 103 lb.-ft. of torque. It is matted to a manual transmission by default, but can be ordered with an automatic one.
The new Yaris comes equipped as standard with an Active Safety, Low-Speed Pre-Collision System, Brake Assist and Tire Pressure Monitor System.
The Japanese have not announced when the rebranded car will be available for order, nor did they mention any prices.
Considering the fact that the biggest change for the new year is, in fact, the renaming of the model, it’s unlikely the prices will be much higher than the ones Toyota asked last year for the Yaris.
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