The 2021 Toyota Yaris Hatchback offered two families of engine: a pair of conventional three-cylinder gasoline units and a 1.5-liter gasoline-electric hybrid that Toyota positioned as the technical centerpiece of the fourth-generation XP210 car. The engine range was shared with the Japanese-market Yaris, though individual European countries chose which versions to import. This article sets out the verified specifications, the transmission choices and the measured performance and fuel-economy figures for the hybrid.
The Engine Range
Three powertrains were cataloged for the XP210 Yaris. The smallest was a 996 cc three-cylinder, coded 1KR-FE, producing about 69 horsepower in Japan and 72 horsepower in Europe. Above it sat a 1,490 cc three-cylinder, coded M15A-FKS, making roughly 121 horsepower in European specification. The third was the hybrid, which paired a 1,490 cc Atkinson-cycle three-cylinder, coded M15A-FXE, with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. All three are naturally aspirated; there is no turbocharged version in the standard range.
Specifications at a Glance
| Version | 1.0L I3 | 1.5L I3 | 1.5L hybrid |
| Engine code | 1KR-FE | M15A-FKS | M15A-FXE |
| Displacement | 996 cc | 1,490 cc | 1,490 cc |
| Power | about 69-72 hp | about 121 hp | 91-93 hp (engine); 116 hp combined |
| Torque | 92-93 Nm | 153 Nm | 120 Nm (engine); 141 Nm (front motor) |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual or CVT | 6-speed manual or CVT | eCVT |
The Hybrid System in Detail
The hybrid is a self-charging full hybrid derived from Toyota’s fourth-generation hybrid system. The gasoline engine develops 67 to 68 kW, or roughly 91 to 93 horsepower, and is assisted by a front-mounted 1NM alternating-current synchronous motor rated at 59 kW. Combined system output is 85 kW, or 116 horsepower, with 120 Nm of engine torque at 3,600 to 4,800 rpm. A 177.6-volt lithium-ion battery stores energy, and the car cannot be plugged in; the battery is charged by the engine and by regenerative braking.
Transmissions and Drivetrains
The conventional 1.0-liter car used a five-speed manual or a CVT, while the 1.5-liter gasoline model used a six-speed manual or the K120 CVT with a physical first gear. The hybrid used an electronically controlled CVT, or eCVT. Front-wheel drive was standard. In Japan, all-wheel drive was offered on 1.5-liter cars, and the hybrid could be specified with the E-Four electric all-wheel-drive system, which adds a small rear motor rated at 3.9 kW and 52 Nm.
Performance and Fuel Economy
In European trim the hybrid reached 62 mph (100 km/h) in about 9.7 seconds and topped out at roughly 109 mph, according to the British road test reproduced by Eurekar. On the WLTP cycle that test car returned about 65.6 mpg combined with carbon-dioxide emissions of 98 g/km. Toyota’s own figures for lighter hybrid versions reached around 68.8 mpg and 92 g/km, so real-world economy depends heavily on trim, wheel size and driving conditions. The conventional 1.0-liter and 1.5-liter cars were slower and less efficient than the hybrid; the hybrid is the version most buyers associate with the XP210.
The Hybrid Battery and Electric Motor
The hybrid model stores energy in a 177.6-volt lithium-ion battery rather than the nickel-metal-hydride packs used by earlier Toyotas. The front motor, coded 1NM, is an alternating-current synchronous unit rated at 59 kW and 141 Nm, and it drives through a power-split eCVT that blends engine and electric power. The car is self-charging: there is no plug, and the battery is filled by the engine and by regenerative braking. Toyota says the car can run on electricity alone for a significant share of low-speed urban driving, with the engine restarting when more power or charge is needed.
How the Engines Compared
The three engines served different buyers. The 1.0-liter three-cylinder was the cheapest and least powerful, aimed at buyers who prioritized price over pace. The 1.5-liter gasoline unit sat in the middle, offering more power and the option of a manual gearbox. The hybrid was the most expensive but also the most economical, and in several European markets it was the only engine Toyota offered at all. Because the standard range is naturally aspirated, none of the three carries a turbocharger; that setup is reserved for the separate GR Yaris.
Later Updates to the Same Engines
Toyota did not leave the engine line-up unchanged. In Europe, from 30 May 2023, it added a more powerful hybrid badged Hybrid 130, with combined output raised to 96 kW, or 130 PS, and a stronger front motor making 62 kW and 185 Nm. The original unit was subsequently renamed Hybrid 115. The GR Yaris, meanwhile, uses an unrelated 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, coded G16E-GTS, and should not be confused with the 1.5-liter engines described here.
Fuel Economy Across the Range
Official figures favored the hybrid. A European Yaris Hybrid road-tested by Eurekar returned about 65.6 mpg on the WLTP combined cycle with 98 g/km of carbon dioxide, and Toyota’s figures for lighter hybrid grades dipped to 92 g/km. The 1.0-liter three-cylinder was economical for a gasoline engine but slow, and the 1.5-liter gasoline unit traded some economy for more power. Because the hybrid carries a battery and electric motor it weighs more than the gasoline cars, but its efficiency advantage in town is the reason it formed the bulk of European sales.
What the Specifications Mean
The headline number for the XP210 hybrid is 116 horsepower from a 1.5-liter three-cylinder and an electric motor, with acceleration to 62 mph in about 9.7 seconds. That places it in the ordinary rather than the sporty part of the supermini class, and Toyota tuned it for smoothness and economy rather than pace. Buyers who wanted performance were directed to the separate GR Yaris, which uses a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine and all-wheel drive.
