Toyota Auris vs. Toyota Yaris: which is better?
The Auris vs. the Yaris is a long-standing debate, but our guide is on hand to provide a definitive answer to which of these is the better model
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Toyota has built itself a reputation for many things over the years – reliability, affordability, and strong-performing, eco-friendly hybrid power options.
Picking between a used Toyota Yaris vs. used Toyota Auris should be a fairly easy task, but if you’re not sure where to start, we outline some of the key differences below.
Compare Toyota Auris vs. Yaris: style
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Though bigger than the Toyota Aygo, the Yaris borrows some of its fun styling, and it’s clear that the Aygo’s ‘X’-themed design inspired the third-generation Yaris, which has sharp, angular looks.
Its compact and agile-looking design helps it to blend into urban environments, and it looks and feels like a much smaller car than it is, so drivers benefit from decent practicality and manageable dimensions.
The ‘X’ theme is best seen on the car’s front end, where the bottom part consists of an upturned grille area, and the top part blends into the triangular bonnet.
LED daytime running lights running through the centre of the headlight clusters merge into chrome lines that continue the look onto the bodywork.
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The Auris has a noticeably larger footprint and is more suitable for transporting families.
Compared with the sporty-looking Yaris, the Auris is more understated and safe and showcases a less angular design.
Still, the front end has plenty of chrome details, and the headlights blend into the grille, which stretches across the middle of the car.
The back of the car also offers some excitement – the upright boot design, which has a large cutout for the boot release, gives it a different look to many other hatchbacks.
There’s a newer version of the Yaris, and the Auris has now been replaced by the Corolla. Both look a lot more modern and have a softer and curvier approach to design.
Is the Toyota Yaris or Toyota Auris better to drive?
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Because it’s a small car designed to be driven around cities and towns, the Yaris is more agile in that it has a direct steering setup and taut enough suspension to help it soak up quick and sharp manoeuvres.
Compared with some other small cars, it can feel slightly firm. It’s far from uncomfortable, and many drivers like to feel the road through the car and the steering wheel.
The Auris is more refined – both in terms of comfort and noise – because the cabin is much quieter at speed.
Both focus on fuel efficiency, but some of the engines can be less fun compared with other hatchbacks.
Rather than designing performance models, Toyota intended for Yaris and Auris owners to go about their driving in a sedate, calm manner.
The picks of the bunch are the hybrids. The Auris benefits from the same 1.8-litre petrol setup as you’d find in the eco-friendly Prius.
Because it’s lighter, the Yaris gets away with a smaller 1.5-litre hybrid setup. In both cases, they should be able to return up to 60mpg.
Yaris vs. Auris: interior
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Some small cars, especially older models, can be fairly bland inside, but fortunately, that’s not the case with the Yaris.
The three-dimensional dashboard puts the radio front and centre. Above that are the air vents, and beneath are some of the climate controls, but both sections are set back behind the radio.
There’s a mix of softer materials and harder plastics, but on the whole, it’s not a bad place to be.
The Auris has a similar multi-level dashboard, but the key difference is that it’s available with a better radio system. High-spec models have an infotainment system with built-in sat-nav.
Hybrid versions of the Auris also get the funky blue gear selector from the Prius. It’s small and returns to the centre because the gears are selected electronically rather than mechanically – it’s surprisingly intuitive to use.
Toyota Auris vs. Yaris: size of the boot
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Something like a Peugeot 208 looks bigger than the Yaris despite them being in the same class, but although the little Toyota has small exterior dimensions, its 286-litre boot is pretty good.
The Auris has a larger 360-litre boot, which is what you’d expect from other similarly-sized hatchbacks.
More importantly, hybrid models have the same size boots. In many newer cars, hybrid models have smaller boots to accommodate larger batteries, but this isn’t the case with these two efficient Toyotas.
Toyota Yaris vs. Auris: reliability and safety
Toyota has a solid reputation and track record for building extremely durable and reliable cars, which is one of the brand’s key selling points.
Even better is that because Toyota was one of the first brands to invest heavily in hybrid technology, even these sustainable models come with tried-and-tested setups, so you won’t be taking a risk.
What’s more, in 2013, both models received full five-star Euro NCAP safety ratings, so you can be sure that your family are well-protected.
Toyota Auris vs. Yaris dimensions
At less than four metres long, the Yaris is one of the more compact superminis you can buy. It measures 3,950mm long, 1,695mm wide and 1,510mm tall.
The Auris is also slightly smaller than the average family hatchback, at 4,275mm long, 1,760mm wide and 1,460mm tall.
Used Toyota Yaris vs. used Toyota Auris: which should you buy?
The most important question you can ask yourself is how much space you need, because both of these Toyota models are reliable, economical and affordable.
In the case of new drivers and those without children, a Yaris makes a lot of sense. There’s still room to carry rear-seat passengers when needed, but it should be cheaper to run.
Families looking for that extra bit of legroom and boot space should consider a Toyota Auris.