By the 2019 model year the Toyota Yaris had split into two distinct cars depending on the market. In the United States and Canada, the Yaris was a restyled Mazda2 built by Mazda. In Europe, Australia and much of the rest of the world, it was Toyota’s own XP130 hatchback, assembled in France. Both shared the Yaris name but almost nothing else.
The North American 2019 Yaris
Toyota’s North American Yaris began life as the Scion iA, a Mazda2 sedan that Mazda built in Salamanca, Mexico. When Toyota retired the Scion brand, the car became the Yaris iA for the 2017 model year and then simply the Yaris sedan for 2019, gaining a revised grille. For 2019 it came in L, LE and XLE grades. A Mazda-built Yaris hatchback joined the range at the 2019 New York auto show and went on sale in the United States in October 2019 as a 2020 model.
Before that, Toyota’s own Yaris had been the XP130 Liftback, a Toyota-designed car sold in North America from 2012. Toyota never introduced a 2019 model-year XP130 Liftback; it continued selling the 2018 car into January 2019 and then discontinued it, leaving the Mazda-based sedan as the only Yaris on sale for much of the year.
The XP130 Yaris Elsewhere
In Europe, Australia and other markets, the Yaris of the late 2010s was the third-generation XP130, derived from the Japanese-market Vitz. Left-hand-drive European cars were assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing France in Onnaing. That model was replaced by the fourth-generation Yaris (XP210) in 2020, which moved to a new platform and added a three-cylinder hybrid.
Engine and Performance
| Engine | Output | Torque | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L I4 (North America, Mazda2-based) | 106 hp @ 6,000 rpm | 103 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm | 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic |
The North American Yaris used a 1.5-liter four-cylinder producing 106 hp and 103 lb-ft of torque, driving the front wheels. The EPA rated the automatic at 32 mpg city, 40 highway and 35 combined, and the manual at 30/39/34. Because the car was Mazda-based, its engine and chassis were unrelated to the Toyota-designed Yaris sold elsewhere.
Dimensions and Practicality
The 2019 Yaris sedan measured 171.2 inches long, 66.7 inches wide and 58.5 inches tall, with a 101.2-inch wheelbase. Cargo space was 13.5 cubic feet, ground clearance 5.5 inches, and the car seated five. The Mazda-based hatchback that followed offered slightly more cargo room because of its taller tailgate.
Safety and Equipment
Toyota fitted the Yaris sedan with a low-speed pre-collision system as standard, one of the few subcompacts of its time to do so. Higher trims added a 7-inch touchscreen, a backup camera, automatic climate control, heated mirrors and LED headlights on the XLE. The sedan carried a starting MSRP of $15,600 for the L, $16,600 for the LE and $18,700 for the XLE.
Trims and Competition
The Yaris competed in the subcompact class against the Nissan Versa sedan, Ford Fiesta sedan, Honda Fit and Kia Rio. Its main strengths were a low price, a standard automatic emergency braking system and Mazda-derived driving manners; its main weakness was a small back seat and limited cargo space compared with some rivals. Toyota offered the car with either a manual or an automatic transmission in the lower trims.
The End of the Mazda-Based Yaris
The Mazda2-based Yaris was short-lived. Both the sedan and hatchback were discontinued in the United States in June 2020, with Toyota citing new regulations and slow sales, and Canadian sales ended later that year. In other markets the Yaris continued on the Toyota-designed XP130 and then XP210 platforms. For related coverage, see the 2019 Toyota Avanza Philippines Review and the 2019 Toyota Mirai Interior Design and Review.
A Model With Three Identities
In 2019 the Yaris name covered three unrelated cars around the world. In Europe and most other markets it was the Toyota-designed XP130, offered as a three-door or five-door hatchback with a range of small gasoline engines and, in some markets, a hybrid. In parts of Asia and Latin America a larger XP150 sedan was sold as the Yaris or Yaris Sedan. In the United States and Canada it was the Mazda-built car described above. Buyers researching a used Yaris should check which of these cars they are looking at, because parts, dimensions and specifications differ between them.
Fuel Economy and Running Costs
The Mazda-based Yaris was one of the most economical subcompacts on sale in North America. The EPA rated the automatic at 35 mpg combined and the manual at 34 mpg combined, figures that placed it near the top of its class. Passenger volume was 86 cubic feet on the sedan, with 13.5 cubic feet of luggage space behind the rear seats. The hatchback that joined the range for the 2020 model year offered slightly more cargo capacity thanks to its taller roofline.
Safety Ratings
The Yaris sedan came with a standard low-speed pre-collision system, a rarity in the subcompact class, and Toyota fitted a backup camera and a full set of airbags across the range. Higher trims added a 7-inch touchscreen with smartphone integration, automatic climate control and LED headlights. Its small size and light weight made it easy to maneuver and park, although rear-seat space and refinement trailed larger compact cars such as the Corolla.
