Toyota Yaris, Corolla hatchbacks go hybrid only, excluding GR editions

Toyota Australia has announced it will drop petrol-powered, regular versions of its Yaris and Corolla hatchbacks – and go all-in on hybrid power.

At current prices it will mean neither model will be available for less than $30,000 plus on-road costs, with the cost of entry into each range to become $30,190 for the Yaris SX Hybrid, and $32,110 for the Corolla Ascent Sport Hybrid hatch respectively.

This is the first time there has not been a sub-$30,000 Toyota Corolla in the line-up since the original in 1967.

The decision does not affect the high-performance GR variants – with the GR Yaris to get an update later this year, and live alongside the GR Corolla – nor the Corolla sedan.

The three petrol-powered Yaris grades being discontinued are the Ascent Sport, SX, and ZR, which were priced from $24,800, $28,190, and $31,260 respectively – all before on-road costs.

As it stands today, it means the 2024 Yaris line-up is trimmed to two, non-GR variants – the SX Hybrid and ZR Hybrid priced at $30,190 and $33,260 each.

In the petrol-only Corolla hatch range – not counting the GR Corolla hot hatch – there is currently the Ascent Sport for $29,610, SX for $32,760, and ZR for $36,600.

Continuing are the Ascent Sport Hybrid ($32,110), SX Hybrid ($35,260), and ZR Hybrid ($39,100), all plus on-road costs.

The Toyota Corolla sedan will continue with regular petrol models, which opens with the Ascent Sport for $29,270 plus on-road costs.

Last year, the Corolla hybrid hatch and sedan combined made up 82 per cent of overall Corolla sales, while the Yaris Hybrid – only available as a hatch – accounted for only 26.1 per cent of sales, though Toyota has forecast a surge in hybrid sales this year.

Toyota has forecast that more than 40 per cent of its sales in 2024 will be hybrids, up from the circa-33 per cent it recorded last year.

The Yaris and Corolla hatchbacks join the new-generation C-HR small SUV launching soon, Camry mid-size sedan due later this year, and Yaris Cross city SUV as hybrid-only model lines.

At the time of writing, the most affordable Toyota will become the petrol-powered, single-cab HiLux WorkMate cab-chassis with a manual transmission at $26,475 plus on-road costs.