2012 Toyota Yaris/Vitz

Toyota Yaris supermini was unveiled Wednesday in Japan. What you see pictured here is the Japanese domestic market (JDM) version, as was the case with the previous generations of the Vitz, we expect the European and North American Yaris to look more or less the same when it arrives in the market late next year.

The Japanese carmaker says numerous weight saving measures has shaved off 30kg or 66 pounds, with the car tipping the scales at 1,000kg or 2,204 pounds (depending on the Yaris’ model). 2012 Toyota Yaris has 100mm in length and now measures 3,885mm long, but is 30mm lower while keeping the same width as its predecessor.

Toyota claiming the exterior design of the new Yaris is more sculptured and edgier, borrowing numerous styling cues from the Prius S. Has a coefficient drag value of 0.285. The Vitz will also be offered with a variety of styling kits and alloy wheel designs, all developed in-house by Toyota.

The subcompact model's interior has been redesigned from the ground up and is said to feature higher quality materials and more personalization options in terms of colors, trim and upholstery.

In Japan its called Vitz, it will be offered with three petrol engines with a displacement of 1.0-liters (69HP), 1.3-liters (95HP) and 1.5-liters (110HP), the latter powering the sportier RS model. The 1.3-liter unit can be combined with four-wheel drive as well as with a start-stop system, in which case, fuel consumption drops to 3.8lt/100km or 62.3 mpg US. The European range will also include a diesel mode