Toyota Belta

The Toyota Belta, referred to in North American and Australian markets as the Toyota Yaris and in South Asian markets as the Toyota Vios, is a subcompact sedan manufactured by Toyota. It is a redesigned version of the discontinued Toyota Platz sedan, and went on sale in Japan on November 28, 2005 equipped with 1.0- to 1.3-liter engines. Export sales began in 2006, with some markets receiving a 1.5-liter engine either as standard fitment or as an optional upgrade.^[2]

For most Asian markets (except Japan), the Belta is built and assembled in Thailand and the Philippines. For the Japanese, American and Middle Eastern markets (except Israel and Morocco) the Belta is built in Japan.

First generation (XP90; 2005–present)

The Vitz (XP90) and the Belta (XP90) share underpinnings with each other. However, while the Vitz was designed at Toyota's French design studios, the Belta was designed at Toyota's Japanese design studios—design projects for similar cars marketed toward different demographics. While the outgoing Vitz and Platz models look and feel more alike, the new Vitz hatchback and Belta sedans are more subtly related. Sharing a similar but different dashboard, they do not employ the same components. The cars only share a frame and the drivetrain options. The sheetmetal is completely different. The Belta has increased in size over the previous generation, its interior volume larger than the 2001–2008 generation Corolla. The Belta is the only subcompact sedan which is designed, built and sold in Japan, and has no direct competitors in the Japanese Domestic Market, as the Vitz's competitors do not offer the sedan versions.

The center bias of the controls and displays is one of Toyota's efforts to standardize the design for all markets, left or right hand drive.

Powertrains

The Belta offers a 53-kilowatt (71 hp) 1.0-liter 1KR-FE inline-three engine, a 1.3-liter 2NZ-FE/2SZ-FE engine rated at 63 kilowatts (84 hp), a 1.5-liter 1NZ-FE 81 kilowatts (109 hp), and a 1.6-liter engine giving 91 kilowatts (122 hp).

Safety

Standard safety features include airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, and head restraints for all seating positions. Side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags and ABS are optional on 2007–2008 models. Beginning in 2009, front and rear row side curtain airbags along with front seat-mounted torso side airbags and anti-lock brakes became standard.^[3] Stability control was unavailable on all models until the 2010 model year when it became standard.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) the Yaris sedan received a "Good" overall score in the frontal crash test and a "Good" overall score in the side impact test on models equipped with side airbags but a "Poor" overall score on models without side airbags.^[4][5] In their roof strength evaluation the Yaris is rated "Acceptable" with a strength-to-weight ratio of 3.78.^[6]

U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Yaris sedan crash test ratings:^[7]

• Frontal Driver:
• Frontal Passenger:
• Side Driver (w/o side airbags):
• Side Rear Passenger (w/o side airbags):
• Side Driver (w/side airbags):
• Side Rear Passenger (w/side airbags):
• Rollover:

Market

North America

The US version of the Yaris, which went on sale at in April 2006 as a 2007 model. Conventional trim levels are replaced by the more modular convenience, power, and all-weather guard packages. However, the Yaris sedan is also available as the Yaris S, which has standard convenience and appearance packages fitted as standard. The power package on the Yaris sedan offers alloy wheels as an option. Side airbags were optional.

In an effort to boost sales and gain popularity among youths, Toyota created a MySpace profile of its North American Yaris as part of its advertising campaign.^[8]

For the 2009 model year, all Yaris sedans received updated styling with a new grille, wheel covers, alloy designs, and interior fabric, plus optional leather wrapped steering wheel/shift knob, satellite radio, and standard side curtain airbags and anti-lock brakes.

The 2007 Yaris received EPA fuel economy ratings of 6 L/100 km (40 miles per gallon) on the highway and 7 L/100 km (34 miles per gallon) in the city, with a fuel capacity of 42 litres (11.1 gallons). However, because the EPA changed the way they calculate fuel economy, ratings were revised for the 2008 model year and the Yaris is now rated at 29 mpg city/36 mpg highway for the manual transmission, and 29 mpg city/35 mpg highway for the automatic version.^[9]

The Canadian version of the Yaris sedan, is based on the US-market Yaris S with power and all-weather guard packages, but with standard 14-inch (360 mm) wheels. The CE, LE, and RS packages in the Canadian hatchback cars are replaced by option packages of B, C, D, or Aero types. The B adds 15-inch (380 mm) all-season tires, chrome trim on the decklid, front and rear splash guards, colour-keyed door handles, blacked-out side window frames, keyless entry and power door locks; the C adds ABS, air conditioning, power windows, colour-keyed mirrors and power mirrors; the D adds both side and side-curtain airbags; the Aero adds alloy wheels, wheel locks, a rear spoiler, and a body kit. The Aero, however, has neither air conditioning nor side airbags. The Canadian model lacks the two-tone interior, pseudo-metallic trim on the door panels, and the new audio system controls (instead it uses an old design) found on the Japanese and American models.

References

External links

• Official Japanese site (Japanese)

• Official American site
• Official Canadian site
• Toyota's press release of the Belta