Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Toyota reveals full details of its brilliant 420 horsepower Yaris Hybrid R drivetrain

Nick Jaynes
By
toyota reveals full details of its brilliant 420 horsepower yaris hybrid r drivetrain torque vectoring
Gasoline, capacitors and electric motors, oh my! The Toyota Yaris Hybrid R's 420hp drivetrain should be a hoot to drive and may show up in other models.

Toyota has officially laid out the details of the forthcoming Yaris Hybrid R Concept, which is set to debut in Frankfurt next month. While we had brought you a cursory outline of the powertrain last week, we now know exactly how it works. And while it’s not too wildly groundbreaking, it’s still pretty darn cool.

First off, the Yaris Hybrid R produces a total of 420 horsepower from the help of 300 horsepower inline four-cylinder 1.6-liter gasoline engine, a super capacitor, and not two but three 60 horsepower electric motors.

Related Videos

The Yaris Hybrid R is an all-wheel drive car, just like the standard Yaris Hybrid sold outside the U.S. with one electric motor driving each rear wheel. Where the Hybrid R differentiates itself from the standard Yaris Hybrid is up front with the high-power gas motor and super capacitor.

Related
Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R

Unlike the nickel-metal hydride battery pack in the Yaris Hybrid, the super capacitor in the Hybrid R allows for rapid recharge and discharge, allowing the Hybrid R to quickly grab kinetic energy during hard braking but also allowing it to ferociously push that energy out to the wheels on full-throttle power.

When the drivetrain puts out too much torque for the front wheels to handle, the third electric motor sandwiched between the 1.6 four and the sequential six-speed gearbox upfront engages and sends the power rearward to the rear wheels. This is sort of like a traditional traction control system but rather than zapping power and limiting throttle, power is instead rerouted for improved acceleration and handling. It’s pretty brilliant.

Toyota Hubrid R Engine

But wait: the brilliance continues. Just like the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Electric Drive, the two rear electric motors can be used to create positive or negative torque on demand. This means that not only cornering improves hugely but so does energy regeneration. Slow the inside rear wheel and the car turns more sharply, handles better, and more power is sent to the super capacitor for more full-throttle force after the apex.

Again, the Yaris Hybrid R might not seem like an exciting car but its drivetrain is very, very promising. Remember, we keep hearing rumors of a hybrid-powered Scion FR-S for the future. This very well could be the powertrain that Toyota will fit to it.

Your move, Porsche.

Editors' Recommendations

Jeep is launching its first two electric SUVs in the U.S. in 2024
Rendering of the Jeep Recon electric SUV.

Jeep will launch four electric SUVs for North America and Europe by the end of 2025, with at least two coming to the U.S., the automaker confirmed Thursday. While Jeep has some plug-in hybrids in its lineup, these will be the brand's first all-electric models.

The first of these models to launch will be the Jeep Recon, which is scheduled to start production in 2024, with reservations opening in early 2023. While it won't be fully revealed until next year, Jeep confirmed the Recon will have a "one-touch power top, removable doors, and glass," similar to the current Jeep Wrangler. While it doesn't replace the Wrangler, it's definitely inspired by the iconic off-roader, Jim Morrison, head of the Jeep brand in North America, said during a presentation of the electrification plan.

Read more
Are EVs more expensive than gas cars? It’s complicated
Front three quarter view of the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge electric car.

Cost is a major consideration no matter what kind of car you're buying. Electric vehicles are great options for helping to save the environment, but what use is that if they're outside of your budget? Let's take a look at the factors that go into pricing electric vehicles and see how they stack up against traditional cars.

Do electric vehicles cost more than traditional cars?
Electric vehicles have a higher up-front cost than gas cars but are less expensive over the course of their lifetime, primarily due to cheaper fuel. Several studies break down this total cost of ownership. Consumer Reports estimates that "for all EVs analyzed, the lifetime ownership costs were many thousands of dollars lower than all comparable ICE (internal combustion engines) vehicles’ costs, with most EVs offering savings of between $6,000 and $10,000."

Read more
We tested the self-driving Mercedes tech so advanced, it’s not allowed in the U.S.
Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan with Drive Pilot.

You can’t buy a fully self-driving car today -- and may never be able to -- but automakers are looking at ways to shift more of the workload from human drivers to machinery. Mercedes-Benz may have taken the biggest step in that direction yet.

Mercedes claims its Drive Pilot system, which was recently launched in Germany, is the first production system to achieve Level 3 on the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) autonomy scale, meaning the car can fully drive itself with the system active, but a human driver may still need to take over from time to time. It’s still a long way off from autonomous driving, but the Level 3 designation signifies a greater degree of capability than competitor systems.

Read more