The New Toyota Yaris

Keen prices, low cost finance and peace of mind servicing

• On the road prices from £7,495 to £10,995
• Easy to understand pricing structure
• Low insurance group ratings
• Three & five door hatchback body styles in four trim grades
• Yaris ‘Easy Start’ finance scheme: drive Yaris for £199 per month
• Yaris ‘Easy Drive’: finance and servicing rolled in to one easy payment
• Yaris ‘Easy Care’: pre-paid worry-free servicing in one easy payment
• Class-leading value for money

Toyota has announced on the road prices and three peace of mind purchase and servicing schemes for its chic and spacious new small car the Yaris.

On-the-road prices for Yaris, which goes on sale in the UK on 8 April 1999, are:

• 1.0-litre 16v VVTi – 3 door S manual – £7,495
• 1.0-litre 16v VVTi – 3 door GS manual* – £8,495
• 1.0-litre 16v VVTi – 5 door GS manual – £8,995
• 1.0-litre 16v VVTi – 3 door GLS manual* – £9,495
• 1.0-litre 16v VVTi – 5 door GLS manual – £9,995
• 1.0-litre 16v VVTi – 5 door CDX manual* – £10,995

*models also available with the Toyota Free-Tronic 5-speed auto clutch system for £250 extra.

The UK pricing strategy for Yaris has been designed to be easy for the customer to understand with a simple scale increase between three and five door body styles of just £500. Similarly, the price increment between trim grades is also consistent at just £1000.

Three Yaris models are also offered with the £250 option of Toyota’s Free-Tronic auto clutch system. Free-Tronic does away with the need for a clutch pedal but allows the car to be driven like a conventional 5-speed manual car.

UK Range

Yaris will be sold in four derivatives in the UK. The range starts with the S model, followed in ascending price order by GS, GLS and topped by CDX. All these badges are long established designations for Toyota models in the UK.

All, save the S derivative, offer power-assisted steering, twin front airbags, and electronic front seatbelt pre-tensioners with force limiters. The ‘S’ has driver’s side airbag and seatbelt pre-tensioner.

A unique feature in cars of this size is the sliding rear seat that offers more flexibility between rear passenger legroom and luggage capacity. A turn-by-turn, satellite navigation system is an option on the majority of models.

Yaris has very low cost for repair parts and this is reflected in the very low insurance group ratings the car has received from Thatcham. All bar the CDX have a 2E rating and the CDX is 3E.

All Yaris come with a free three-year/60,000 mile warranty plus RAC breakdown recovery is included as part of the Club Toyota membership package. In addition, for Yaris owners, Toyota is including a three-year Eurocare mobility package that provides roadside rescue as well as accident management services throughout mainland Europe.

Brief Specification Highlights

The S will be available only as a three-door. It will have a driver’s airbag, sliding rear seat, tachometer, and radio cassette as standard equipment.

The next grade is the GS. This will be the biggest selling derivative, accounting for some 45% of Yaris sales. In addition to the standard equipment on the S, the GS adds a passenger airbag, power steering, central locking and electric front windows.

Next comes the GLS. The standard specification level is very full, offering great value for money. Over the GS, it offers remote locking, sunroof, body colour bumpers and electrically adjustable external door mirrors.

Top of the Yaris range is the CDX. Available only in the five-door body style, the CDX features many things usually only found on cars twice this size such as a CD player, air-conditioning and alloy wheels.

Better Value than the Competition

All four Yaris grades have equipment which make them better value pound-for-pound than the competition. Taking the specification adjusted value of Yaris when compared to competitor vehicles, Yaris shows a 1.8% to 16.4% price advantage over a host of competitors.

Yaris S

Starting with the S grade and comparing it with the Fiesta Encore and basic Clio the first thing to notice is that the one litre engine of Yaris is more powerful than the larger capacity units of its rivals. Secondly, the on-the-road price is at least £500 lower. The price gap widens when you add in the value of the standard equipment on Yaris that is not fitted to the others. Do that, and the Yaris undercuts the Ford by £850 and the Renault by over £1,200.

Yaris GS

Moving up, the GS is the grade expected to be the most popular. The number of competitors widens, but the story remains the same. Again Yaris offers the best performance and the best value for money. With a specification-adjusted price advantage of between 5 and 10 per cent, Yaris GS proves you can have more for less.

Yaris GLS

Next in the range is the GLS. Only the larger capacity Zetec Fiesta provides more power, but it pulls a lower spec and a higher price, as does the Corsa, 206 and Polo.

Yaris CDX

At the top of the range the Yaris CDX comes top on value. Against the best selling Fiesta and popular Polo the Yaris is 15 per cent less expensive.

Finally, and just to make the point about what good value the Yaris is, compared to cars from the class below: the Ka, the 106 and the Lupo. It offers more power and it goes without saying Yaris offers more interior room. But it also offers better value for money. Only the Peugeot has a lower on-the-road price, but it requires an additional £500 worth of equipment to match the S grade Yaris.

YARIS DRIVE PLANS

Toyota has developed a new range of finance and servicing schemes to help customers drive the Yaris they want. Branded the Yaris Drive Plans and clearly displayed to the customer at Toyota’s 229 dealerships, the plans are:

YARIS EASY START

Yaris Easy Start is a personal contract purchase scheme that offers the potential buyer an extremely low deposit from just one monthly payment in advance and a number of options at the end of the agreement.

With a low monthly payment and the opportunity to renew the car every two years, Yaris Easy Start is designed to appeal to the more youthful Yaris customer who has no car to trade in or only a small deposit to put down.

Example: 10,000 miles per year, 24 month agreement – Yaris S 3-door model

• On the road price: £7,495
• Deposit/initial payment: £199
• 23 monthly payments: £199
• Final Payment/guaranteed future value: £4,040
• Total amount payable: £8,911
• APR: 13.2%

After two years they can part exchange for another car, or buy the existing car outright by paying the final payment. Alternatively, subject to mileage and condition, they can return the car and walk away for a fixed £25 fee.

In short, just £199 down and two years of monthly payments of the same amount gets you behind the wheel of a new Yaris.

YARIS EASY DRIVE

Yaris Easy Drive is a worry free two or three year all inclusive vehicle purchase and servicing agreement. Easy Drive includes the cost of the car, a two or three year Toyota Servicing Plan and extended membership of Club Toyota* in the second or second and third years of ownership (depending on whether a two or three year Easy Drive agreement is signed). There is also an option to include two or three years insurance provided by Toyota Insurance. Costs for the S model on Yaris Easy Drive start from £209 per month.

*Club Toyota membership includes homestart, roadside assistance and vehicle recovery in the UK and Continental Europe together with a replacement loan vehicle service and onward transport support when required.

YARIS EASY CARE

Yaris Easy Care is a stand alone servicing plan for Yaris, which can be bought separately from the vehicle. For a one-off payment ranging in price from £140 for a two year plan to £220 for a three year plan, Easy Care covers major services, oil and oil filter changes and replacement parts meaning any unbudgeted surprises are catered for.

ENDS