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Toyota has scaled down its petrol/electric powertrain to bring its hybrid technology to the B segment in the Yaris Hybrid, due to debut at the Geneva auto show in March, and go on sale in Europe by mid-year.

The Yaris is Toyota's best-selling model - in fact there are more Yaris' on European roads than any other Toyota - so the new model follows the launch of the Auris hybrid to bring hybrid power a

The Yaris hybrid, the new flagship of the model range, shows off with completely new front and rear treatment, featuring special, aerodynamically efficient styling that showcases Toyota's new design language.

But, more importantly, it has a new 1.5-litre petrol engine with a lighter, more compact electric motor, transaxle, inverter and battery pack. The new system is 20 percent lighter than that of an Auris hybrid and, with both fuel tank and battery under the rear seat, the cabin and 286-litre boot are the same size as on the conventional Yaris.

Technical details are as yet scarce, but Toyota says the 74kW combined output of engine and motor will provide performance competitive with conventional B-segment cars, but with far lower emissions and the ability to do a lot of its round-towning in zero-emission battery-only mode, and that it will be the least expensive hybrid on the European market.

But it's still a real-world car, the company says, with aircon and auto transmission as standard and all the inner-city agility of the conventional Yaris.

Hybrid version is the new flagship of the Yaris range.

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