The new U.S. Toyota Yaris is actually the five-year-old Mazda 2

Toyota will be revealing what it calls its “brand-new Yaris hatchback” at the upcoming New York International Auto Show kicking off on April 19, 2018. From the formal point of view, this statement is not false: the new vehicle has nothing in common with the old Yaris. That said, many would want to describe it as “deliberately misleading”. What the car company is trying to pass off as a brand-new model is essentially the old 2014 Mazda 2 with a new badge slapped on.

This is not even the first time the Mazda Two gets renamed like this, either. In 2015, the sedan/saloon entered the market in North America under the name “Scion iA” (Scion is a sub-brand owned by Toyota). A year later, the brand was discontinued and the car renamed to “Toyota Yaris”.

The not-so-new hatchback will arrive this summer, and will only be available in the five-door configuration. Compared to the original Mazda 2, its only major difference is the trademark Toyota front fascia.

The car is slightly larger than the old Yaris, now measuring 4,105 millimeters (13.6 ft.) long with 2,570 mm (8.4 ft.) of wheelbase. This is 155 mm (6 inches) and 60 mm (2.3 inches) longer than the donor vehicle, respectively. Nevertheless, while the dimensions are new, the content stays the same. The car still ships with the same 1.5-liter naturally aspirated Skyactiv-G engine pumping out some 107 horsepower (80 kilowatts) and the same six-speed automatic transmission.

Customers will be offered two trim versions. The standard version will include an air conditioner, a multimedia system with a 7-inch touchscreen display, ab engine start-stop button, a backup camera, and an automatic emergency brake. The top trim will feature high-end imitation leather upholstery, climate control, and LED lighting.

Photos: Toyota