It’s not easy to make hybrids work in small cars like the new Yaris, either from a technical point of view or a financial one. But having demonstrated it could do so with the previous version Toyota has gone all-in with this all-new Yaris, launching with an all-hybrid range using the fourth generation of technology first pioneered in the original Prius and now featuring across the Toyota range.

This doesn’t come cheaply and the entry price to the Yaris range looks high when you compare it to very accomplished rivals like the 208, Renault Clio and Ford Fiesta. But, for now, the hybrid powertrain is a stand-out feature, and means running costs could be considerably less. Toyota is claiming an improvement in fuel consumption of a fifth over the previous version and, even when driven somewhat unsympathetically, we were easily getting over 55mpg. Though the electric only range is limited compared with bigger plug-in hybrids Toyota says the new Yaris will run for longer without firing up the petrol engine and, if your driving is mainly urban or suburban, you could slash your fuel costs.