Toyota Yaris Will Get Name Change And 3 New Trim Levels
Toyota first inherited the Yaris sedan from its defunct youth-oriented sub-brand Scion. It renamed it from the Scion iA to the Yaris iA and that name stuck until the 2018 model year. But all that is about to change as Toyota said it would change the subcompact sedan’s name from Yaris iA to simply Yaris.
For the 2019 model year, there will also be three new trim levels for the Toyota Yaris. This was something that was not available for customers when the subcompact sedan was first introduced in 2015. The three trim levels will be L, LE, and the premium XLE. There are no details yet about each of the trim level, but Toyota did say in a statement released on Monday that the premium XLE trim model will have leatherette-trimmed front seats, leather-trimmed steering wheel, and an automatic climate control.
Aside from the changes indoors, there are a couple of interesting updates on the exterior, too. According to Toyota, the new Yaris will enjoy an upgraded front grille, a pair of fog lights, and a lip spoiler that will come standard with the LE and XLE trim levels.
The decision to introduce three new trim levels is a step to the right direction for the Japanese automaker. The mono spec idea does not work for many of its customers even in these times of SUVs and crossovers. Folks still want to be given great choices and options in every segment. A wider market is certainly an understandable reason why Toyota turned to this route.
The 2019 Yaris, and all of its trim levels, will go on sale in the fall. Customers can choose between a standard six-speed manual transmission (39 mpg highway) or the optional six-speed automatic (40 mpg highway). Toyota did not release pricing information, though it’s only a matter of time before more details come out.