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Toyota Yaris 2018 review

Hatchback Hybrid

Toyota Yaris 2018 — front three-quarter view

Overview

The 2018 Toyota Yaris is the XP130 facelift — revised at Geneva in 2017 with sharper styling, an improved 1.5 hybrid and Toyota Safety Sense standardised across the range. The hybrid had become the heart of the Yaris by this point: our core car is the 1.5 Hybrid in Icon Tech trim at £18,145 OTR, one rung below the £19,295 Excel, with Active (£15,995), Icon (£17,595), Design and Bi-Tone completing the UK ladder. Every 2018 Yaris is a five-door.

The hybrid system is the familiar 1NZ-FXE 1.5-litre Atkinson-cycle four with an e-CVT, producing 100PS system output. It covers 0–62mph in 11.8 seconds and tops 103mph — unhurried numbers that miss the point. The point is 85.6mpg on the NEDC test and 75g/km of CO2 on 15-inch wheels (up to ~84g/km on bigger-wheeled trims), which put these cars in VED Band C at £20 a year, plus Toyota's five-year/100,000-mile warranty and a five-star Euro NCAP result from the 2017 test. The hybrid hardware itself is famously robust: batteries routinely sail past 100,000 miles with basic care.

So what actually goes wrong? The traction battery weakens after roughly 80–120,000 km, showing as falling mpg and dashboard warnings. The little 12V auxiliary battery drains flat if the car sits unused — a classic hybrid trait. And on salted British roads, check the lower door and hatch edges and the rear-axle beam for surface rust, plus listen for suspension creaks and TPMS faults. None of this is scary, and it is all cheap relative to a dual-clutch gearbox rebuild on a rival. The concrete observation that matters most on a test drive: the 286-litre boot is genuinely small for the class, and the 36-litre tank means you will visit petrol stations more often than the mpg figure suggests. Here's the contestable bit: as a used buy, this hybrid Yaris is simply the default choice in the supermini class — no diesel rival matches its town economy, and no petrol rival matches its warranty-backed peace of mind. Buy the newest, lowest-mileage Icon Tech you can afford and stop overthinking it.

UK price from: £18,145

Specifications

Engine	1.5L hybrid petrol (1NZ-FXE)
Power	100 PS system (99 bhp)
Torque	111 Nm (engine)
0-62 mph	11.8 seconds
Top speed	103 mph
Transmission	e-CVT automatic
Drive	Front-wheel drive
Fuel economy	85.6 mpg combined (NEDC-era)
CO2 emissions	75 g/km (up to ~84 on higher trims); VED Band C
Boot space	286 litres (768L seats folded)
Kerb weight	~1,085 kg
Insurance group	8E
Euro NCAP	5 stars (2017 test)
Warranty	5 years / 100,000 miles

Features

1.5-litre hybrid petrol (1NZ-FXE, 100PS system output) with e-CVT automatic
11.8-second 0–62mph, 103mph top speed
85.6mpg combined (NEDC-era), 75g/km CO2 — VED Band C (£20/yr)
Toyota Safety Sense standard: pre-collision, lane-departure alert, auto high beam
286-litre boot, 36-litre tank, ~1,085kg kerb weight
Trims: Active, Icon, Icon Tech, Design, Bi-Tone, Excel — five-door only
Five-star Euro NCAP (2017 test); 5yr/100,000-mile Toyota warranty
Insurance group 8E — among the lowest in the class

Common parts & prices

Part	Price (GBP)	Notes
Front brake pads (set)	£27.99	Pattern part; typical UK retail £20–£35; regen extends pad life
Oil filter	£8.99	Pattern part; typical UK retail £6–£12
Cabin pollen filter	£13.99	Pattern part; typical UK retail £10–£18
Front wiper blades (pair)	£15.99	Pattern part; typical UK retail £12–£20
12V auxiliary battery	£119.99	Pattern EFB-type; typical UK retail £90–£150
Engine air filter	£15.99	Pattern part; typical UK retail £12–£20

Prices are typical UK aftermarket/OEM guide prices and may vary by supplier.

Pros

Legendary hybrid reliability with a 5-year/100,000-mile warranty
85.6mpg official economy; unbeatable town running costs
£20-a-year VED and insurance group 8E
Huge used choice at £9,500–£12,500

Cons

Hybrid battery weakens after ~80–120k km — check mpg and warnings
12V auxiliary battery drains if the car sits unused
286-litre boot is small for the class; 36-litre tank is diddy
Check door/hatch edges and rear beam for rust on UK cars

Frequently asked questions

How long does the Yaris hybrid battery last?

The traction battery is famously robust — most sail past 100,000 miles with basic care. Weakness typically shows after roughly 80–120,000 km as falling fuel economy and dashboard warning messages. A Toyota dealer (or hybrid specialist) can run a battery health check before you buy, which is money well spent on a high-mileage car.

What is the real-world mpg of the 2018 Yaris Hybrid?

The official NEDC figure is 85.6mpg combined on 15-inch wheels. In the real world, owners see 60–70mpg in mixed driving and the car is at its brilliant best in town, where the electric motor does most of the work. Bigger-wheeled trims (Icon Tech and above) sit a few mpg lower, with CO2 up to ~84g/km.

Why is my Yaris Hybrid's 12V battery always flat?

The small 12V auxiliary battery powers the electronics and drains if the car sits unused for weeks — a classic hybrid trait, since the engine doesn't need to crank. If you only do occasional short trips, a trickle charger or a weekly decent-length drive keeps it healthy. It is a cheap fix, not a serious fault.

Which 2018 Yaris trim should I buy?

Icon Tech is the sweet spot: it adds the touchscreen, reversing camera and climate control over Icon for £18,145 new, and used prices barely differ. Active is the bargain basement, Excel the plushest. All 2018 hybrids carry Toyota Safety Sense except the entry Active, so safety kit is not a reason to stretch.

How much is a 2018 Toyota Yaris Hybrid worth?

Typical UK asking prices for 18/67-plate 1.5 Hybrid Icon and Icon Tech cars run £9,500–£12,500 depending on mileage — Excel tops out around £12,490. Low-mileage cars with Toyota service history and a clean battery health check command the premium, and they are worth it.