The Toyota Yaris: 25 years of success

Driver Guides  General Guides 

What makes a car successful? That’s probably a bit of a trick question because it depends on your perspective. Nobody could argue that Ferrari has produced quite a few successful cars based on their exclusivity and sporting heritage. On the other hand, the VW Beetle had a slightly dubious start in life and has never been a champion but nonetheless there are millions of them still going strong all over the world. Both are undoubtedly successful, which must make the Toyota Yaris one of the best cars ever made.

As the car celebrates its 25th anniversary, the Toyota Yaris has managed to encompass every significant measure of success. From the fact Toyota has produced more than 10 million of them, to the constantly evolving development that has rightly taken the incredible GR Yaris to rally-icon status.

Way back in the mists of time – 1999, to be precise – Toyota started with a blank sheet of paper and the intention to create something exceptional. Clever design, modern engineering, new technology, and the highest possible standards combined to create the brand-new Toyota Yaris.

It was an instant hit, winning prestigious Car of the Year titles in both Europe (1999) and Japan (2000). In 2021, the fourth generation Yaris emulated the achievement of its predecessor by collecting another European Car of the Year honour.

And even after 25 years and four generations, the Yaris is still at the forefront of innovation in the small car segment.

In 1999, one of Yaris’s selling points was the fact it had a specially designed slot to store cassette tapes. For those of a certain age, you’ll appreciate just how brilliant an idea that was. Today the Yaris features smartphone integration, USB ports and DAB reception.

In a remarkable piece of forward-thinking, the original Toyota Yaris offered satellite navigation as an option. Today’s Yaris boasts cloud-based navigation as part of an extensive multimedia package that also includes a voice agent, touchscreen control and fully digital driver’s instrument display.

Back then, it was a big plus point for a small hatch to provide both driver and passenger airbags as standard, and ABS braking was most definitely an optional extra. Today, the latest Toyota Safety Sense systems detect and warn of a wide range of accident risks and will activate steering, braking and power assistance to help avoid an impact.



The Yaris made one of the most significant leaps forward for the small car market with the introduction of a full hybrid version in 2012. The ground-breaking technology was accommodated without compromising the car’s surprisingly spacious interior, whilst also improving fuel economy and emissions performance to unprecedented levels. The current Yaris is now an all-hybrid model with a choice of two power outputs.

Just for comparison, the original Yaris came with a 1.0-litre, 68bhp petrol engine and took a whopping 14 seconds to hit 60mph. Today, you get a 1.5-litre hybrid with almost double the power (up to 129bhp) and a sub-10 second sprint. Not only is it faster and more powerful, but the current Yaris is also roomier, more comfortable, more practical, more economical, and much better equipped.

Yaris - it’s grown over time

It's fair to say the Toyota Yaris has grown with each successive generation to keep it at the top of the pile for performance, practicality, and driver appeal.

That evolution continues into the current generation that has seen the Yaris range extend into a versatile and practical SUV in the form of the Yaris Cross, alongside an authentic rally-bred performance hatchback with all-wheel drive and up to 276bhp in the shape of the highly acclaimed GR Yaris.

The Yaris range is now firmly established as a best-seller at the heart of Toyota’s European model range. At the same time as it has become more sophisticated and versatile, the Yaris has remained true to its essence as a clever and adaptable car that’s ideally suited to the demands of everyday driving.

Lease yourself a Yaris today and you’ll get the benefit of safety, driver assistance, performance, and technology that was way beyond the dreams of the team that worked on the original all those years ago.

---

View our latest blog posts