If you’re looking for a revolution, look somewhere else. The new Yaris that goes on sale today isn’t about to redraw the boundaries of its class, nor is it going to set fashionista pulses racing. In fact Toyota has kept the redesign commendably simple. The new car is substantially different in just one way: it’s bigger. Toyota’s motto for the car is “Big car thinking” and while the Yaris isn’t exactly Wayne Rooney in a dark alley it does present a more powerful, masculine profile. I think it looks great in three-door guise, but a bit school bus-ish in five-door mode.

Starting at £8,995, the Yaris will compete with the likes of the new Fiat Punto and Renault’s excellent new Clio, which is the European Car of the Year 2006. Inside, it feels instantly bigger than the car it replaces. This is partly due to the windscreen pillars being moved forward, along with the dashboard. And the dashboard feels more grown up, too, with the centre console finished in a convincing aluminium-like plastic. Less convincing is the keyless entry system on higher spec models, which is an unnecessary complication in a budget car.

Other than the plastic on the two door bins and the dash, which feels a bit on the cheap side, the driving environment is good. The steering wheel offers generous reach and rake adjustability, and in traditional Yaris style there’s that central display with its eerie floating numbers — speed, trip info — which looks cool. The digital rev counter, though, just doesn’t work as a concept as it takes too long to decipher.

Overall, Toyota’s goal of big car thinking on the quality front isn’t an unqualified success, with the interiors on rivals such as the Clio and Skoda Fabia feeling more expensive and better fitted.

On the space front, though, the news is good. Two six-footers can comfortably sit one behind the other and the rear 60/40 split seats can slide independently fore and aft through 6in, which means you can have maximum passenger room or maximum boot space, depending on the occasion. The seats fold perfectly flat for a class-leading cargo space and there’s under-floor storage in the boot area. Another clever touch is the rerouting of the exhaust pipe to allow for a flat floor in the rear.

Headroom is a bit tight in the rear, though, and Toyota’s claim that three adults can sit in the back might be true if they’ve just finished the 3.30 at Aintree.

On the road, the 89bhp 1.4 litre diesel is the engine of choice. It’s much more relaxed and punchy than its high-revving petrol siblings. It’s quicker, too, with 0-62mph coming up in 10.7sec, and by far the most frugal, delivering 62.8mpg in the combined cycle. The 1.3 litre petrol engine develops 87bhp and will hustle the Yaris to 62mph in 11.5sec, delivering 47.1mpg overall. There is a 69bhp 1 litre entry level model on offer, but the dire performance — 0-62mph in 15.7sec — isn’t worth the 52.3mpg fuel economy.

The Yaris comes with a five-speed manual transmission as standard, and it’s a refined, mechanically precise device. Those wanting an automatic will have just one option, Toyota’s Multi Mode transmission. This is, effectively, a manual gearbox with an electrohydraulic set-up that does the shifting for you. But it’s clumsy and slow — 0-62mph times rise significantly — and I’d recommend you stick to the manual boxes.

The Yaris is pretty good to drive. The electric steering has good feel and accuracy. Body control through corners is fine and high-speed cruising comfort is perfectly acceptable. Around town at low speeds, however, the ride is a little firm.

So, is Toyota’s big car thinking a success? Well, the Yaris is bigger inside and out, handles better than the old car, scores top marks in Euro NCAP crash testing, has cleverer detailing and looks less girlie. But Toyota was wise not to promise too much. What it has done is simply make a good car slightly better.

VITAL STATISTICS

Model Toyota Yaris D-4D T2 three-door
Engine type 1364cc four-cylinder diesel
Power/Torque 89bhp @ 3800rpm / 141 lb ft @ 1800-3000rpm
Transmission Five-speed manual
Fuel/CO2 62.8mpg (combined cycle) / 119g/km
Performance 0-62mph: 10.7sec / Top speed: 109mph
Price £10,295
Verdict Clever packaging and a better all-round car than the one it replaces
Rating 3/5

THE OPPOSITION

Model Renault Clio Expression 1.5 dCi 67bhp £10,350
For Excellent ride and refinement, very safe
Against Not as much fun to drive as previous models

Model Fiat Punto 1.9 HGT Multijet £12,045
For Neatly styled, very good diesel, fun to drive
Against Question marks over quality, awkward five-speed gearbox