Toyota Yaris Engine and Performance
The Yaris comes with a single engine option in India. The 1.5 litre four-cylinder petrol motor makes 107 horsepower and 140 Nm of torque. Toyota is not offering a diesel in the Yaris while all its rivals have the option of an oil burner. Transmission options include a six speed manual and a 7 step CVT automatic that our test car came equipped with. Performance is average at best and this is not a car for the enthusiast. Low end grunt is good with mid range being just about adequate. The engine feels strained and gets noisy once you start crossing the 3500 rpm mark. Drive with a light foot and the Yaris will keep you happy with its no nonsense nature. Cruising at 100 120 kph hovering around the 2000 rpm mark is a piece of cake. Acceleration is very linear and before you ask, yes the rubber band effect of the CVT box exists. But the gearbox is smooth when you drive with light throttle inputs. Gears can also be shifted manually via the paddle shifters that come only on the VX trim.
The Yaris gets McPherson struts at the front and torsion beam set up at the rear. Ride quality is good and another reason for that is the 15 inch wheel and 185/60 profile tyres. The Yaris just eats up the rough patches on the road and even potholes don’t make their presence felt inside the cabin. High speed stability is also excellent and the car feels very planted. The electric power steering has good balance but feel could have been better. The Yaris feels confident going into corners and body roll is well controlled too. Toyota offers all round disc brakes on the V and VX trim levels. Braking is excellent and confidence inspiring.
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