Toyota Europe Reveals Facelifted Yaris Subcompact
Toyota has just released first official photos of their new 2014 Toyota Yaris, facelifted especially for the European market. It was just about a month ago that Toyota Europe teased the new Yaris with a futuristic digital rendering, and we’re happy to say that the production version (pictured below) looks even better than the preview.
Let’s get this out of the way upfront: as of right now, this makeover is exclusively for the European market. A slightly more refined version will make it into the JDM Vitz, but this is a European car. You can’t blame Toyota for focusing on that market; the European compact segment is a nut they’ve wanted to crack for years now. The Yaris has done a good job so far, but this makeover looks to take it to the next level.
As you can see, a lot of this makeover has to do with the front clip and Toyota’s new “Keen Look & Under Priority” design concept. That means that this Yaris looks a lot like the new Aygo city car; it has the same cross-shaped bumper design with a visual separation between the hood and grille. You’ll also notice new door moldings and you can choose between four different 15- and 16-inch alloys. Meanwhile in the back, the new Yaris features a redesigned bumper complete with a diffuser, a sculpted license plate garnish, and new LED taillight clusters.
Like any true makeover, the Toyota Yaris also gets a much more refined interior to go with its cleaner and more modern exterior. Toyota says that the inside of the new Yaris features “some important modifications aimed at improving driving pleasure and onboard comfort.” Later on in the press release, they revealed that most of the interior changes are in the materials used. But the makeover also includes more color options, more and better technology, and a more comfortable drive.
Speaking of driveability, Toyota has done some major tinkering with the suspension to make the new 2014 Yaris feel stronger on the road. They’ve also improved the soundproofing throughout the body to make those superior driving dynamics translate into even more interior comfort and fun.
The only thing that hasn’t changed in the newly facelifted Yaris is the powertrain. Toyota will continue to offer the same two petrol engines (1.0L & 1.33L) along with a 1.4L D-4D diesel or hybrid. However, the smallest of the three engines, the 1.0L petrol, has seen some major improvements to lower CO2 emissions down to 99g/km.
The Yaris as Part of Toyota’s Global Vision
In addition to the news of Toyota Europe’s facelifted Yaris, Toyota also announced that this new vehicle marks the start of a new vision for how Toyota develops new vehicles on an international scale. The strategy has been in the works since 2011 when Toyota president Akio Toyoda announced his Global Vision initiative which aims to meet global needs through regionalization.
Sound like a bunch of corporate talk?
Well, it is. But the basic point is that under Toyota’s Global Vision strategy, different regions will take on unique responsibilities for researching and developing new cars. For example, Toyota Europe will now take the leading role in planning compact cars. Why? Because those cars are the most relevant to their demographic. We can expect to see this trend of regionalized development continue as Toyota continues to grow in both size and market share.
Finally, you might say. After all, Japanese brands have struggled for years in Europe for being, basically, dull. With EU designers and engineers finally being given more control over their local product, expect to see more style and improved dynamics rather than Japanese corporate blah.
