Skip advert
Advertisement

Toyota Yaris Hybrid 2017 review

The Toyota Yaris Hybrid is the easiest car to drive in the updated range, but it comes at a price

Overall Auto Express rating

3.0

How we review cars
Avg. savings
£1,806 off RRP*
Find your Toyota Yaris
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

The Yaris Hybrid is a one of a kind in its class, as it’s the only supermini with a hybrid powertrain. If you don’t want to take the plunge on a full electric car, the Yaris could be a good bet. It’s quiet, easy to drive and has a smooth ride. However once you’ve escaped the traffic it’s fairly dull to drive, and the plasticky interior doesn’t match the premium price point.

Advertisement - Article continues below

A set of updates for the Toyota Yaris range has improved the normal petrol versions of the Japanese supermini, especially as the new 1.5-litre version is easier to drive than its 1.3-litre predecessor. 

The Yaris Hybrid is also part of the round of updates, and it also happens to be the easiest car of the lot to drive - though you’ll pay for the privilege. While the standard car starts at £12,495, the Hybrid costs from £15,995 in the same entry-level Active trim.

Still, the economy numbers speak for themselves, and while we’re not sure how they will translate to real-world driving, you can’t really be disappointed with 78.5mpg and emissions of 82g/km.

Some owners will also be tempted by the fact that the Hybrid model is the only Yaris that’s fitted with an automatic gearbox - although be aware that it is a CVT 'box, which is unpleasant unless you’re driving in a very sedate way. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

Yaris

2025 Toyota

Yaris

21,679 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £16,354
View Yaris
Yaris

2024 Toyota

Yaris

5,646 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £19,446
View Yaris
Yaris

2024 Toyota

Yaris

23,788 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £16,875
View Yaris
Yaris

2025 Toyota

Yaris

33,839 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £15,471
View Yaris

• Best hybrid cars on the market

Put your foot down and the engine revs up - and with 0-62mph taking 11.8 seconds it’s not even a brief moment of noise. At least the electric motor means that performance at low speed, for instance in traffic, is pretty good.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Toyota has made more changes to the Hybrid than any other model, with extra sound-deadening and updates for the chassis to improve the ride and handling. Toyota says that’s because customers are coming from more premium products and expect more of the Hybrid than other Yaris models.

While the flat, straight test route we were sent on meant it was hard to test the new model fully, the Hybrid does, in fact, feel better set-up than the standard car, rolling less in the few corners we encountered while still feeling comfortable and composed. 

Anyone coming over from a premium competitor, perhaps from an Audi A1 1.6 TDI S tronic, which costs around the same as our £19,845 Bi-Tone model, will find that while the ride and handling of the two cars is reasonably close, the interior of the Toyota feels incredibly dated in comparison.

Best superminis on sale right now

The hard-wearing, scratchy plastics you’ll find in the Yaris, as well as the sparse design of the dashboard, don’t feel premium at all. It’s all well built, and seems like it will last, but it’s hard to shake the feeling that you’re in an older car than you actually are.

In particular, the seven-inch infotainment screen looks ancient and is pretty unresponsive, despite having all the features you’d want: sat-nav, DAB radio and even Wi-Fi. 

For driving in town, the Yaris is quiet and easy to manoeuvre, partly because the CVT 'box isn’t intrusive and at low speed the car runs on electric power only. It’s certainly much more relaxing than its diesel rivals around town, unless you get hot under the collar looking at that dated interior.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Toyota Yaris

Toyota Yaris

RRP £22,555Avg. savings £1,806 off RRP*Used from £10,200
Mazda 2 Hybrid

Mazda 2 Hybrid

RRP £24,280Avg. savings £1,062 off RRP*Used from £15,350
Mazda 2

Mazda 2

RRP £16,505Used from £10,564
Honda Jazz

Honda Jazz

RRP £22,005Avg. savings £2,185 off RRP*Used from £12,900
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k
Kia PV5 Passenger - show front

New Kia PV5 Passenger MPV undercuts the VW ID.Buzz by a huge £25k

New entry into the electric people carrier market undercuts the VW ID. Buzz by a significant margin
News
29 Apr 2025
Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price
BMW X7 - front

Car Deal of the Day: BMW’s ultimate luxury SUV at an unusually low price

German firm’s flagship SUV could never be called cheap but it is exceptional value at £735 a month – making it our Deal of the Day for Sunday 27 April
News
27 Apr 2025
New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645
Kia PV5 Cargo on display at Commercial Vehicle Show - front 3/4

New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645

All-new entry into the van market promises competitive pricing and comes with a range of up to 247 miles
News
30 Apr 2025