What's the difference?
The small car segment is getting busy. Electric cars are reviving a part of the new car market we thought of as history.
The 2026 Geely EX2 hopes to come in and take the lead in that exact segment. In fact, it sold in enough numbers in China last year that it alone would make up close to half of Australia’s total annual new car sales.
A very aggressive price, plenty of features and cute styling are all weapons in its fight against the likes of the BYD Atto 1, GAC Aion UT or MG4.
Long the domain of first-car buyers and suburbanites winding down on their driving years, the Toyota Yaris is now hybrid-only, and is a far cry from the $15,000-or-so cheap and cheerful staple it once was.
But with its fourth generation a few years into its lifespan, the Yaris is trying to be more than just a basic A-to-B runabout. In fact, the ZR we have on test is more expensive than an entry-grade Volkswagen Polo.
Does more than $30,000 of light hatch really feel worth it once you’re behind the wheel, or are you better off pocketing almost $10,000 to save on one of the thinning pack of rivals?
The Geely EX2 is right-priced, feature-packed and feels very well suited to the city in terms of on-road behaviour. Its driving range in the base Complete will be a limiting factor to many, but the low price puts it in contention to be a solid second-car.
What it’ll likely come down to for many is style, which the EX2 feels on the front foot with, but the first impressions from the launch drive are positive, and it would be a surprise to see it flop even in the increasingly competitive and volatile small car segment.
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The Toyota Yaris is as much car as many people should really need, and it's a refreshing antidote to the largely unnecessary shift towards SUVs as the ‘default vehicle’.
In the case of the ZR grade, the pricing could understandably be a reason you might consider an SUV instead. There are plenty of options for a similar price.
The problem with an SUV though is it will likely be less efficient and, due to physics, less agile and fun to drive.
Given the price and the fact that a couple of features are missing, the ZR probably isn't the variant to go for, but the Yaris is an overall solid foundation for a very convincing hatchback.