Toyota Yaris

The Toyota Yaris is a small hatchback built to compete with the likes of the Nissan Micra, the Vauxhall Corsa and of course the Ford Fiesta.

Its name is derived from ‘Charis’, which itself comes from the Greek Goddesses of charm and beauty: Charities.

The first generation was on sale between 1999 and 2005 and was available in some markets as a saloon or sedan, but in the UK as a small hatchback. It was a quirky design which appealed to many buyers. It helped to cement Toyota’s reputation as a builder of seriously reliable cars; the Yaris would simply never go wrong.

In 2005 the second generation was released. This was slightly more dull design but still did well, with another saloon for sale in other markets but as a hatchback for the UK.