At first glance, it is easy to see the difference between the first Yaris we built in 2001 and the three millionth car that came out of the production line at our Valenciennes factory in northern France in summer 2016. A lot has changed beneath the skin.
Today’s Yaris has stronger environmental credentials, with the hybrid version cutting the level of CO2 emissions by half and achieving a 50% improvement in average fuel consumption, compared to the original 1.0-litre petrol supermini.
This despite the fact the car is more powerful and heavier than before, being equipped with more safety systems and extra crash protection features. Hybrid aside, even the current 1.0-litre petrol model now produces less than 100g/km of CO2.
There have been important changes in the way we build a Yaris, too. Today we use 90% less water at Valenciennes than we did in 2001, and most of it is sourced from rainwater we collect on-site or recycled wastewater.
We have also made sure that all the waste produced in the manufacturing process is recycled, reused or recovered – nothing is sent to landfill.
The Yaris is also more aerodynamic in shape, cutting through the air more cleanly, which contributes to its more efficient performance.