B-segment buzz: Toyota is now accepting orders for the Yaris facelift
2020 has its share of downers, but it's a year to remember for the Malaysian B-segment with the back-to-back arrivals of the fourth-generation Honda City and Nissan Almera Turbo, plus the segment overlap posed by the headline-grabbing Proton X50 that's priced right within their ballparks. As if three new cars in the span of three weeks isn't impressive enough, Toyota has wedged itself right in the middle of all the commotion with a facelifted Toyota Yaris – surprising given that the current-generation hatchback was just launched last April.
On the surface, the most obvious changes are up front, with a new pair of futuristic LED headlights and a redesigned bumper "reminiscent of the all-new Corolla and flagship Camry", which certainly looks much tidier than the old front shell shared with the Vios. The 'triple bezel' light clusters also feature a follow-me-home function and are standard across the range.
Speaking of the range, the Toyota Yaris will continue to be sold in Malaysia in three trim lines, namely the Yaris J, E and G.
The Toyota Safety Sense package (presumably reserved for the Yaris G) add features like pre-collision system and lane departure alert to the Yaris's existing repertoire of safety features, which includes VSC, traction control, blind spot monitors and rear cross traffic alert among others. The added convenience of a 360-degree panoramic view monitor and Apple CarPlay continue to be part of the hatchback's respectable list of kit. There's even a wireless charger in the mix now.
While the updated Toyota Yaris has yet to be officially launched in Malaysia, UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT) has released estimated prices for its revised B-segment hatchback. The base Toyota Yaris J will is expected to get the ball rolling at RM71,688 while the more competently equipped Yaris E and G are expected to cost RM80,591 and RM85,587 respectively. These prices take the 2020 sales tax exemption into account and include a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.
Toyota Yaris facelift in Malaysia
