Are the Chinese lowering prices? Toyota adds equipment and raises the price of the Yaris
The Yaris Style trim is increasing in price by 2,000 shekels to 144,000 shekels. We look at the new features and how they affect the car's fuel economy.
Despite the Chinese onslaught, Toyota maintains its position as the world's largest automaker, and in Israel, it remains the best-selling brand after Chery and Jaecoo.
While Chinese companies launch vehicles every week at market-breaking prices, and while Mazda and Citroen are lowering prices to compete, Toyota continues to demonstrate self-confidence.
Union Motors has launched an upgraded version of the hybrid Yaris in the Style trim level. The Yaris, which in its base ECO version already sells for 141,000 shekels, making it the most expensive popular supermini in the country (for comparison, the hybrid MG3 costs 128,000 shekels), was previously sold in the more equipped STYLE version for 142,000 shekels.
Now the Style version is increasing in price by 2,000 shekels to 144,000 shekels, and receives additional equipment: 17-inch alloy wheels instead of 15-inch, a 10.5-inch multimedia system instead of 9.5-inch, a 7-inch dashboard display instead of 4.2-inch, a wireless mobile charging pad, sporty-design seats, and main LED headlights instead of halogen.
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This is a significant amount of content for 2,000 shekels and is consistent with the trend of adding equipment in Chinese models, but it also continues to increase the price of the Yaris. It already costs more than hybrid crossovers from China (Chery Tiggo 4 from 136,000 shekels), more than a powerful and equipped European crossover (Seat Arona 1.5 liter in FR trim, also at 136,000 shekels), and more than Chinese electric crossovers (MG4 Urban at 120,000 shekels, Leapmotor B10 at 140,000 shekels). It is now approaching the price of much larger Chinese plug-in hybrid crossovers (Dongfeng Mage at 150,000 shekels).
The switch to larger wheels hurts the Yaris's excellent fuel economy, which drops from an official 26.3 km/l in the base version with regular wheels to 23.6 km/l. There are no changes in performance with the 1,500 cc, 116 hp engine: 9.7 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h and a top speed of 175 km/h.
Toyota relies on its reputation for reliability and value retention, which creates stable demand for both new and used cars. But as the price gap between them and the improving Chinese models continues to grow, it may challenge the willingness of customers to continue paying the higher prices.
