The Toyota Yaris Zen Sedan model is produced as a family member to the Toyota Yaris. It seems to take on the strides of the Yaris, having been taken as a serious contender amongst the B-segment vehicles in South Africa. When the Yaris entered the market in year 2005, it became a name in the B-Segment class of vehicles on the market.

To date the Yaris Zen has recorded the best record for an uptake in South Africa, claiming a record of more than 10,000 people that opted to take the vehicle as the modern city vehicle when it debuted the market just within four months. This was followed up by a brilliant sales record of more than 110,000 units sold in the year of entering the market.

The demand for the Yaris Zen has also been on the back of the current demand by the market for vehicles offering better benefit, reduced cost of ownership, which demand is currently estimated to have grown to be 50% of the total market demand. The Yaris has become one of the most popular B-segment vehicles, realizing its success in South Africa despite the increased competition in the new B-segment and sub-B-segment.

This new city vehicle is produced as part of the project by Toyota to better understand buyers’ preferences and requirements in this highly competitive segment, leaving the vehicle offering unique benefits and service to the market. To respond to the sensitivity by consumers to the total cost of ownership of owning a vehicle, Toyota South Africa has resolved to offer the vehicle with a 4 year or 60 000 km service plan and 3 year / 100 000 km warranty. This offer comes standard on the vehicle.

Consistent with Toyota’s style of filling the product line, with its own products and to fight competition within its line, Toyota offers the Yaris Zen in varied forms which include the Zen1 and Zen 3. Toyota has also significantly added to the Yaris product range with the introduction of the Yaris Zen. The Zen1 takes the number 1 on the engine capacity and this applies to the Zen 3 which takes the number 3 on its name from the 1.3 liter engine which propels it. This also is in line with Toyota’s culture of giving names that flow with the market, which has over the years allowed Toyota to take generational dominance of markets where it launches its products. The name emphasizes the peace of mind of owning a Toyota.

It is not secret that the price tag on the new offering is one of the things that make the Yaris Zen tick. With a price tag of R126, 300; the vehicle certainly is friendly on the wallet and not only that but it has the ability to appeal, making it a real deal for those looking for an affordable new vehicle.

With most vehicle manufacturers when they make a good product, the temptation when producing a subsequent model, is to try and change as much as possible the debutant model and in most cases car manufacturers lose it, but with the Yaris Zen Sedan. Toyota did not take the chance and opted to do the opposite and strive to produce a “different similar” car that resembles as much as possible the parent model. As such the Yaris Zen is not produced with unrelated technology and artwork. Toyota South Africa introduced the Yaris Zen without any changes to the design infrastructure and the car has secured the Euro NCAP five star safety rating. Similarities in technology on the Zen from the parent Yaris includes a driver and passenger air bags on all models and anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and Brake Assistance (BAS).

This also includes Toyota’s patented Minimal Intrusion Cabin Safety system (MICS), the whiplash injury lessening headrests (WIL) and anchorage points for children’s seats inside the cabin.

The Zen has unique Euro-centric features that are common on the parent Yaris, since it was styled based on Toyota’s European design studio, which guaranteed the Yaris to transcend generations. It would be insane not to expect the Zen to take on the market and transcend generational boundaries on the market, within the footsteps of the parent Yaris.