Toyota Yaris TR 1.4 D-4D 3dr Car Review - February 2012

The 1.4 diesel engine is the best available in the range although it's hardly what you'd call a barnstormer. The Yaris tops out at 109mph and 0-62mph takes 10.8 seconds.

The manual six speed gearbox can be hard work and takes a lot of gear changing at high revs to get up to a decent speed. The ride can be firm at times and hard or bumpy roads can prove to be rather uncomfortable.

The handling is also unresponsive at times. When compared to some of the sportier cars in its class it certainly comes up short. The diesel engine can be rather loud which adds to the discount feel of the performance and handling.

The styling on the Yaris TR 1.4 D-4D is certainly a lot better than most cars in its class. The smooth lines and aerodynamic design are in sharp contrast to some boxy models available at a similar price such as the Hyundai or Nissan offerings.

One of the best features on the Yaris TR 1.4 D-4D is the touch screen display. The reduced number of buttons on the dashboard means the interior feels roomier and less cluttered. For a little extra the display incorporates a rear parking camera, as well as sat-nav and Bluetooth connectivity.

There is also a wide range of features available as standard including air conditioning, power steering and front electric windows. The standard entertainment package includes Bluetooth connectivity and CD player as standard.

For such a small car the Yaris TR 1.4 D-4D packs in a lot of safety features. It has an impressive total of seven airbags as standard on all models. Stability control also comes as standard along with an improved braking system.

Although it is small the Yaris scored highly in the Euro NCAP crash tests, scoring five stars for safety. Many of the safety features come as standard, including ABS, traction control and a brake assist system.

For a car of its size The Yaris TR 1.4 D-4D is surprisingly roomy. There is enough space for four adults, although taller back seat passengers may find it slightly uncomfortable on longer trips. The boot is also comparable to other superminis.

As you might expect from a small car, the Yaris TR 1.4 D-4D is very cheap to run, managing an impressive 72mpg on the combined cycle, and low CO2 emissions which ensure it falls under VED band B.

Toyota provides a better warranty than its rivals. The Yaris comes with a five year 100,000 mile warranty. But with Toyota’s reputation for reliability means that customers are unlikely to often require it.

It is worth pointing out that the five door version of the Yaris is actually cheaper. It is slightly more expensive to run and falls into a higher road tax bracket.