Best way to drive a Toyota Yaris hybrid.

Ayr_Rage

@mgfvvc your opinion is incorrect.

"B" mode in a Toyota hybrid  stands for "Brake" (Engine Braking), designed to increase drag when descending long, steep hills to control speed and prevent brake overheating. It acts like a lower gear, using the engine to slow the car, reducing strain on brake pads, but is not meant for daily driving.

beanielou

Thanks so much for all your helpful advice. Having driven Audi A1’s for nearly ten years it’s all new to me.

WellKnownSid

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81904631#Comment_81904631

Thank you ChatGPT ;)

I must admit, I drive our Dacia Hybrid in B all the time. It's not one-pedal driving but more relaxing. The Renault system doesn't use the engine to brake but instead charges the battery more aggressively so recovering the kinetic energy into something usable.

Downsides? In some situations covering the brake is advantageous if you're expecting a risk of having to stop in a hurry e.g. passing a bus… so it's worth slipping to D to avoid killing runaway people.

Ayr_Rage

The downside is that the ICE is turned over to provide that engine braking (in a Toyota) meaning less use of the brake pedal and therefore less regenerative braking which means less charge going back to the battery.

Just check the power meter and you'll see how inefficient B mode really is.

mgfvvc

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81904741#Comment_81904741

If I do a general search for "B gear" the results suggest that normally B gear is for generative braking, whereas if I add "Toyota Hybrid" to the search the results suggest that Toyotas also use lower gear ratios in B, so maybe Toyota Hybrids are more different than I would have expected.

That's a mildly interesting little rabbit hole.

Bigwheels1111

I asked my mini cab driver friend's who own a Toyota Prius about B mode.

I never owned one, used diesels my self.

All of them have 15 Plate or newer cars.

None have ever used it in over 200K miles of cabbing.

Around town they get 55/60mpg, 2 thing that cause less mpg.

The battery cooling fan not working at peak performance.

Caused by hair and dust fluff blocking the vents and ducting.

Stripping it down and cleaning takes 60 mins.

A job to do once a year.

Youtube videos are great to fix this.

Not an issue for normal drivers I believe.

Second is battery giving up, after 120k / 150K ( very hard usage ).

£1400 genuine replacement fixed that.

The only other issue is the water pump, gives up at 100k /120k.

60 min fix, £250.

My best friend Prius has just shy of 300k miles, He serviced it himself from 100k

after the warranty ran out.

He relpaced the battery, water pump and a relay + servicing, tyres and break pads.

Thats it in 300k miles.

No springs, shock, ball joints etc.

Don't take this wrong, Toyota's are built to run forever and be driven by idiots.

( mini cab drivers ) I was one for 24 years.

Start car and drive, fill up when needed and service it.

It's that simple, The software etc in the car does the rest.

Who else offers a 10 year warranty.

WellKnownSid

Who else offers a 10 year warranty.

Suzuki?

born_again

If it's like many other Hybrids, they they use regen braking all the time, once you take your foot off the throttle, & when breaking.

It's called blended braking.

Bigwheels1111

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81904965#Comment_81904965

Yes, Because they are full of Toyota parts.

Toyota and Suzuki have a strategic partnership initiated in 2017 to combine Toyota’s leadership in electrification and AI with Suzuki’s expertise in compact, affordable vehicles. This alliance includes cross-sharing vehicles (rebadging), joint development of electric SUVs (BEVs) for 2025, and collaboration on safety and autonomous technology. Key Aspects of the Collaboration:

• Rebadged Models: Suzuki sells rebadged Toyota hybrids in Europe (Swace, Across). Conversely, Toyota sells Suzuki-produced vehicles (Glanza, Urban Cruiser Taisor/Starlet Cross) in India and Africa.
• Electric Vehicle Focus: The companies are developing a new BEV SUV, with production starting in spring 2025 at Suzuki Motor Gujarat in India.
• Capital Alliance: Since 2019, Toyota holds a 4.94% stake in Suzuki, and Suzuki holds a smaller stake in Toyota.
• Technology Sharing: The partnership covers joint efforts in autonomous driving, safety, and shared procurement, while they continue to compete in the market.
• Production Strength: Suzuki leverages Toyota’s strong hybrid systems, while Toyota utilizes Suzuki’s efficient, small-car production capabilities. 

The partnership allows both companies to expand their lineups, reduce costs, and accelerate the development of future-mobility technologies. 

Alanp

I only use B mode when going downhill, the thing is with driving a hybrid is to slightly change your driving style, I tend to coast up to traffic lights for example, it helps to foreword plan( as we all should) , the CVT gearbox might take some getting used to as it’s like the clutch is slipping, there’s lots of revs if you floor it and it takes a bit for the speed to catch up, still, you get used to it but I would suggest an extended test drive before you buy..