What Engine Powers The Toyota Yaris 1.5L And How Much HP Does It Produce?
The Toyota Yaris 1.5L sold in America from 2015 to 2020 was not technically a Toyota. American buyers had the Echo sedan and Yaris hatchback from 2000 to 2018 before Toyota discontinued the Yaris nameplate. Meanwhile, Toyota sold the Scion iA in 2016 as a rebadged Mazda2 sedan. When the Scion brand went bust that same year, the iA migrated into Toyota's lineup as the Yaris. It lost the "iA" moniker for the 2019 model, where it was officially referred to as the Toyota Yaris before its discontinuation in 2020.
The 2015 to 2020 Toyota Yaris is a product of badge engineering. Having been based on the Mazda2 sedan since its Scion iA heyday, the Yaris had much going for it owing to its Mazda gene pool. Mazda vehicles are renowned for their sporty handling and communicative steering, making the Toyota Yaris one of the nimblest and best-handling small cars. It also inherited Mazda's Skyactiv engines and transmissions to produce adequate power and sterling fuel economy.
The 2015 to 2020 Toyota Yaris has a 1.5-liter Skyactiv four-cylinder
Powering the Mazda2-based Toyota Yaris is a 1.5-liter naturally aspirated Skyactiv-G P5-VPS four-cylinder gas engine that develops 106 horsepower and 103 lb-ft of torque. It sends power to the front wheels using a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox.
The powertrain received no significant upgrades since debuting under the Scion iA branding until Toyota retired the Yaris name in 2020. Moreover, the Yaris was available in three trim models since losing the "Scion" and "iA" branding: L, LE, and XLE. All trim variants share the same 1.5L four-cylinder engine. The standard equipment includes 15 or 16-inch wheels, a seven-inch infotainment screen with voice recognition, and a six-speaker stereo.
The Yaris' 1.5-liter engine is not a powerhouse, but is good on gas. It achieves an EPA-rated 35 mpg combined (32 city/40 highway), making it an excellent daily roundabout. And with prices starting at around $13,000 to $17,000 in the used car market, the Yaris is a fun-to-drive compact car that won't break the bank in cost and maintenance.