2017 Toyota Yaris Puts Big Safety in a Small Car with Standard Toyota Safety Sense-C

•Newly available Ruby Flare Pearl for a custom look

•Nine airbags, including front-passenger seat cushion airbags

•Unexpected amenities in a quiet, roomy cabin

•Sophisticated European design with bold color choices

The 2017 Toyota Yaris is a small car with very big news. The brand's least expensive model, the Yaris for 2017 is also the brand's latest vehicle to come standard with Toyota Safety Sense™ C (TSS-C), a trio of driver assist technologies that help drivers get from point 'A' to point 'B' with safety assurance. Yaris offers both three-door and five-door body styles.

Toyota Safety Sense™ C is designed to help address three key areas of driver assistance: preventing or mitigating frontal collisions, helping keep drivers within their lane, and to help enhance road safety during nighttime driving. Technologies include Toyota's Pre-Collision System, Lane Departure Alert and Automatic High Beams. Yaris is the first entry subcompact in the segment to standardize these key safety features across all grades.

Toyota had announced at the 2016 New York International Auto Show that it would make Toyota Safety Sense standard on nearly all models by the end of 2017. That will put Toyota (and Lexus) four years ahead of the model-year 2022 industry target announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

That's the serious side of Yaris for 2017. On the fun side, this European-designed model will offer a vibrant new color, Ruby Flare Pearl, a premium paint imbued with large metallic flakes. For the total custom look, this color will also be available in combination with a Black Sand Pearl roof.

Euro Look, Euro Agility

If the Yaris looks like one of those intriguing, fun European compacts you wish they'd offer in the U.S., that's because it is. Yaris emerged from Toyota's ED2 design studio in the South of France, and Toyota also assembles the Yaris in France. Stretching just 155.5 inches from bumper to bumper, the Yaris can scoot through urban landscapes with ease, aided by a class-leading 31.5-ft. turning circle (three-door model).

With its ultra-short overhangs and wheels pushed out to the corners, the Yaris offers a very roomy cabin. The five-door model offers up to 15.6 cu. ft. of carrying space (15.3 for three-door) behind the rear seats, about the size of a midsize sedan's trunk. There's significantly more carrying room with the 60/40 rear seatbacks lowered.

Quietude with Attitude

The Yaris gets its solid road feel from a rigid body structure that also forms the foundation for a quiet ride. The chiseled bodylines are designed for aerodynamic goodness, with the car's 0.30 coefficient of drag (Cd) and even specially shaped side mirrors helping to reduce drag and wind noise.

To further keep noise at bay, the Yaris uses an acoustic glass windshield, and foam-type sound insulation material injected into hollow structural spaces helps in blocking outside noise. Rocker panel protectors, asphalt sheets for the floor panel and silencers for the floor tunnel help cut road noise.

The Yaris rides on front MacPherson-strut and rear torsion-beam suspension systems, with the SE grade getting its own special sport tuning and larger wheels for a more agile feel. The Yaris SE rolls on very sporty 16-inch alloy wheels with P195/50R16 tires; all other models have 15-inch wheels (steel with wheel covers on L and alloy on LE). On all Yaris models, you'll never need to check messy hydraulic power steering fluid, because there isn't any. Instead, the Yaris uses sport-tuned electric power steering, which also helps contribute to better fuel efficiency.

Low Cost Scoot

Yaris makes saving on fuel costs fun with a smooth-revving 1.5-liter, 16-valve, four-cylinder DOHC engine. With 106 hp at 6,000 rpm and 103 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,200 rpm, it's an eager performer. And, thanks to variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i), the engine produces a broad torque curve to give the Yaris great responsiveness in everyday driving.

For those who still like to row their own gears, the Yaris L three-door and SE are available with a slick-shifting five-speed manual transmission, featuring an easy-effort hydraulic clutch. A four-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission is available and is standard on LE. EPA estimated city/highway/combined mpg with a manual transmission is 30/37/33 MPG and 30/36/32 MPG for models equipped with the automatic.

Toyota Quality at Every Touch

The feeling of solidity and quality carries through to the Yaris cabin, where high-quality soft-touch materials convey a 'class above' look and feel. Quality lives in the details, too. For example, a glovebox damper lets the compartment open with a smoothness seen on luxury models. Dual extendable sun visors with vanity mirrors are a convenience some entry cars leave out. The LE and SE grades feature bright trim around the instrument gauges and shifter bezel.

The instrument gauge cluster looks sporty and offers lots of functionality. Below the large speedometer, an LCD multi-information display includes functions for odometer, trip meter, clock, outside temperature, fuel economy and average speed. Plenty of storage compartments, including numerous small pockets around the driver's seat, can keep digital devices and other personal items out of sight.

Toyota Value in Every Grade

The Yaris three- and five-door models come in L and LE grades, and five-door also offers the sporty SE grade. The mono-spec trims eliminate option packages, and in the Toyota tradition, standard equipment is comprehensive. The Yaris L starts with air conditioning, sport-tuned electric power steering, three-spoke tilt steering wheel, power door locks with illuminated entry, cargo area cover and lamp, power windows with driver's side auto up/down, and color-keyed folding outside mirrors. The LE adds the convenience of power mirrors, cruise control, steering wheel audio controls and a remote keyless entry system with engine immobilizer.

In all Yaris models, the standard Entune Audio system includes a 6.1-inch touch screen, an AM/FM CD player with MP3/WMA playback capability, six speakers, HD Radio™ with iTunes® Tagging, auxiliary audio jack, USB port with iPod® connectivity and control, hands-free phone capability, voice recognition, and music streaming via Bluetooth® wireless technology. A navigation system is an available port- or dealer-installed option.

Also in the Toyota tradition, the 2017 Yaris features details that the owner appreciates more and more as the years go by. Take the wide-sweeping single windshield wiper design, for example. Its innovative wet-arm washer system sprays washer fluid from the base of the wiper arm directly into the blade's path for improved cleaning. And, all Yaris models come standard with a rear window wiper. There's even a feature that automatically turns off any interior lights after 20 minutes if the ignition is switched off to help prevent a dead battery.

Yaris SE: Looking Sporty, Driving Sporty

The SE grade delivers an extra dose of fun on the daily commute, thanks to sport-tuned suspension, machined spoke 16-inch alloy wheels with 195/50R16 tires and four-wheel disc brakes. The black front grille with a piano black accent, rear spoiler, rear diffuser, black exterior trim, black headlight trim and LED daytime running lights give the SE a distinctly sporty attitude. Cabin comfort moves up in the SE with all the LE interior upgrades plus leather-trimmed tilt shift lever and three-spoke steering wheel, piano black interior trim accents and contrasting white stitching on the seats.

Big Safety, and Nine Airbags

Protection in a collision in the 2017 Yaris starts with an impact-absorbing body structure that makes wide use of high-tensile strength steel to help absorb and distribute collision forces. All Yaris models come equipped with nine SRS airbags, including: •Driver and front-passenger dual-stage airbags

•Driver and front-passenger seat side airbags

•Front-passenger seat cushion airbag

•Side curtain shield airbags

•Driver's knee airbag

The Advanced Whiplash Injury-Lessening (WIL) front-seat structure helps to ensure that the region from the head to the lower back is supported, helping to reduce whiplash-type injuries during certain types of rear end collisions.

Like all Toyota vehicles, the 2017 Yaris features the Star Safety System™, which includes: •Vehicle Stability Control (VSC)

•Traction Control (TRAC)

•Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

•Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist

•Smart Stop Technology (Toyota's brake-override system)

Toyota Safety Sense-C (TSS-C)

The Toyota Safety Sense-C system, standard in the 2017 Yaris, combines a trio of advanced safety technologies.

Pre-collision System (PCS), which operates at vehicle speeds of approximately 7 to 85 mph, is designed to detect a vehicle ahead using a camera and laser beam. If PCS determines there is a possibility of a collision, it uses audio and visual alerts to prompt the driver to take evasive action and brake.

If the driver notices the hazard and applies the brakes, PCS may provide additional braking force using Brake Assist. If the driver does not brake in a set time, and PCS determines that the possibility of a frontal collision with another vehicle is extremely high, the system may automatically apply the brakes, reducing speed by up to 19 mph under certain conditions to help the driver reduce the impact and in certain cases avoid a collision.

Lane Departure Alert (LDA) is designed to use a camera to detect visible white and yellow lane markings in front of the vehicle and the vehicle's position on the road. If LDA determines that the vehicle is starting to unintentionally deviate from its lane, the system alerts the driver with an audio and visual alert.

Automatic High Beam (AHB), at speeds above approximately 25 mph, is designed to use an in-vehicle camera to help detect the headlights of oncoming vehicles and taillights of vehicles traveling ahead, automatically switching between high and low beams as appropriate.

Toyota Quality, Warranty and Care

Toyota's 36-month/36,000 mile basic new-car warranty applies to all components other than normal wear and maintenance items. Additional 60-month warranties cover the powertrain for 60,000 miles and against corrosion with no mileage limitation.

The Yaris also comes standard with Toyota Care, a complimentary plan covering normal factory-scheduled maintenance and 24-hour roadside assistance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first.

by Toyota

Seeking car enthusiasts that wanted more style and innovation, the Yaris was popular with buyers who also wanted an economical and practical small car. Introduced in 1999 the Toyota Yaris was a huge sensation. Well built, economical and fun to drive, the Yaris was considered to be a great value for the price. A new compact car from Toyota, the Yaris is available in two-door hatchback form and 4-door sedans. According to the manufacturer, the Yaris offers very good fuel mileage, up to forty miles per gallon.

The baby of the Toyota range, the Toyota Yaris has been tagged as the ‘Clever Car'. Economical with its 1.3 liter engine, the Yaris utilizes the same engine as the Scion xA and xB. Toyota was aiming for the older customer base rather than the youth-oriented xA model. While the youth was focused on the Scion with their disposable income on dealer customization options, thrifty consumers concerned about gas price's of today will buy the economical Yaris.

The Yaris has a lighter curbside weight in comparison to the Scion xA

Designed by Sotiris Kovos, the Toyota Vitz, Toyota Yaris liftback and the Toyota Echo hatchbacks are all models of a small subcompact vehicle originally launched by Toyota in 1999. The Vitz is a 3 and 5 door hatchback automobile that is sold in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa as the Yaris. In Canada, the US, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia and Canada the vehicle is known as the Echo hatchback up until 2005.

Assembled in Toyota City, Japan, the Toyota Yaris debuted in Europe in early 1999. Following the launch of the European Yaris hatchback a slightly updated version was introduced in Canada for the 2005 model year as the Echo hatchback. The Toyota Echo that was released in the U.S. was the sedan model only. In 2000 the Toyota Yaris was voted as European Car of the Year, beating the impressive Fiat Multipla.

Rather than utilizing conventional instruments, both the Echo and Yaris hatchbacks used digital instruments mounted in a ‘pod' located in the center of the dashboard. Both the Yaris T Sport and the Canadian Echo hatchback had a conventional speedometer that was mounted in the center of the dashboard.

Originally available with gasoline-powered 4-cylinder 1.0 L or 1.3 L engines with Toyota's VVT-I technology, the European Yaris came with the ‘warm hatch' 1.5 L T Sport that followed in 2001. In 2003 the Yaris underwent a facelift that featured the 1.4 L D4-D diesel engine that offered 75 hp. This same diesel engine was licensed to BMW for use in their MINI One D model. Still maintaining low fuel consumption and emissions, the engine management systems gave the equivalent of 1.4 liter performance from a 1.0 liter engine.

The European Yaris T-Sport; the Japanese Vitz RS 3-door hatchback debuted in 2001 powered b y a 1.5 L engine. With a sportier suspension along with extra power compared to the 1.3 L model, the 1.5 L T Sport was considered to be ‘more fun to drive' than the base models. Fitted with a turbo-charger, the Vitz RS was eventually modified by TRD, Toyota Racing Developments. With a power output of almost 120 kW, a limited run was produced and 1-60 was achieved in only seven seconds.

Looking almost identical to the European Yaris, the Echo was very popular in Canada, a place where smaller vehicles are much more popular that in the U.S. The 3 and 5-door hatchback models were introduced in 2004 to the Canadian Toyota lineup due to the extremely high sales. Larger bumpers were added to meet Canadian safety requirements.

Introduced late in the year 1999, the Echo was introduced in Australia and was also very popular. The Echo was produced to replace the Starlet, and was sold as either a 3 or 5 door hatchback and was available with only the 1.31 VVT-I engine. Available for a limited time in Australia was an Echo Sportivo variant that was fitted with the 1.51 VVT-I engine. The European Yaris T-Sport and the Sportivo were very similar.

In 2000 the Yaris Verso debuted. An exciting and interesting addition to the range, the Verso utilized the same running gear as the hatchback, but featured a more practical interior. The model was sold as the ‘Fun Cargo' in Japan. In 2004 the Verso was replaced by the Ractis.

Early on in 2005, the Vitz was redesigned by Toyota and went on sale immediately in Japan. By the end of 2005 the second generation Vitz was released to the European, Canadian, Mexican, Australian and Puerto Rican markets. The vehicle was sold as the ‘Yaris' for the first time in both the North American and Australian markets. On January of 2006 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the USA 2007 Toyota Yaris was introduced for the first time. To this day the Yaris continues to be a popular sell in Europe, especially Britain. The Yaris is produced in Japan, Thailand and France.

The 3-cylinder engine was replaced with the 4-cylinder 1.0 VVT-i engine that is also found in the Toyota Aygo and Daihatsu Sirion. Offering a bit more power, the 1.4 D-4D received a 15 PS boost to 90 PS. Nine airbags were offered for the first time in a car of its class.

Utilizing the Toyota NZ engine, the Canadian Yaris hatchback is featured in both 3 and 5-door models and features a 1.5 L 4-cylinder VVT-i engine that is rated at 106 hp an 103 ft·lbf of torque. Rated at 40 miles per gallon; highway and 34 mpg; city, the '06 Yaris with the 1.5 liter engine is quite impressive. 14 inch wheels came on the 3-door CE and 5-door LE versions and the RS models are equipped with 15-inch alloys with standard anti-lock braking system and Electronic Brake force Distribution.

Sharing much with the Canadian model, the US Yaris comes standard with the 1.5 liter VVT-i engine and five speed manual transmission while the four speed automatic ECT is optional. The 3-door Vitz shares the Yaris name with the Toyota Belta sedan. The ‘Yaris Liftback' name is used on the 3-door model while the 5-door model is not sold in the U.S. The Scion xD is too similar to the 5-door and thus makes it ridiculous to compete. Optional ABS and optional side and head airbags are available on the US model. All-weather guard packages are offered in the US models rather that the CE, LE and RS packages for the Canadian hatchback

Debuting at the Geneva Motor Show, the Toyota Yaris T-Sport was unveiled in 2007 and was powered by the new 130 bhp 1.8 2ZR-FE DOHC L dual VVT-i I4 petrol engine, which reached 100 km/h in less than 10 seconds. 17 inch alloy wheels, a newly redesigned bumper at the rear, a tail spoiler, deep side skirts and a mesh grille at the front were featured on the T-Sport.

by Jessican Donaldson