You can choose from one of three engines: a 1.0-litre petrol also found in Toyota's baby Aygo; a 1.33-litre petrol with start-stop technology and a 90bhp 1.4-litre diesel, offering a claimed 68.9mpg.

Whilst the ride isn’t too uncomfortable, it’s jittery at times, and the Yaris never feels truly settled. The handling is predictable and safe, but the Yaris isn’t as assured or as grippy as the better superminis in this class, and it’s certainly not sporty by any stretch of the imagination.

Refinement is another area where the Yaris isn’t quite as accomplished as the class leaders – there’s much more road and, particularly, wind noise than you would find in a Renault Clio’s cabin at speed. The engines – particularly the three-cylinder 1.0-litre petrol – are also vocal when pressed.

The Yaris looks pricey compared with many of its rivals, although it does hold its value better than most. Running costs are low for most models: the 1.0 and 1.33 petrols return over 50mpg, and the diesel tops 60mpg. Insurance and servicing costs are also cheap.

The Yaris has been a byword for reliability in the past – the old model was rated very highly in JD Power customer satisfaction surveys – so that bodes well. Quality inside is good, although the hard, dimpled plastics across the dash look nice but don’t have the quality feel of the softer-touch plastics in some rivals.

The Yaris received a full five-star occupant safety rating in Euro NCAP crash tests, and is one of a handful of cars to get three stars for pedestrian safety. All cars have two front airbags, and all but the base trim feature side and curtain airbags, plus one to protect the driver’s knees. Stability control is optional. There’s lots of security kit.

The Yaris’s dashboard is funky and individual, but it’s not to all tastes. The centrally mounted digital instruments can be tricky to read at a glance, while the heater controls are set very low on the centre console. The high-set driving position won’t suit everyone, either, and the base model misses out on driver's seat height adjustment. The steering wheel adjusts for height but not reach.

The Yaris remains one of the shortest cars in this class, but it’s well packaged, so you’re not aware of this in the cabin. There’s decent headroom all round and all models have a system that allows you to fold the rear seats flat at the tug of a lever. The rear seats slide to provide excellent legroom in their rearmost position, but this means sacrificing a lot of the well-sized boot’s space.

Trim levels are T2, TR and T Spirit, and all include remote central locking, electric windows and a CD player with an MP3 input socket. TR models add air conditioning, power-adjustable door mirrors and alloy wheels, while T Spirit versions get curtain airbags, climate control, a keyless entry/ignition system and uprated interior trimmings.