2019 Toyota Yaris unveiled as India waits for 2018 version launch

The Japanese carmaker Toyota is yet to launch the 2018 version of the Yaris sedan in a hotly-contested sedan segment in India. But the carmaker has already launched the new version of the Yaris in the US, replacing the 2018 version of the Scion iA and the Yaris iA.

The 2019 Toyota Yaris sedan will be offered in three grades --L, LE, and the new premium XLE. The XLE comes with new leather-trimmed front seats, steering wheel, shift knob and parking brake, an HVAC system with automatic climate control, automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers and illuminated entry.

On the feature front, the new Yaris sedan features the new sport-inspired front grille with a honeycomb inserts design. It also includes piano black accents, chrome trim, and fog lights that come standard on the LE and XLE grades. The roof-mounted, color-keyed shark fin antenna completes the exterior styling. While the L trim of the Yaris gets power mirrors, the LE and XLE are equipped with ORVMs with LED turn-signal indicators.

Yaris features a 7.0-inch touchscreen system with voice recognition and Bluetooth connectivity. On the safety front, the 2019 version of the Yaris comes with Active Safety System that includes Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Traction Control System (TCS), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) and a Brake Over-Ride System (BOS).

The Yaris sedan will be offered in seven colors --Frost, Chromium, Graphite, Stealth, Sapphire, Pulse and the all-new Icicle. The new Yaris will go on sale in the fall of 2018.

Toyota Yaris India launch

Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) is expected to launch the previous version, the 2018 model of the Yaris in India soon. Slated to be launched in April, the Yaris sedan is open for bookings at some of the dealerships of the company. Toyota had showcased the Yaris at the Auto Expo 2018 in February.

The Yaris will be offered only in the petrol engine option in India. The 1.5-liter Dual VVT-i engine will be mated to either seven-speed continuously variable transmission (CVT) or six-speed manual transmission. The CVT variants will get paddle shifters.

The Yaris, when launched in India, will rival Honda City, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Volkswagen Vento and Hyundai Verna.