URBAN DESIGN
The Toyota Yaris is the Car of the Year 2021. The car won first place in the prestigious international award with 266 points. Second place went to the Fiat New 500 with 240 points and third place to the Cupra Formentor with 239 points.
The new Toyota Yaris has been designed to meet the increasing challenges of everyday urban life. Today’s compact car customers are amongst Europe’s most demanding and they typically undertake their busy lives in congested urban environments that present them with ever-increasing challenges. The new Yaris’ exterior design concept is defined as ‘Condensed and Agile’- always ready to move and enjoy. Its ‘condensed’ dimensions set it apart in a market segment where new cars have typically grown larger with each successive iteration.
Instead, Toyota has reduced Yaris’ overall length by 5 mm, but at the same time increased its wheelbase by 50 mm, ensuring the car is agile and manoeuvrable in city driving and parking, while keeping interior space and also delivering a comfortable interior – the essence of its “big-small” character. The GA-B platform has enabled a 40 mm reduction in the overall height, but headroom has not been compromised as the driver and passengers sit lower. The frontal design focuses on the large grille and the central Toyota emblem. By pulling the base of the A-pillar rearwards and increasing the bonnet length, the designers have added to the dynamic look. The new lights feature LED technology and include turn indicators that alternate with the daytime running lights.
The exterior styling amplifies the effect of the condensed proportions with strong character lines down the side of the car that project a sense of forward motion. Powerful front and rear wings add to the overall taut, coherent look and, together with the sculpted door panels, project a sense of agility and the car’s ‘ready-to-go’ character. The interior design follows a ‘less-is-more’ principle, creating an open and spacious area for the driver and front passenger. High-quality materials include an innovative felt trim finish for the door panels and, for the first time in a Yaris, a soft-touch instrument panel to deliver a warmer cabin ambience. Throughout, sensory quality has been a key focus point, in terms of the touch, operation and sound of the controls, colours, illumination, shapes, patterns, graphics and overall appearance.
