Used Toyota Yaris Hatchback 2003 - 2005 review

The Toyota Yaris made the competition look outdated when it was launched. Its perky styling was fresh and the interior offered the sort of space many associated with cars from a class above.

The front seats offer superb comfort, too, and the only problem is that getting in and out of the rear seat of a three-door model can be tricky.

The dash also sets the Yaris apart from the herd. The instruments are housed in a Ôfloating' binnacle in the centre of the dash with a digital display, and some people may find this hard to get used to.

They may also find it hard to cope with the firm ride - the price you pay for the sharp handling - and how hard you need to work the 1.0- and 1.3-litre petrol engines to keep pace with traffic. Alternatively, you could go for the T-Sport's 105bhp 1.5-litre engine, which turns the Yaris into a junior hot hatch, or the quiet and frugal 1.4 turbodiesel.

You can run a Yaris on a tight budget without having to skimp on proper servicing. Toyota dealers provide good service, but independent specialists can offer cheaper labour rates.

On top of that, Toyota reduced the cost of its spare parts in 2002, so keeping a Yaris in the best of health need not be expensive. Service intervals of 20,000 miles also mean you won't necessarily have to see a garage for long periods.

Unless you choose the 1.5-litre engine in the T Sport model, insurance will be cheap, while low-emission engines also mean the Yaris sits at the lower end of the road tax scale.

Last, but not least, whichever engine you choose, fuel economy will be excellent. The 1.4 turbodiesel can return up to a claimed 67mpg, which is superb. The 1.0-litre petrol is good for 50mpg, the 1.3 returns 47mpg and even the T-Sport can manage 41mpg.

Unless you spend your whole driving life in town or are determined to make every gallon go as far as possible, we'd recommend opting for the 1.3-litre petrol engine for its greater flexibility. We'd also choose the five-door body, as access to the rear seats in it is much better.

The basic S spec doesn't get power steering or twin front airbags, so is best avoided. GS, the trim we recommend, has the power steering and airbags, as well as a better stereo, while the GLS has a sunroof and the CDX has air-con. There's also the sporty SR with alloy wheels.

In early 2002, the trim levels were simplified in line with Toyota's other models, so T2 replaced GS, T3 arrived in place of GLS and T-Spirit took over from CDX, although there were no changes to equipment.