Toyota Australia upgrades safety on Yaris

SYDNEY: Toyota Australia has upgraded its small Yaris hatchback with a range of driver assistance technologies, designed to improve safety.

All models of the five-door Yaris hatchback are powered by a 85kW 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain.

All three Ascent Sport, SX and ZR grades gain a low-speed acoustic vehicle alert system that warns other road users and pedestrians when the vehicle might be moving using electric power.

The entry-level Ascent Sport grade now also features parking support brake that automatically applies braking when reversing if a crossing vehicle, object or pedestrian is detected and there is a risk of a collision.

To further improve the model’s environmental impact, all grades of the Yaris hatch now use R1234yf refrigerant for the climate control system, while the SX gains larger 16-inch alloy wheels that are shared with the top-of-the-range ZR version.