Toyota Yaris Hybrid (2012-2020) running costs

While claimed fuel economy of up to 59mpg is impressive, it should be remembered that you'll only realise this figure if you make enough short, slow journeys to make full use of the Yaris Hybrid's electric motor. That means it's more likely to save money for urban dwellers who frequently encounter heavy traffic than those who mainly drive on free-flowing country lanes.

There are definite advantages for company-car users, though. Relatively low CO2 emissions mean the Yaris Hybrid brings a lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax liability than most supermini rivals, especially those fuelled by diesel. Despite qualifying as an 'alternative-fuel' car, the Yaris Hybrid's CO2 emissions are still too high to qualify for exemption from London's Congestion Charge – the upper limit is 75g/km.

Toyota Yaris Hybrid insurance group

Every Toyota Yaris Hybrid occupies insurance group 8. That means the it's likely to be a little costlier to insure than the 1.0-litre petrol (groups 2 and 3), but slightly cheaper than the 1.5-litre petrol (groups 9 and 10). This compares well with the Ford Fiesta, whose entry-level Style trim level starts in insurance group 2, with the economical 1.5-litre diesel rated in insurance group 8.

Warranty

Every Toyota sold in the UK comes with a five-year/100,000-mile warranty, which almost matches the five-year/unlimited mileage warranty provided by Hyundai. There's also a three-year/unlimited-mileage warranty against paintwork faults and surface rust, and a 12-year/unlimited-mileage warranty against corrosion – both of which only apply in the case of a manufacturing defect.

You can extend the warranty of your Yaris by either 12 months/15,000 miles or 24 months/30,000 miles at a time. The duration of extended warranty available depends on the age of your car: it must be under 12 years old and have covered 100,000 miles or less at the time of warranty extension.

Servicing

Scheduled Toyota Yaris Hybrid servicing is no more frequent or costly than for any other Yaris, but its 10,000-mile intervals are more frequent than for some rivals. Fortunately, interim services are relatively affordable, currently priced at £165, and a 'Full' service is only required every second year, at £295. The most expensive scheduled service is the £355 'Full+', which is first due at 60,000 miles.

Toyota can set up a service contract that covers up to three years (30,000 miles) of scheduled maintenance for a fixed price. There's also an 'essential care' programme for cars over five years old, with lower prices that aim to keep owners coming back to official Toyota workshops.

Road tax

While the regular petrol Toyota Yaris costs £145 a year to tax, hybrid models are classified as 'alternative-fuel' cars and attract a slightly lower £135 annual rate. The first year of vehicle excise duty (VED) is typically covered within the purchase price of a new car.