Yaris Hybrid 2019 loan car experience

[Catlover]

Just had my Prius and wife’s Auris hybrid in for annual service at Toyota dealer. Normally we drop off the car and walk into town centre for a bit of shopping etc, not this time due COVID-19 and precautions we take, apart from the fact 2 cars would take approx 3 hours plus a bit, so a loan car was accepted.  It was going to be an Aygo manual, fortunately a Yaris hybrid had just come back in so we got that.

It was A 19 plate with 6500 miles on clock. Looked forward to do a drive because we bot had Yaris diesels in the past and loved them, plus, as we get older (both early 70’s), getting out of the Prius likely to be harder for us and the Yaris, being a bit higher seated, may suit us better.

We only drove it 15 mile home, stop at Sainsbury’s on the way, and then back to dealer, so only 30 mile total. Really enjoyed the drive, obviously different to the Prius for comfort, but very acceptable. Not as much pep as the Prius, but acceptable. Whilst I only had roughly 50 minutes in total driving it, I didn’t manage to twiddle all the buttons, I did manage to notice it was doing 52.6mpg. Over what mileage this average was for I don’t know, but I thought this was a bit on the low side, bearing in mind my journey in the Prius to the dealer just topped 80mpg. Obviously in A two 15 mile trip, I hadn’t adjusted my driving style to the Yaris, so trying to get more mpg and seeing the result on screen was a no no, but 52.6mpg.!!!

So, bearing in mind it was a 19 plate Yaris hybrid, what are others getting in terms of mpg.???

[snowBALLs]

The best I got were 72.9mpg on a 25 miles city drive. Usually 60+mpg in the summer and 50mpg in winter. The prius having a larger hybrid Battery helps, also it's to do with the road conditions one drives on I think. 

If I were to drive 40mph for a long stretch on a road then I could achieve higher mpg due to the electric power. Other I had seen screenshot of the Yaris getting 82mpg on a run also. I just think overall the Prius still gets more mpg generally due to its larger hybrid Battery over the Yaris. 

[martswain]

I've had both, the 1.8 Prius (2009 model) was a good bit more economical than the 1.5 Yaris (most recent model).

The Yaris was particularly bad in colder weather, the engine ran a lot more to produce cabin heat, all my cars are set to 22 C in winter.

 

[Mick F]

I've stopped even bothering to look at our MPG figures, or even looking at the Energy screen on the display.  Pointless IMHO.

From what I remember, we were getting mid 50mpg.  We live in a VERY hilly area and rarely - if ever - go on a motorway and only sometimes on a dual carriageway.  Consequently, our car does hard work up and down and round the bends - constantly accelerating and braking.

It may be that next week I'll be driving down to Helston and back.  Total mileage maybe 140+ miles and by far the majority of the drive will be on the A30 dual carriageway.  As this subject has raised its head again, I'll reset the trip meters and report back.

Mick.

[PeteB]

A significant difference will be the 0.24 CD (drag factor) of the Gen 4 Prius on 15" wheels (which at launch was one of the 5 best aerodynamic drag figures of any production car) Vs the Yaris at 0.29 - a massive difference.  Toyota spent millions shaving 0.01 off the CD figure from the 3ed Gen to 4th Gen Prius - just the wider tyres of models with 17" wheels puts 0.02 back on!

I've never seen an updated CD figure for the Yaris since they introduced the horrible (IMHO) whale-mouth grille in about 2013, which would surprise me if it didn't actually make it worse still.

That said, I can't talk with my RAV4's figure of 0.32, an absolute brick by comparison!

BTW, the Yaris has become lower to the ground since the 2011 model I once had, and according to the info released by Toyota about the next model, that will be even lower, so I'd be concerned if considering one if it might cause the same problems with my hips that forced me to swap out of the gen 4 Prius.  A neighbour who previously had a 2012 Auris booked a test drive in 2017 of the newer version, and found that was too low for him and he now drives a CH-R!

[flash22]

You have to drive the yaris slightly different to a Prius, unless you reset the mpg when you got in the car the number is a bit meaningless as it accounts for previous journeys - also was it in eco mode ? as that can make as much as 10-15 mpg difference, also having the ac on makes a difference too

 

There's lots of other variables too

Access wise the height adjustable seat makes the difference of it being too low, RiDC is a good guide https://www.ridc.org.uk/

[Catlover]

The Yaris's the wife and I had were 59 and 60 plate, and yes very easy to get in and out. I remember when I had my cancerous prostate removed in 2015 I was glad I had and easy car to get in and out when I came out of hospital.

What I didnt know of the Yaris loan car is how the 52.6mpg was achieved, was it the average since new, winter and summer combines, were the drivers driving it like I would - with economy in mind. From what Snowballs says, it seems 58-62 mpg would be very feasible, and thats not too bad.  I well know the Yaris hybrid Battery is smaller the Gen4 Prius, and body shape is not efficient as the Gen4.   Yaris diesels we had did about 63 on average, the Auris hybrid wife has (was mine) does 54-64 depending on season, Gen 3 Prius I had was between 55-66, and my current Gen4 does an average in winter of about 64 and summer about 74.

I not thinking of changing the Prius hopefully for a long time, as long as we can get out reasonably well no reason to change. Hopefully at least another 6 yars out of the Prius, by then Nissan Leaf latest generation will be going for decent prices and 240 miles available (from the extra large Battery Leafs). Who knows what else may be available,technology is moving at a fast rate and its wonderful to see and be part of.

[martswain]

My use of the Prius and Yaris was just about identical over the 2 years I had each of them and the Prius was around 15% more economical.

[Bernard Foy]

9 hours ago, Catlover said:

The Yaris's the wife and I had were 59 and 60 plate, and yes very easy to get in and out. I remember when I had my cancerous prostate removed in 2015 I was glad I had and easy car to get in and out when I came out of hospital.

What I didnt know of the Yaris loan car is how the 52.6mpg was achieved, was it the average since new, winter and summer combines, were the drivers driving it like I would - with economy in mind. From what Snowballs says, it seems 58-62 mpg would be very feasible, and thats not too bad.  I well know the Yaris hybrid battery is smaller the Gen4 Prius, and body shape is not efficient as the Gen4.   Yaris diesels we had did about 63 on average, the Auris hybrid wife has (was mine) does 54-64 depending on season, Gen 3 Prius I had was between 55-66, and my current Gen4 does an average in winter of about 64 and summer about 74.

I not thinking of changing the Prius hopefully for a long time, as long as we can get out reasonably well no reason to change. Hopefully at least another 6 yars out of the Prius, by then Nissan Leaf latest generation will be going for decent prices and 240 miles available (from the extra large battery Leafs). Who knows what else may be available,technology is moving at a fast rate and its wonderful to see and be part of.

My wife and I both Yaris hers a 1ltr petrol which I rarely drive. We are in the same age category as your good self. On my Yaris Hybrid I meticulously keep mpg records and being of a light foot I try every trick I know to get as many mpg as possible driving normally. Calculations are done on full tank to full tank basis using a calculator not the car computer figures.:

For the months of December, January, February, the average mpg = 45.1 mpg and for the months of June, July, August the average mpg 56.8 mpg. All figures were on short runs around town. The best mpg achieved was on a long 300 mile round trip was 64.9 mpg in the month of August, which didn’t include a motorway, just two lane A roads.

ps glad you made a full recovery from your op.

[Catlover]

Thanks Bernard for those fuel figures, very informative.  You did well on that 300 mile round trip.

re my prostate cancer. Five years on from the op and doing well. I urge all you men over 50 to have a PSA test done (a straight forward blood test), but then insist on a physical (finger up your bum) done by a specialist. Reason why I say this..... my PSA test showed negative but my GP said he wanted to do a physical. He sat me down after and said whilst he was not an expert, he didn’t like what he felt. Two days later I having another physical by an expert who said my doctor had done well to test me and make a referral. PSA test apparently is not always an accurate indication. I could easily have slipped through the net. As it was, the cancer had just started to break out of the prostate, and next step would be either into lymph nodes and/or to the bones - both very serious and potentially “lights out” for me.  Surgery was aggressive, lots of damage to nerve endings meaning I have to live with total bladder incontinence, controlled to some degree by a 2nd operation to put a “valve” into my body. But I am here, looking and feeling healthy, grateful my wife nagged at me to get checked out, and grateful to my GP was diligent to carry out a physical and to understand something was not right, and immediately refer me (typing on his computer whilst still talking to me).  So, you guys over 50, get yourselves checked out, forget the embarrassment, you soon get used to “Everyman and his dog” wanting to stick their finger up your bum!  I could go into detail telling about the female nurse in physio who on numerous occasions trying to stimulate my pelvic floor muscles, had to stick an electrode up where the sun doesn’t shine. She had control of the intensity and length of time the electrode was in operation - I was very careful not to upset her in any way, she was the boss......totally! 😂 

[Anthony Poli]

I had a loan 2016 while my Auris was in for a recall. The Yaris didn’t seem more more improved from the 2013 one we had at the time. Definitely made for city driving.


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[FROSTYBALLS]

1 hour ago, Anthony Poli said:

The Yaris didn’t seem more more improved from the 2013 one we had at the time.

Both the 3rd generation, so will be largely the same

[PeteB]

I also had a recent Yaris Hybrid loan car last week - a "Y20" spec, 69 plate with just 4,000 on the clock.

Plus, I once borrowed a 2012 T4 Yaris Hybrid and a 64 plate Excel Hybrid.

Assuming the car's computers averaged 5% optimistic as do (almost*) all other Toyotas where I've had the chance to do tank-to-tank calculations, they averaged 55½ and 61 mpg (corrected) respectively, and 58 in last week's.  Those values were achieved over 31 miles in the 2012, 75 in the 2015 and 61 in the latest, all gentle rural A roads and dual carriageways.  All were in ECO mode with A/C on.

This was inferior to what I would have expected on similar journeys in the gen 3 and 4 Prius I had from 2012 to 2019, and little better than the Gen one Prius I had from 2002 to 2011.  Obviously, the RAV4 Hybrid will struggle to match the Yaris, but there isn't that much in it - I did the same return journey from between my dealer and home last week and the RAV managed 50 mpg (reported), 49 (adjusted for 2% optimism).  Not bad when you consider the Yaris would nearly fit in the RAV's boot! (with rear seats down)

I'm not sure I would be unhappy doing long journeys in one if it was my only choice, and at least the centre display between the speedo and HSI can display digital speed most of the time, but only if I don't want something else there, like the Energy Monitor.  It seems the next model with have the partly graphic dash like the RAV4 and current Corolla, so there will be a choice of digital or analogue main speedo.

I must admit, when I first had a test drive in 2012 I'd just had a 2011 petrol Yaris for a year and the 3rd Gen Yaris was the biggest disappointment to me I can remember in any car.  Some of the cars I'd owned that were made in the 1960s were better for things like oddments space.  The first two generations of Yaris (I also once owned a 2000 model) had a number of USPs, including:

• astonishingly good digital instrument panel that used a mirror system to seem a long way away and it greatly reduced eye strain and fatigue on a long journey (whenever I showed it to people they always said "WOW!")
• masses of storage space with 2 or 3 generous gloveboxes, with under boot storage on the 2011
• sliding rear seat which gave either masses of rear legroom (with very good head room) or a generous boot or a compromise between the two - the 2011 allowed each part of the 60/40 split rear seat to slide separately (and recline separately) for fantastic flexibility (I once did a weekend break with four adults and their luggage and everyone has more than enough legroom).

The 2012 Yaris onwards had none of these, and the poorest interior oddments space I can recall seeing in any car ever.  The boot isn't bad, but the rear legroom is barely adequate and headroom terrible.  The rear roof-line is so low I struggle to get into the back at all, and can't sit upright.  I was perfectly comfortable in the back on earlier versions.  I hate analogue instruments having got used to digital since 2000.  Just driving the Yaris Hybrid was fine for me if I didn't need to carry rear passengers or keep my bits and pieces in it, but if they'd managed to put the Hybrid system into a 2011 spec car with all it's space and features that used to define the Yaris, I'd have one in a flash.

[* the exception has been my current 2019 RAV4 Hybrid, which has been averaging only 2% optimistic.]

[snowBALLs]

For a city car the Yaris hybrid is very good. Its adequate for the occasional motorway and rural long journeys.

Apart from the top trim or thereabout  which has bigger tyres, the lower trim has too small a tyre which makes the car body roll on corners. So changing to  bigger tyres is a must. 

If living in the rural areas with twisty roads and regular speed limit of 40-60mph or driving motorways regularly then this car would not be effective.

For a small automatic car it does a great job with fuel efficiency. 

[bathtub tom]

2 hours ago, snowBALLs said:

the lower trim has too small a tyre which makes the car body roll on corners.

Can you explain how the tyre size affects body roll please?

[snowBALLs]

Most Yaris hybrid came with narrow tyres and sidewall of 65. Not enough surface grip and a high sidewall makes the tyre flex during cornering.

Being a hybrid it has heavier front end due to the electric motor, this was a pretty bad combination with narrow tyres. I hated so much how it handles around corners until bigger tyres were put on. 

[Mike J.]

I actively went away from the low profile 16" alloys and found the 15" with higher sidewalls far better for comfort and no noticeable difference (to me) elsewhere. Using crappy tyres can affect handling far more than a profile change.

As regards weight, Parker's Guide shows that the hybrid is only 40 kg heavier than a 1.33 CVT - the hybrid's CVT (including integral electric motors) is very compact and probably weighs less than a 5 speed manual gearbox. With the extra weight (probably due to the under rear seat traction battery) near the rear wheels, the front/rear weight balance is probably best on the hybrid.  

[bathtub tom]

2 hours ago, snowBALLs said:

Most Yaris hybrid came with narrow tyres and sidewall of 65. Not enough surface grip and a high sidewall makes the tyre flex during cornering.

Being a hybrid it has heavier front end due to the electric motor, this was a pretty bad combination with narrow tyres. I hated so much how it handles around corners until bigger tyres were put on. 

Wouldn't a narrower tyre tyre reduce cornering ability, hence reduce body roll? The heavier weight of the transmission at the front would probably be counterbalanced by the traction Battery at the rear. I wonder if Toyota had thought of this and fitted harder springs to compensate?

[snowBALLs]

7 hours ago, Mike J. said:

I actively went away from the low profile 16" alloys and found the 15" with higher sidewalls far better for comfort and no noticeable difference (to me) elsewhere. Using crappy tyres can affect handling far more than a profile change.

As regards weight, Parker's Guide shows that the hybrid is only 40 kg heavier than a 1.33 CVT - the hybrid's CVT (including integral electric motors) is very compact and probably weighs less than a 5 speed manual gearbox. With the extra weight (probably due to the under rear seat traction battery) near the rear wheels, the front/rear weight balance is probably best on the hybrid.  

Did the width of the tyre remain the same? If it went 20mm less then u will notice a massive difference.

My came with Dunlop Sports bluResponse. 

7 hours ago, bathtub tom said:

Wouldn't a narrower tyre tyre reduce cornering ability, hence reduce body roll? The heavier weight of the transmission at the front would probably be counterbalanced by the traction battery at the rear. I wonder if Toyota had thought of this and fitted harder springs to compensate?

Nope it was horrid for me. Toyota put a narrow tyre on this hybrid due to wanting a higher MPG headline. As bigger tyres has more resistance, therefore a bit lower MPG. 

[Mike J.]

I moved to 175/65x15 on original 15" Yaris alloys from eBay. No noticeable difference other than a nicer ride - note driving was mainly urban. bluResponse are my tyres of choice. Note wet grip is better with narrower tyres as less rain to squeeze away, same for snow with winter tyres fitted - not that we get much snow in Suffolk.

[Mick F]

On 6/17/2020 at 8:58 AM, Mick F said:

It may be that next week I'll be driving down to Helston and back.  Total mileage maybe 140+ miles and by far the majority of the drive will be on the A30 dual carriageway.  As this subject has raised its head again, I'll reset the trip meters and report back.

Did the drive there and back yesterday.

63.2mpg overall home-to-home.

At Helston, I checked the "half-way" figure ant it was 65.4mpg.  Dunno why there's a difference because I was driving gently both ways at 62mph on the A30 in cruise control.  It could be something to do with the hill profiles.

Same subject ........ we used to have a Renault Clio 1.6 16v and that (if driven gently) could get 50mpg on the motorways.  We went up the A30/M5/M6 to Lancashire on and off over quite some years, and always managed 50mpg on the way north, but rarely above 45mpg on the way back .......... despite my best efforts.

I put it down to hill profiles, especially on the A30 from Exeter west as that was when the consumption suffered.

Mick.

[Konrad C]

I remember my experience of the loan Yaris Hybrid last year. I loved it! Got the mpg average up to show some crazy figure during my use.
 

 

[GreatOwner2]

camry is my favorite to tell you the truth

[Sampleman]

I think the main disadvantage of the Yaris Hybrid compared to other Toyota Hybrids is its small 1.5 liter engine. In order to power up the car this engine needs to rev up more often than the 1.8 liter engine of a Prius. All in all, a Yaris Hybrid is not a very silent car at speeds above 60 mph.

Nevertheless I love driving mine.


Best regards from Bavaria
Frank

[Vinylseats]

What sort of MPG do you get in the (previous model) 1.5 Yaris Hybrid on the motorway?