What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - Sam M

I do approx 20 miles per day, urban driving, would it be cost effective buying a Hybrid on finance, or just sticking with a small petrol car? Are there any grants available for this?

Thank you

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - daveyjp
You need to do a spreadsheet of costs of a Yaris petrol against a Yaris hybrid.

A used 19 reg hybrid is around £17,000, a 1.5 petrol around £13,000. Use HJ mpg figures to see if you will save enough money on fuel. 1.5 Petrol average is 49, hybrid 57.

We considered a Yaris hybrid last year, but the considerable extra price over the petrol steered us away. The hybrid is only available in a single very high specification, the petrol range has a very good entry level specification so is much cheaper.

We also preferred the manual over the CVT.

As far as I am aware there are no grants to buy hybrids.

Edited by daveyjp on 08/04/2019 at 10:15

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - John F
A used 19 reg hybrid is around £17,000, a 1.5 petrol around £13,000. Use HJ mpg figures to see if you will save enough money on fuel. 1.5 Petrol average is 49, hybrid 57.

Using those figures, for 7,000 miles a year the hybrid will save you 20 gallons of petrol, which at around £6 per gallon will save you the grand sum of £120 per annum, and £1200 over ten years, assuming no huge hikes in petrol price. People, especially low mileage drivers, just do not appreciate how insignificant such fuel savings are compared to depreciation costs - and to the enormous difference in the initial price.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - Auristocrat

There was a short period of time late last year, when Toyota GB ran out of stock of certain versions of the Yaris. However, supply has returned to normal levels and the hybrid is available on every trim level bar the GRMN.

Edited by Auristocrat on 08/04/2019 at 15:27

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - CHarkin

The question that's near impossible to answer is what the car will be worth in a few years time. Will the hybrid hold on to its extra value, will anyone even want a pure petrol car in five years time? The car business is going through a period of very rapid change. Get your crystal ball out.

I agree with John F the saving in fuel alone is not a big factor, particularly in a small car not doing that many miles.

Edited by CHarkin on 08/04/2019 at 11:01

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - Avant

Absolutely right, CHarkin. The answer is surely to accept that finance - although a vital factor in car buying - isn't the only one.

Go with the car you like to drive the most. To some extent the choice here is manual v. automatic - as a petrol automatic also adds to the cost over a petrol manual.

If you do decide on a pure petrol, you need the bigger engine in a Yaris. A good car either way.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - SLO76
The economics don’t stack up in favour of the hybrid. Stick with the cheaper less complex petrol model instead.
Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - daveyjp
I didn't check, but I also suspect the hybrid sacrifices a very useful spare wheel for batteries,
Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - monkeyboy55

The batteries are under the back seat but there is still enough headroom in the back. Boot space and spare wheel well is unaffected.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - Auristocrat

The only Toyota hybrid that doesn't have a spare wheel well is the Prius plug in. All the others either come with a space saver spare wheel as standard or can have a spacesaver spare fitted in lieu of the tyre repair kit.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - FiestaOwner
I didn't check, but I also suspect the hybrid sacrifices a very useful spare wheel for batteries,

Hi Daveyjp

I ordered a Yaris 1.5 petrol at the weekend. I looked at the Hybrid Yaris in the showroom and it did have a spacesaver. The batteries are under the back seat, which causes the seat cushion to sit higher (reducing headroom) and there is also a piece of trim below the rear seat base on the Hybrid (which sticks out slightly, reducing rear leg room.

Is there room for a full size spare wheel in yours?

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - kiss (keep it simple)

Since my retirement I have spent a lot of time walking to and from my allotment during the weekdays and at weekends. It's quite clear to me that many hybrid owners hardly use their cars, they just stay parked up from one day to the next. By contrast neighbouring drives are usually empty except at weekends. Either they are financially naive or have a big conscience.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - johnnyrev
Irrespective of costs, my wife now runs our Yaris Hybrid, and it is a very, very good car. It’s nearly six years old now and has been excellant. The road testers always complain about the whiney CVT, but in reality it’s smooth, quiet and makes for really relaxing driving, especially round town.

And in terms of cost, it is costly compared to a petrol hatchback, but compared to a diesel automatic (which would give similar mpg) costs are more comparable. Highly recommended!
Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - badbusdriver

We considered a Yaris hybrid last year, but the considerable extra price over the petrol steered us away. The hybrid is only available in a single very high specification, the petrol range has a very good entry level specification so is much cheaper.

This doesnt tally with the info on the Yaris review you will find on this website. According to it, the cheapest Yaris hybrid is £955 more than the cheapest 1.5. And, BTW, that hybrid is a spec lower than what is available on the 1.5. The 'Active', is only available as either a hybrid or the 1.0 petrol. Assuming you can live with the lower spec on the hybrid (not sure what the Active misses compared to the Icon), that doesn't seem too bad to me, especially given that the mpg benefits of the hybrid are going to be most noticeable in the kind of journeys the OP describes.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - daveyjp
I was comparing models from 2017 which is the model year we have.

The OP didn't state if they were looking at brand new, but needless to say the model range for 2019 is completely different to 2017! Hybrids are now available in more spec levels, but they are still £2500-3000 more expensive than equivalent petrol versions. I would avoid the 1.0 petrol. Mpg won't be much better than a 1.5 and it will be lacking in power.

The active spec is more than adequate, but misses out on cruise control, rear parking camera, DAB and a few other 'nice to haves'.

The spare on them is a skinny, but the wheel well is large enough for a full size wheel should you get a puncture and need to store it.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - FiestaOwner
I would avoid the 1.0 petrol. Mpg won't be much better than a 1.5 and it will be lacking in power. The active spec is more than adequate, but misses out on cruise control, rear parking camera, DAB and a few other 'nice to haves'.

That's pretty much what I thought too. Also they seemed to be doing better deals on the 1.5 than the 1.0

"The spare on them is a skinny, but the wheel well is large enough for a full size wheel should you get a puncture and need to store it."

Thanks for that. I'll consider a full size spare for mine, when I get it.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - Auristocrat

The hybrid is an e-CVT automatic. If one compares the price with the petrol CVT automatic the difference is around £1500.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - yokel38

20 miles per day is probably not enough to warrant a Hybrid, it would not be cost effective, for the simple reason that the HSD system will take 20-30 minutes to operate efficiently.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - mcb100
How does it take 20-30 minutes to operate efficiently?
Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - Auristocrat

I used to work on the edge of central Birmingham. My 6.5 mile commute (one way) could take anything from 30 to 60 minutes depending on severity of traffic. So 20 miles per day in an urban environment could easily take longer than 20-30 minutes each way.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - Vitesse6

I too would like to have the evidence behind the 20 - 30 minute claim. I have an Auris hybrid and it will go into electric mode at low speed after about 2 miles of downhill driving.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - badbusdriver

I was comparing models from 2017 which is the model year we have.

The OP didn't state if they were looking at brand new, but needless to say the model range for 2019 is completely different to 2017! Hybrids are now available in more spec levels, but they are still £2500-3000 more expensive than equivalent petrol versions. I would avoid the 1.0 petrol. Mpg won't be much better than a 1.5 and it will be lacking in power.

This is the list of Yaris hybrids available 'up to July 2017' (before the introduction of the non hybrid 1.5) according to this website. And i do remember seeing at least some of these on the Motability price list in early 2017, as i was spending a lot of time looking at it!. In the end, we plumped for the Jazz.

1.5 Hybrid Active CVT 5dr £15,815 85.6 mpg 11.8 s Details 1.5 Hybrid Design CVT 5dr £17,515 78.5 mpg - Details 1.5 Hybrid Design TSS CVT 5dr £17,915 78.5 mpg - Details 1.5 Hybrid Design W/Bt TSS CVT 5dr £18,710 78.5 mpg - Details 1.5 Hybrid Design White Bi-TONE CVT 5dr £18,310 85.6 mpg - Details 1.5 Hybrid Excel CVT 15in 5dr £18,315 85.6 mpg 11.8 s Details 1.5 Hybrid Excel TSS 15in CVT 5dr £18,715 85.6 mpg 11.8 s Details 1.5 Hybrid Icon CVT 5dr £17,015 85.6 mpg 11.8 s Details 1.5 Hybrid Icon TSS CVT 5dr £17,415 85.6 mpg 11.8 s Details 1.5 Hybrid Orange Edition CVT 5dr £18,465 78.5 mpg - Details 1.5 Hybrid Orange Edition TSS CVT 5dr £18,865 78.5 mpg - Details 1.5 Hybrid Sport CVT Auto 5dr £16,695 62.8 mpg 11.8 s Details 1.5 Hybrid Sport TSS CVT 5dr £17,095 62.8 mpg 11.8 s Details

But seeing as the OP is asking about a grant, wouldn't it be safe to assume he is looking at buying new?

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - Auristocrat

"we plumped for the Jazz"

According to today's Autocar, the next generation Jazz due out next year, will be hybrid only.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - badbusdriver

"we plumped for the Jazz"

According to today's Autocar, the next generation Jazz due out next year, will be hybrid only.

I'd be fine with a self charging hybrid, but a plug in wouldn't be convenient as we don't have a driveway.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - Sam M

Thank you, what made you go for the Jazz in the end?

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - yokel38

I work for Toyota, and it is stated on TGB's blog... The hybrid system will always be working, but no where near as efficiently as it could be until everything has 'warmed up', so to speak.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - nortones2

Yokel: Have looked at TGB, but couldn't find any reference to this point. Any clues? Can't imagine though why the hybrid would take any longer than any ICE to warm up.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - mcb100
There’s a battery, control unit, epicyclic gear set and a couple of motor/generators, utterly baffled as to why it takes time to ‘warm up’.
Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - CHarkin

Can't imagine though why the hybrid would take any longer than any ICE to warm up.

There is a possible theoretical reason why they could take longer to warm up. Toyota hybrids like most hybrids operate on the Atkinson cycle which uses clever valve timing that in effect gives a short compression stroke and a longer power stroke. This allows more of the heat to be turned into power, something like a 20% increase in efficiency. So there will be less wast heat generated.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - pyruse

Indeed - the Atkinson cycle gives Diesel like levels of thermal efficiency (at the cost of only running well at fixed RPM, which is fine for a hybrid), and just like a diesel, they take forever to get warm because of it.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - nortones2

Not in my experience. I find the Auris produces heat within a couple of miles, assuming free running, not sat in heavy traffic. My VAG diesels were a lot slower to warm up.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - badbusdriver

Thank you, what made you go for the Jazz in the end?

They are pretty closely matched, and actually it was the dimensions of the two cars that led them to being the 'finalists'. As we live on a narrow street, i wanted something as spacious as possible, but still being as narrow as possible, something tricky to find on modern cars which seem to be getting wider and wider!. BTW, the Yaris and Jazz are both just under 1.7m wide excluding mirrors. I didn't actually test drive the Yaris so i can't say how close they are on the road, but from what i have read, the Jazz is perhaps a little noisier and less refined, but is sportier and handles better. But it was the practicality that swung it for me, with the Jazz having a bigger boot and the 'magic' rear seats.

We have the 1.3 engine with the CVT transmission, and i have been hugely impressed by this. It is much quicker and more responsive than you might expect (though it does like, and need plenty of revs to move quickly), especially if you read anything about a CVT in pretty much any of the motoring press!. One of the few exceptions is this website, where the Yaris (which has the same type of transmission as the Jazz) is described as being one of the best small automatics available regardless of what type of transmission.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - bathtub tom

the Yaris and Jazz are both just under 1.7m wide excluding mirrors.

I find my Yaris has the biggest Dumbo ear door mirrors I've ever had, as witnessed by the scrapes down my garage door frame.

We have the 1.3 engine with the CVT transmission

Is that the straight auto, or the hybrid (which is actually a sort of epicyclic gearbox)?

Toyota Yaris Hybrid - Yaris Hybrid most cost effective Hybrid/Electric? - badbusdriver

the Yaris and Jazz are both just under 1.7m wide excluding mirrors.

I find my Yaris has the biggest Dumbo ear door mirrors I've ever had, as witnessed by the scrapes down my garage door frame.

We have the 1.3 engine with the CVT transmission

Is that the straight auto, or the hybrid (which is actually a sort of epicyclic gearbox)?

One of the other reasons the Jazz appealed (in keeping with the desire for narrowness) was the electric folding mirrors!, can't remember if the equivalent Yaris also had this.

We don't have a hybrid Jazz, just the n/a 1.3. Re the transmission, as far as i am aware, it is just a CVT. Though, like the (non-hybrid) Yaris, it has 7 'steps', or artificial ratio's to make it seem more like a normal auto, or DCT. I think the Yaris hybrid has the type of system you refer to, but as far as i am aware, the current shape Jazz (like ours), is not available as a hybrid.