Used Toyota Yaris for sale: everything you need to know
The Toyota Yaris is a popular small car that, in its latest guise, has been transformed. Always a worthy and super-dependable machine, the latest car also has a newfound sense of style, with an eye-catching, sporty profile and athletic detailing.
It is now, uniquely in the small car market, a pure hybrid line-up, with a clever petrol-electric system that doesn’t need to be plugged in and charged up. You’ll be surprised at how frequently it switches into EV mode, and how much this helps improve fuel consumption.
Rivals to the Toyota Yaris include the Skoda Fabia, the ever popular Ford Fiesta and the Vauxhall Corsa. However, unlike the Toyota Yaris, none are available as a hybrid.
Should you buy a Toyota Yaris?
The latest Toyota Yaris – launched in 2020 – has been really well received by supermini buyers, thanks chiefly to its standout styling. It has a swoopy profile, powerful haunches and a really dynamic appearance – so much so, it’s easy to mistake the core five-door for the ultra-specialist Toyota GR Yaris three-door. And that’s no bad thing at all.
The Toyota Yaris is one of the more compact superminis, measuring barely 4.0 metres long. This means it’s easy to park and agile in town. But clever design means it still has decent rear passenger space, and the seats are flexible too - a 286-litre boot may be a little behind the best in the sector, but it’s easy to flip them down and extend the space.
A standard hybrid drivetrain is a novelty. It sounds high-tech, with the 1.5-litre petrol engine paired with a CVT automatic gearbox, electric motor and ‘self-charging’ battery - but it’s really easy in practice. Simply press the accelerator and the car does the rest, switching the engine on and off accordingly.
And because the engine is off a surprising amount of time, real-world fuel economy generally proves to be excellent - and in-town refinement is premium-like when the engine is off, too. Of course, you don’t have to plug it in, either…
The Toyota Yaris is an appealing car to drive too, with good ride quality, composed handling and an upmarket feel. It is much more sophisticated than earlier models, something that’s reflected in a fun, high-quality interior that’s well equipped across the board. A recent new GR Sport trim grade only adds to the appeal, with an even sportier appearance outside and in.
Toyota really pushed the boat out in developing the latest Toyota Yaris. It has the same fun appearance as the 1999 original, plus a higher-quality interior than any Toyota Yaris before it. Toyota has also carefully engineered it to ensure the driving experience doesn't disappoint, either.
Being a pure hybrid helps set it apart in the supermini sector. And the setup really delivers in real-world driving too, with many owners reporting fantastic fuel economy without having to try too hard. It’s a great stepping stone for those looking to start the move to electric, but who aren’t yet able to go pure electric.
The Toyota Yaris is a great all-rounder with few weaknesses, which is reflected in its sheer popularity here in the UK. It’s a good car to buy indeed, and one definitely worth adding to your shortlist. Add in Toyota’s famed reliability, and the reassurance of the brand’s five-year warranty, and it’s definitely an easy car to recommend.
A Toyota Yaris not for you? We've got 1000s of used cars for sale to suit all budgets and needs.
What’s the best used Toyota Yaris model to buy?
All Toyota Yaris models are well equipped, but we'd dodge basic Icon trim and take one step up to a Design model which adds the digital dashboard and the larger eight-inch central touchscreen. The Toyota Yaris only comes with one engine – a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol that's a peach if you like making quiet progress and paying rock-bottom running costs.
Used Toyota Yaris fuel economy and performance
Toyota Yaris 1.5 VVT-i hybrid: The clever hybrid drivetrain in the Toyota Yaris pairs a high-efficiency 1.5-litre engine with an electric motor, CVT transmission and ‘self-charging’ battery. With 116PS, 0-62mph takes 9.7 seconds and it returns up to 68.8mpg - diesel-like economy from a petrol engine. CO2 emissions start from just 92g/km.
What used Toyota Yaris trims levels are available?
Toyota has honed the latest Toyota Yaris range down to four core grades - including the interesting GR Sport, a recent addition that’s been inspired by the brilliant Toyota GR Yaris hot hatch.
The Toyota Yaris Icon opens the range at a reasonable price point. It has core equipment essentials such as alloys and air con, plus a comprehensive suite of Toyota Safety Sense active safety tech.
The Toyota Yaris Design is, as its name suggests, a more visually alluring Toyota Yaris, with LED lights, smarter alloys and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system inside.
The Toyota Yaris Dynamic was introduced when the latest version of the car launched in 2020, but was soon phased out and replaced by the GR Sport. It sports 17-inch alloys, sports seats and part-synthetic-leather upholstery, as well as a JBL sound system.
The Toyota Yaris GR Sport is a more recent addition to the range. It has sporty styling outside and in, as a more accessible alternative to the super-high-performance Toyota GR Yaris hot hatch.
The Toyota Yaris Excel is the most indulgent Toyota Yaris with all the extras including premium upholstery, sat nav infotainment and dual zone climate control.
Used Toyota Yaris dimensions and boot size
The Toyota Yaris’s exterior dimensions are:
Length: 3940mm
Width: 1745mm
Height: 1500mm
Ground clearance: 150mm
The Toyota Yaris’s boot space is:
Used Toyota Yaris road tax
As all of the latest Toyota Yaris models are hybrids, you get a £10 discount off the annual flat rate of Vehicle Excise Duty. That means you'll pay £170 a year to tax it.
How much is to insure a Toyota Yaris?
Insurance groups are nice and straightforward for the Toyota Yaris. It may prove a little more expensive to insure than the supermini norm, but that’s because the only engine available is a high-tech 1.5-litre hybrid motor. Icon grade opens the range with a group 13 insurance rating. All the other models fall into group 14.
