Test: The 130-horsepower Toyota Yaris hybrid has an extra boost
The Toyota Yaris Hybrid is now available in two hybrid versions, and you get extra power on overtaking and on the highway. Unfortunately, the price level is high because the level of equipment is too high.
The Toyota Yaris hybrid is now no longer one car, but two cars. It's not as complicated as it sounds: the Yaris Hybrid has been updated and now has the Hybrid 115 (very confusingly, it has 116 horsepower) and the enhanced Hybrid 130 (yes, it has 130 horsepower).
But the situation with the Yaris hybrid is still a bit complicated. If you think it's cheap to get extra power in a Yaris hybrid, you don't know about Toyota; More muscle usually means a higher level of gear, and adding 14 horsepower in this way ends up costing an additional 61,000 DKK, which looks completely black.
However, this is only half the story. Large differences in standard equipment can also erode price differences, but whether they are suitable or not, the price difference can be significant. Is the markup reasonable? The Yaris Hybrid 130 in Neptune blue showed me if it makes sense to spend extra money.
Has the Yaris undergone a real facelift?
If with a facelift you hinted at some noticeable and very noticeable differences, then no. Toyota has done a lot of detailing, with the more powerful hybrid version and the new infotainment system being two things worth the most column space.
The latest Yaris, launched in 2020, features a sleeker design, a new platform, and significant advancements in handling. As far as I know, the design for 2024 is still vibrant and modern.
Some customers don't care 100% about how Yaris looks. Understandably, they feature an extremely efficient hybrid powertrain with extremely low consumption, long-lasting durability, good service and a good repair shop – and a 10-year service-activated warranty.
The Yaris Hybrid is the most popular hybrid car in Denmark. Overall, hybrids have the highest sales and are still doing well, although there are now quite a few large EVs in the same price range.
What gives the Yaris Hybrid 130 extra power?
I was very skeptical when it was advertised that its motor performance had increased by five percent. Five percent more equals nothing. I don't think 14 horsepower is likely to make any real difference.
Meeeeen maximum torque has also been increased by 30%. The 185 Nm of torque of the new Yaris Hybrid 130 is more confident than the 141 Nm of torque of the existing Yaris Hybrid 116. If it can stop a loud-talking 1.5-litre petrol engine from driving, I'll use every Newton-meter to bargain. Along the High Revolution.
Even Little is right on this point, and if I'm not mistaken, there's a noticeable, audible change in the Yaris hybrid. In Toyota's hybrids, the key is to have enough power to reach the speed you want, and then you (and the drivetrain) can relax. In the base hybrid, my patience was too long. In the Hybrid 130 I get to my destination more easily, and I manage not to get impatient, and I manage not to be bothered by noise and vibrations.
In fact, the Yaris Hybrid 130 is much faster, and I don't lack power even on the highway. It's a big deal that the power output and noise levels of the Toyota hybrid come together so perfectly.
A note about the noise level is the addition of the so-called acoustic windshield, which is only available for the 130 powertrain and only for the two trim levels, Executive and Prestige. It's standard, and there's no way to compare it to a Yaris hybrid without an extra soundproof windshield, and I can't tell if it helps make an impact.
However, the extra power in the new hybrid version does not provide higher consumption. The average fuel consumption of a small hybrid is up to 26.3 km/l, while the average fuel consumption of a newer and more powerful hybrid is up to 23.8 km/l. You can go for it with power, although this is less necessary than the Hybrid 116, and the car stubbornly stays above 20 km/l. With at least 50% of cars driving on highways, it is often difficult for hybrid cars to reduce fuel consumption.
What are the driving characteristics of the Yaris Hybrid 130?
Prior to 2020, the Toyota Yaris Hybrid was a true A-to-B car that was as fun to drive as a flat-blown bike. The old Yaris has an old feel, two generations behind the SEAT Ibiza or Renault Clio.
In fact, I had a little fun driving the Yaris hybrid. The new Hybrid 130 is 30-116 kg heavier than the Hybrid 30, but both are light and born on a platform with very consistent driving characteristics. The steering is good, the grip is absolutely perfect, and the weight balance is good. With the extra power of the test car, the light and narrow Yaris could easily navigate my favorite corners.
The Yaris Hybrid 130 comes with 17-inch automatic wheels, whereas the Yaris Hybrid 116 comes with either 15-inch or 16-inch wheels. I don't remember the previous Yaris test car with 16-inch wheels and the suspension was unpainted and stiff, so all I could see here was definitely 17-inch wheels.
I can feel the good platform through the wheels, which provides a lot of torsional stability, which makes the body, chassis and chassis feel like they are one and not have a lot of different parts. Unfortunately, the wheels then vibrated and looked for many defects in the surface in the Yaris. It's hard to argue that the suspension is capable of maintaining flexibility in a number of specific situations.
Is there something wrong with the interior?
The infotainment system is new, which is a very big upgrade. It's fair to say that Toyota has the latest system with modern menus, higher-resolution screens, and better responsiveness.
There is a difference between the screen size and what is hidden in the system, with only the Hybrid 130 variant having a large 10.5-inch screen with web-based services seen in the test car. The hybrid 116 version and the petrol version (1.5 hp, 125 hp) have a 9-inch screen, remote control without air conditioning and online navigation.
The JBL sound system is equipped with a large infotainment system (standard on the Premier Edition version), which is a truly enjoyable sound system for the size of the car.
There are three types of gauges, and their pictures are roughly the same as those of the infotainment system. The basic version of the Active has a traditional gauge with a small 4.2-inch display. The Style version also has traditional instruments but has a larger 7-inch display. Only the Executive, Premier Edition, and GR Sport (all Hybrid 130 variants) come with a fully digital gauge with a 12.3-inch screen. Even though there are many small symbols and messages, it is a clear and beautiful solution.
Many messages again extend the active safety system. Toyota Safety Assured 3.0 contains active safety and assistants. The Intersection Assistant prevents you from crashing into a turning car at an intersection, and if you don't feel well and don't respond to the car's commands, the driver monitoring feature with an emergency stop stops the car.
What hasn't changed is the narrow back seat of the Yaris. There isn't enough room for adults there, so I wouldn't recommend excursions for more than three adults.
Does the new hybrid version of the 130 hp make sense?
I don't have a Yaris Hybrid 116 model with a familiar hybrid powertrain yet to make a direct comparison with the new Yaris Hybrid 130. Compared to my experience with the base hybrid, the stronger hybrid is a stronger upgrade than I expected. It's differentiated, and it's obvious (and audible).
Toyota estimates that one-fifth of all Yaris cars sold in Denmark are the new Hybrid 130. The 125 hp petrol version (i.e. without the electric version) accounts for 10 percent, and the last 70 percent is the Hybrid 130.
In terms of the price difference between the Hybrid 116 and Hybrid 130, the stronger of the two has a higher percentage. The additional price of DKK 61,000 is very, very high for a mini car in its class. There are no directly comparable variants of equipment between the two hybrids; The Yaris Hybrid 130 has a higher starting level than the best-equipped Yaris Hybrid 116.
The cheapest Yaris Hybrid 116 is attractively priced at DKK 233,990, and it comes with active equipment with halogen headlights, 15-inch alloy wheels, rain sensors, automatic climate control, and a heated leather steering wheel. The Style version with LED headlights and 16-inch alloy wheels is only slightly more expensive at DKK 244,990, DKK 12,000 with the comfort package (front and rear parking sensors, power folding mirrors and keyless operation) and DKK 5,000 with the technology package (requires a comfort package with ambient lighting and wireless smartphone charging) at DZK 261,990.
To board this 130-horsepower hybrid, the Executive version has an entry price of at least DKK 294,990 and has all the gear for the Style and two kits. The test car was the Premier Edition, priced at DKK 324,990, while the GR Sport dominated the car at DKK 341,990.
The Yaris Hybrid 130 with Executive equipment is priced at DKK 294,990, which is not unreasonable, but still well above the 116 hp hybrid. If anything, a good compromise is the Yaris Hybrid 130 with Style equipment, which costs around DKK 265,000. The extra price for extra power is 20-21,000 DKK - good extra power, but without a lot of equipment, you can easily do without it.
specification
Toyota Yaris Hybrid 130 Premium Edition
Engine: R3, 1,490 cm3 + electricity
功率： 130 hp/185 Nm
0-100 km/h： 9.2 秒
最高时速： 175 km/h
油耗： 23.3 km/l
CO2 emissions: 96 g/km
Measurements: 394/175/ 150 cm
Curb weight: 1,180 kg
Towing weight: 450 kg
Trunk volume: 286 litres