Toyota Yaris 5 door Hatchback released

NEW ERA FOR TOYOTA YARIS HATCH

** Now exclusively a five-door model **

Toyota’s upgraded Yaris hatch will embark on a new era when it is released exclusively as a five-door model to Australian buyers in September.

The image released today reveals the upcoming hatch offers greater emotional appeal by sporting Toyota’s signature front-end design, which delivers a more contemporary “family look” evident in cars like the Corolla hatch and sedan.

Toyota Australia executive director sales and marketing Tony Cramb said the decision to develop the revised Yaris solely as a five-door model had been driven by customer demand.

“Five-door hatches have gained in popularity and now contribute close to 90 per cent of total sales in the light-car segment,” Mr Cramb said.

“Customers are telling our dealers they love the compact size of Yaris while also wanting the flexibility of having two extra doors,” he said.

“Easier access to the back seat is important for owners who regularly carry more than one passenger – particularly families with children.

“It also offers greater convenience for young singles, couples and empty nesters who are often joined by their friends.

“This strong customer preference has resulted in a significant shift in the market with three-door sales in this segment falling from around one-quarter of total demand in 2008 to single digits last year.

“During the same period, sales of five-door hatches have grown from two-thirds of total demand and now represent almost nine out of every 10 sales.”

The official Yaris images released today show the new hatch embraces Toyota’s contemporary “keen look” design language with a full-width upper grille that extends into new triangular headlamps.

It also incorporates a deeper front bumper with a large trapezoidal lower intake, which are key elements of Toyota’s “under priority” theme that is being introduced progressively across the range.

The upgrade also brings fresh wheel designs, revised rear styling including new tail lamps and a higher-quality interior with an available Toyota Link multimedia information system.

Yaris is the fourth highest selling Toyota passenger car ever sold in this country – after Corolla, Camry and Corona.

Cumulative sales in Australia have passed 181,000 in just eight-and-a-half years since the nameplate arrived in late 2005.

The new five-door Yaris hatch will be sold alongside the four-door sedan.