AutoWise has learned the subcompact Toyota Yaris sedan and hatchback, built by Mazda, will be discontinued after the 2020 model year, effective immediately. This information was discovered after a user on Reddit posted a copy of a memo from Toyota to the Southeast Toyota dealers and general managers stating the cars will no longer be offered for 2021. The letter has since been removed.
Toyota Yaris: Officially Discontinued
We reached out to Toyota and a company spokesperson confirmed the model’s discontinuation.
“The Yaris sedan and Yaris Hatchback will not be available for model year 2021. Model year 2020 will be the last year for Yaris. June 2020 will be the last month of production for the Yaris sedan and Yaris Hatchback for the U.S.,” according to Toyota Motor North America’s Western Communications Manager, Christine N. Henley.
The original memo posted to Reddit mentioned Toyota believes the current Corolla sedan and hatchback models should appeal to people who may have been shopping the Yaris. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last 54 years, the Corolla is the company’s compact offering and has been a mainstay of the lineup for generations. The smaller, more affordable Yaris, which officially went on sale in the U.S. as a 2007 model, has faced declining sales for the last few years. Peak Yaris sales happened in 2008 (according to Good Car Bad Car) when 102,328 models were sold. In contrast, 21,916 models were delivered in 2019. Just 2,416 Yaris vehicles have sold in 2020 so far.
Yaris Timeline & The Mazda Mashup
When is a Toyota not a Toyota? When it’s a Mazda, and that’s what the Yaris has been for the last few years. But the naming and branding got a little messy. Here’s a timeline.
- 2007: Toyota introduces Yaris hatchback and sedan to the U.S. market. These are genuine Toyota-built products.
- 2009: There’s a minor refresh of both sedan and hatchback models.
- 2012: Toyota gives the Yaris hatchback a new look; the sedan remains unchanged.
- 2013: The Toyota-made Yaris sedan is dropped; the hatchback continues.
- 2015: The hatchback gets another styling refresh.
- 2016: Scion, Toyota’s sub-brand, introduces the iA sedan built by Mazda in Mexico
- 2017: The Scion brand is dissolved. The Scion iA becomes the Toyota Yaris iA.
- 2019: Toyota drops the iA from the Yaris sedan name. In January, it announces the cessation of Toyota-built hatchback. Then in April, Toyota announces the all-new Mazda-built Yaris hatchback, a badge-engineered Mazda2 hatchback.
- 2020: Toyota announces discontinuation of all Yaris models for the U.S.
This marks the first time since the 1970s that Toyota won’t have a subcompact car in its lineup. Previous subcompact offerings included the Starlet, Tercel, Paseo, and Echo.
The last couple of years have seen a major decline in the availability of small cars on the U.S. market. Lower gas prices, a strong economy, and slimmer dealer margins have all led to the subcompact segment being greatly reduced. The discontinuation of Toyota’s Yaris shows even Toyota isn’t willing to hang onto the smaller end of the car spectrum.
