Toyota Yaris TR 1.33 VVT-i Multidrive S 5dr Car Review - March 2012

One of the biggest issues with the Yaris is that the ride is quite hard, and this means that things do get particularly uncomfortable on poor road surfaces. On the plus side, the turning circle is small and the steering is light and accurate, but even at higher speeds the steering remains light, meaning that the Yaris can feel a little too jerky to steer when you're on the motorway. The driving position is good offering plenty of adjustment for the steering wheel and the seat, but taller drivers may find that the seat doesn't adjust enough.

Engine performance for the 1.33 litre engine of the Yaris isn't bad at all considering that this is a car designed for city use, with the acceleration from 0-62mph taking 11.7 seconds. The top speed of 109mph is also ample for the vast majority of drivers, but especially when you are driving at speed there is a lot of wind noise and engine noise audible in the cabin.

The Yaris is a fairly attractive car, with the curved grille at the front that adds to the overall look of the car. The bulging wheel arches at the back and the sloping rear end enhance the car's aesthetics. Alloy wheels are included as standard with the car, which also help to improve the look of the vehicle. Inside the cabin the lack of buttons on the centre console can be quite disconcerting, although the touch screen system is very easy to use. One disappointing aspect is that the plastics do look and feel a little cheap, which lets down the interior.

The Yaris is supplied with a satellite navigation system and Bluetooth connectivity as standard which does integrate well with the touch screen entertainment system. Air conditioning is a welcome feature, while the CD stereo system also boasts an MP3 socket.

Although the back of the Yaris does have three seats, the middle one is not particularly practical as the centre console does take up some of the legroom. The boot is reasonably well sized, and when it comes to transporting larger items the seats fold flat to increase space. Toyota has an excellent reputation for reliability, and the Yaris is a fine example of this.

The safety features included with the Yaris are very good, with seven airbags that will look after driver and passenger in case of an accident, and there are also plenty of driver aids to keep the car out of the accident to start with. These features helped the car to achieve five stars in the Euro NCAP safety test.

With a list price of £14,710, this version of the Toyota Yaris is quite expensive for a small car, and many people will want to look at one of the cheaper options in the Yaris range.

Running costs aren't bad at all, with the Multidrive automatic engine able to deliver an average 55.4mpg. The low insurance group means that premiums should be fairly competitive, and the resale values of the Yaris are very good too. The excellent five year warranty is accompanied by a one year membership of the AA.