2020 Toyota Yaris Hatchback completes the Mazda merge
Now, the entire Yaris lineup is Mazda-derived.
The 2020 Toyota Yaris Hatchback is here at the 2019 New York Auto Show. But before you start asking why it looks like a Mazda, or before you start asking any question really, we'll need to take a trip down memory lane first.
In 2015, Toyota's now-defunct Scion brand launched the iA sedan, essentially a rebadged version of the Mazda2 sold in other markets. It was pretty good -- Mazda bones make for fun cars, after all -- and following Scion's demise, became the Toyota Yaris iA sedan. The weird Scion-ese nomenclature was jettisoned two years ago, and now, Toyota's dropping the formerly dumpy Yaris Hatchback in favor of another Mazda-made mini.
So, 2020 Yaris Hatch. It's a Mazda2 hatch. Got it?
The interior? Pure Mazda.
Toyota will offer the Yaris Hatchback in LE and XLE grades, with standard 16-inch alloy wheels, push-button start and foglights. XLE models add a few more niceties, including leatherette seats, automatic climate control, rain-sensing wipers and LED headlights.
The Yaris also gets a 7-inch infotainment screen with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along for the ride. Toyota says the Yaris' infotainment system is navigation-ready, too -- customers just have to buy an accessory SD card at a Toyota dealer to activate this software.
Power comes from a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated inline-four engine, making a 106 horsepower. That won't exactly make for blistering performance, but the Yaris Hatchback should be relatively lightweight, and decently fun to toss around. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission available.
Following its debut at the New York Auto Show , the 2020 Toyota Yaris Hatchback will hit dealerships later this year. And hey, the five-door Yaris will finally look like its four-door counterpart again.
