How much difference does 198cc make? That's the question this week's Toyota Yaris 1.3 was called on to answer.
Toyota expects many buyers of the newest generation of its small car will be drawn to the well-equipped 1.5-litre version, sold with four-speed automatic for only $27,490.
This was the model to drive at its launch a couple of months back and it turned out to be a reasonably lively performer, tapping into 80kW of power and 141Nm of torque at 4200rpm. The 1.3 drops to 63kW and 121Nm at 4400rpm, but has a weight advantage of around 40kg. The five-speed manual tips the scales between 990kg and 1025kg, depending on equipment. The weight advantage narrows on the version with automatic transmission.
Skip to the results and the 1.3 manual's performance is neck-and-neck with the 1.5 auto - plus it's a more engaging car to drive, if that's your thing. A short drive of a 1.3 auto showed the toll the automatic takes on the smaller engine. It's far from hobbled, but the edge has gone; Driven reckons if you want a Yaris and must have an auto, the 1.5 is a better option.
You don't even save fuel with the 1.3 automatic; its overall rating of 6.3 litres per 100km is identical to the 1.5's. The 1.3 manual consumes 5.7 litres per 100km overall, but its urban fuel consumption is a litre per 100km better than either its automatic equivalent or the 1.5. That's an important figure, given the runabout nature of Yaris. On the pricelist, there's a $3700 saving for those who choose the 1.3 manual over a 1.5.
