The Toyota Yaris is reportedly being updated in Japan, with newer technology and possible price increases.
Japanese website Creative trend Hybrid versions of the Yaris – a rival to the Mazda 2 and Suzuki Swift – have reportedly been updated in Japan with a 10.5-inch center touchscreen now standard, a feature that has been offered in European-market Yarises since 2024.
Both the Yaris and Yaris Cross SUV spinoff currently sold in Australia feature an 8.0-inch center screen as standard, while previous Japanese models used a 7.0-inch display.
Other changes for the Yaris Hybrid in Japan – which are not yet visible on Toyota Japan’s public website and are said to be announced on February 20 – are said to include an electronic parking brake with automatic hill start function; Current Australian models use a traditional handbrake lever, with hill start assist fitted to all models.
Toyota Australia has not confirmed any changes for the current generation Yaris. However, the last local update came in May 2025 when the hatchback received improved safety technology.
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This update follows the Yaris range becoming hybrid-only in Australia in 2024, with the exception of the performance flagship GR Yaris, which received an optional aero package locally late last year.
The majority of Toyota’s local car and crossover SUV lineup also became fully hybridized in 2024, including the best-selling RAV4 SUV.
That left just a handful of models, including the popular HiLux ute, the LandCruiser range and the Gazoo Racing (GR) high-performance cars, which were available with non-hybrid powertrains.
The current Australian Yaris Hybrid range starts with the Ascent Sport at $28,990 before on-road costs and rises to $32,390 for the mid-range SX and $34,590 for the flagship ZR, also before on-road costs.
The Japanese upgrades will therefore be accompanied by price increases Creativetrendbetween ¥200,000 and ¥300,000 ($A1875 to $A2813).
The report also claims that there are no changes to the 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol hybrid powertrain or the continuously variable transmission (CVT).
In Australia, the Yaris Hybrid achieves peak power of 85kW and 141Nm, combined fuel consumption of 3.3L/100km and is offered exclusively with front-wheel drive.
A more powerful hybrid powertrain will be offered for the European-market Yaris Cross – which also launched locally in 2024 with only hybrid power – but has not been confirmed for Australian versions of the SUV or the Yaris Hybrid slant.
A new Mustard exterior color will also be available, while Coral Crystal Shine – currently not available in Australia – will be dropped in Japan.
Other changes in the Japanese market include black mirror caps, already standard on the Australian Yaris Hybrid SX and ZR models, while the two-tone paint option remains exclusive to the flagship model in both markets.
Despite a 23.8 per cent sales increase in 2025, the Yaris remains a relatively small model for Toyota Australia, with 2810 sales for the year. This figure was surpassed by key rivals such as the MG 3 (8,350 sales), Mazda 2 (4,346) and Suzuki Swift (3,446).
Sales of city-sized hatchbacks have continued to decline in recent years, falling another 5.0 percent in 2025. The Yaris was also outsold by its SUV spin-off, the Yaris Cross, nearly four to one with 10,928 sales.
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