Toyota GR Yaris vs Ford Fiesta ST Edition

Vehicles like the brand new Toyota GR Yaris are rarities in in the present day’s platform-sharing world, the place economies of scale have to be ensured to maximise profit-making potential. This new scorching hatch shuns the bean counters’ scrutiny in favour of delivering true driver thrills; it’s a homologation particular of the now-cancelled 2021 WRC entrant, a casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic. However the highway automotive continues to be right here, with a mouth-watering spec.

Nevertheless, within the WRC Toyota has a tricky challenger and so it’s within the road-car world, the place the Ford Fiesta ST is the automotive that the GR Yaris must battle if it needs to be the most effective compact scorching hatch on sale. 

This time, the Fiesta is wading into battle in new ST Edition trim, with some visible and mechanical tweaks. The Ford has worth on its aspect, the Toyota has extra tech, however on this market, the place purists in pursuit of the best-driving machine need to be concerned and excited, this could possibly be much less of a difficulty, particularly for those who’re seeking to purchase on finance. Within the crimson nook, the Toyota. Within the blue nook, the Ford. Which one will take victory?

Toyota GR Yaris

The GR Yaris is without doubt one of the most enjoyable scorching hatches to be launched in years and guarantees to be an actual cult basic. At £29,995 for the fundamental mannequin and £33,495 with the Circuit Pack, as fitted to our automotive, Toyota’s newcomer isn’t low-cost, but it surely may nonetheless be a cut price efficiency automotive.

Design & engineering

Fashions just like the GR Yaris are few and much between in the present day; learn the spec sheet and also you’ll realise why. It’s as a result of this Yaris is three-door solely, whereas the remainder of the hybrid-only common line-up all have 5 doorways. Beneath the bonnet there’s a 1.6-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine that produces 257bhp and 360Nm of torque – fairly unimaginable figures for a downsized unit like this.

That important driver is shipped to all 4 wheels by way of a six-speed guide transmission with a switchable auto-blip perform for downshifts.

The £3,500 Circuit Pack fitted to our take a look at automotive brings light-weight BBS solid 18-inch alloys that save 10kg in complete, grippier Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres, a Torsen limited-slip differential for each the entrance and rear axles, retuned suspension with stiffer springs and anti-roll bars, in addition to completely different damping charges and tweaks to the ability steering, plus red-painted calipers for the large four-piston entrance brakes.

Inside, there’s a pair of sporty bucket seats, trimmed in Alcantara, however the focus right here actually is on the engineering beneath. Based mostly on the TNGA platform, the GR Yaris will get four-wheel drive, and makes use of MacPherson struts on the entrance and trailing double-wishbone-type rear suspension.

There are numerous modes to manage the 2 differentials the Circuit Pack provides, with Regular fixing the torque cut up at 60:40 entrance to rear. Monitor strikes this rearward barely at 50:50, whereas Sport pushes it even additional to 30:70.

It’s good that the main target has been positioned on the mechanicals, as a result of whereas the inside is ok, it’s not precisely as spacious or as effectively geared up because the Ford’s. The seats place you too excessive, which implies the seemingly giant rear-view mirror is immediately in your eyeline going spherical left-hand bends, so ergonomically there are a number of points.

High quality is strong, however there aren’t many soft-touch supplies, whereas it lacks sat-nav, even when Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are normal. See By means of the vary on web page 73 for a full rundown of package.

Driving

That is the place the GR Yaris actually comes into its personal, although. Prod the starter and the engines settles to a bassy idle with a three-cylinder thrum. On the transfer we may depart the augmented sound in Sport mode, however the heavy rush of air because the turbo pressure feeds
the engine is totally genuine.

The motor revs exhausting for a small turbo unit, too, ripping to its limiter with an aggression that its rival lacks. It’s partly as a result of the gearing is so quick and partly as a result of the torque is made within the mid-range, whereas the Ford’s peak comes on the backside finish.

Because of its four-wheel-drive system, the Yaris will dash from 0-62mph in 5.5 seconds, one full second quicker than the Fiesta ST. At low revs there’s some vibration, however the GR nonetheless pulls, the mid-range cost including huge flexibility. The six-speed gearshift is mechanical – somewhat notchy maybe and definitely heavier than the Ford’s, but it surely’s satisfying and optimistic to make use of, whereas the iMT down-blipping perform is good to make use of on a monitor, except you need to carry out heel-and-toe manoeuvres your self. That is the type of automotive the place you would possibly need to.

Physique management is sensible, however then with a kerbweight of 1,280kg,  there’s not an excessive amount of mass to manage. The damping is agency, but it surely means you may decide to corners on B-roads with actual conviction, as a result of you realize the Yaris will likely be secure. Nevertheless, it means the remainder of the time the experience is somewhat compromised, however then this automotive is all about efficiency.

Practicality

The three-door physique means entry to the automotive’s rear seats is clearly restricted, whereas the rear differential and extra subtle suspension format imply the GR solely presents 174 litres of boot house. It’s small, so you’ll have to make compromises, however you will get by with this stage of practicality.

There’s additionally much less house within the rear seats than within the Ford, whereas the Toyota solely seats 4 individuals.

It’s additionally much less spacious within the entrance, with seemingly fewer trinket trays and storage areas – though there’s a helpful ledge underneath the display screen in your cell phone when utilizing Apple CarPlay or Android Auto if, like our take a look at automotive, the GR Yaris isn’t geared up with the £2,180 Comfort Pack.

Possession

A five-year/100,000-mile guarantee ought to give peace of thoughts, together with Toyota’s sixth-place end in our Driver Power 2020 satisfaction survey.

The newest Yaris obtained a full five-star Euro NCAP security score when it was examined in 2020. Security package fitted as normal contains Toyota’s Security Sense system, that includes AEB with collision warning, lane-keep help, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise and auto-high-beam LED lights. If you need blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic warn you’ll have so as to add the Comfort Pack.

Working prices

Most individuals will purchase on finance, and with low APR out there on each vehicles that’s a gorgeous possibility. But even for money consumers the indicators are sturdy for the Toyota, with our consultants predicting the GR will preserve 58.3 per cent of its worth. 

The Ford is predicted to retain 48.5 per cent (itself an excellent determine), so although the Toyota’s checklist worth is greater, the GR Yaris will solely lose £12,496 in contrast with £14,822 for the Fiesta ST.

Testers’ notes

“The massive four-piston entrance brakes are nice, with plenty of energy and higher resistance to fade than the Fiesta’s. They helped contribute in direction of a 0.6-second benefit round our quick test-track lap.”

Ford Fiesta

The present Ford Fiesta ST is an outstanding scorching hatch, and for this unique ST Version its maker has ramped issues up. However at £28,770, is it nearly as good worth for cash as decrease rungs of the Fiesta ST ladder and might it beat the GR Yaris?

Design & engineering

Just like the Toyota, the Fiesta ST Version is on the market in three-door kind solely, but it surely additionally options some efficiency enhancements that put it within the Yaris’s ballpark. 

These embrace lighter flow-formed 18-inch alloys that save 2kg per nook in contrast with the usual wheels. They’re managed by new coilover suspension items that decrease the experience top by 15mm on the entrance and 10mm on the rear in contrast with a typical ST. In addition they provide 12 clicks of compression adjustment and 16 completely different rebound settings, so you may tweak the chassis set-up (albeit manually).

Excessive-performance tyres assist enhance grip, however aside from that the make-up is identical as for an everyday ST, which is actually no dangerous factor.

Meaning it’s powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with cylinder deactivation – which was a primary for a three-pot engine when this third-generation ST made its debut. Its important statistics are down on the Yaris’s, although, producing 197bhp and 290Nm of torque, that are despatched to the entrance wheels solely by way of a six-speed guide gearbox.

There’s a Quaife limited-slip differential and torque vectoring by braking to assist enhance traction, however that is one space the place the Ford may lose somewhat in contrast with the Toyota.

Being solely two-wheel drive does imply the ST weighs lower than the GR, however solely by 26kg, at 1,254kg. It has launch management and completely different driving modes that vary from Regular to Sport and Monitor. These alter the parameters of the engine and exhaust, in addition to the Ford’s stability management.

At 278mm, the ST’s efficiency brakes are literally smaller than the GR’s rears; its entrance discs measure 356mm in diameter by comparability.

Nevertheless, the Ford is £1,225 cheaper than the fundamental Yaris and options much more package (see the By means of the vary panel on web page 77 for extra), whereas the Recaro sports activities seats and materials high quality inside are higher than the Toyota’s respective choices.

Driving

Instantly the ST appears like a tenacious little scorching hatch. Whereas the Yaris’s four-wheel-drive system means it rockets out of corners, even with the Ford’s intelligent diff and torque vectoring, the ST scrabbles for traction extra – but it surely nonetheless finds it comparatively effectively and by no means stops working to tug you ahead.

The ST’s engine pulls exhausting from low down with minimal turbo lag, and that lump of torque is delivered in a fast, clean burst that doesn’t all the time ship the entrance wheels fizzing. Nevertheless, it actually lacks the GR’s grunt on the straights. 

Sprinting from 0-62mph in 6.5 seconds, the Ford is a second slower than the Toyota. This isn’t the complete story, as a result of it additionally doesn’t have the identical stage of in-gear flexibility that the GR Yaris does. That’s partly as a result of the Fiesta ST has much less torque and partly as a result of it has longer gearing than its rival.

Nevertheless, the Ford’s sound is extra genuine. The three-pot engine has a bassy rumble that in Sport or Monitor is accompanied by some characterful pops from the exhaust on gearchanges. The shift itself is lighter than the Toyota’s, however simply as participating.

The experience is as agency, too. If something, the Ford’s damping feels even tauter in some conditions, but it surely additionally pogos up and down greater than the Yaris. On the highway each vehicles are uncompromising, however additionally they provide the standard of damping which means you may actually decide to corners, as a result of the vehicles really feel like they’re working with you.

There’s much less highway noise within the Fiesta, although, whereas the longer gearing additionally makes it a greater cruiser.

Practicality

The Ford can also be the extra sensible machine. Whether or not this issues when shopping for a scorching supermini we’ll depart it as much as you to determine, however the Ford presents 311 litres of boot house; that’s 137 litres greater than the Toyota.

Though the ST Version can also be solely out there in three-door kind, entry to the Ford’s rear seats is simpler, whereas there are three of them and rather more house within the again. Adults will definitely be much less cramped right here than within the Yaris.

The ST’s Recaro seats imply the driving place is best than the Toyota’s, too, with extra adjustment. The cabin additionally feels extra spacious, whereas there are a number of extra helpful areas within the Fiesta to retailer objects comparable to telephones, keys and wallets or purses.

Possession

In contrast with Toyota’s, Ford’s Driver Energy 2020 end result wasn’t as sturdy. It took twenty fourth place out of 30 manufacturers.

Nevertheless, the Fiesta additionally obtained a full five-star Euro NCAP security score, although autonomous braking is a part of a £550 pack that additionally provides adaptive cruise management, blind-spot help and entrance parking sensors to go along with the usual rear objects and reversing digital camera. Visibility within the ST is best than within the Yaris, so it needs to be simpler to manoeuvre.

Working prices

The ST’s decrease kerbweight and less-powerful engine contributed in direction of an effectivity benefit on take a look at, with the Ford returning 33.8mpg in contrast with 29.9mpg for the Toyota underneath the identical circumstances.

However relying in your use and driving fashion, these numbers could possibly be higher or worse for each – and even reversed. Based mostly on our figures, it means you’ll pay £1,877 a yr in gas for the Fiesta and £2,122 for the Yaris over a median 12,000 miles. The 2 will value £623 and £800 to insure respectively.

Testers’ notes

“There’s a five-door Fiesta ST out there, however you’ll should go for ST-2 or ST-3 specification if you would like the additional practicality over the three-door ST Version model. There’s no such possibility on the Yaris.”

Verdict

First place: Toyota GR Yaris

The Toyota is a superb driver’s automotive that’s truly good worth given the efficiency. It’s a wonderfully refreshing strategy that delivers on the promise of big driver thrills. It’s somewhat extra critical than the ST, however then so is its efficiency and talent. It lacks practicality, however this can be a scorching hatch, and one you’ll get pleasure from a lot that you simply’ll overlook the foibles with the boot house and among the tech.

Second place: Ford Fiesta ST

The ST Version isn’t nearly as good worth because the common Fiesta ST, which presents virtually similar efficiency for much less money. But it surely’s nonetheless an exhilarating scorching hatch, brimming with character because of its playful chassis. Its characterful engine doesn’t pack as a lot punch because the GR’s, however the Ford’s tech and practicality are higher – even when it doesn’t provide the supercar-rivalling B-road efficiency of the Yaris. 

Additionally contemplate… 

Hyundai i30 N 

• New: Hyundai i30 N
• Value: £29,810 
• Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl, 271bhp

It may be from a category above and solely be two-wheel drive, however the Hyundai i30 N is an identical worth to the GR Yaris and has an identical performance-focused nature at its core. It reveals that few vehicles exist in the identical house as Toyota’s newcomer.

Ford Focus RS

• Used: Ford Focus RS Version
• Value: £31,900 
• Engine: 2.3-litre 4cyl, 345bhp

You may bag a hardcore 4WD hatch on the used market for the same worth to the GR Yaris. The Focus RS Edition boasts 345bhp and a intelligent rear differential. It’s {powerful} and packs character. This finances buys you a automotive that has lined round 19,000 miles. 

Figures