We all know competition in the auto world is absolutely ruthless these days. The pressure to make a sale is enormous, and that means each and every update has to be as effective as possible in order to keep a model afloat. For example, take the new Toyota Yaris. While technically just a mid-life refresh, this latest model year of the Yaris ushers in a slew of tweaks, refinements, and additions, which, taken as a whole, might qualify as a whole new generation just a decade ago.

It makes sense when you consider the Japanese brand has sold over three million of these things between 2001 and 2016. That’s a lot of Yarises (Yarii?), even when spread out across numerous major markets, including Europe, Africa, North America, the Middle East, and Asia.

Clearly, this subcompact hatchback is an important model for Toyota, and as such, the company invested some 90 million euros ($95.3 million) to improve it. Many of the updates take after the Vitz, the Yaris’ Japanese equivalent, and include new styling, more equipment, improved handling, new safety features, and an updated 1.5-liter gasoline engine. There’s also an optional hybrid powerplant on the table, with 40 percent of the models sold in Europe being hybrids.

In total, the update consists of some 900 individual new parts. Read on to see how they fit together and why this is more than a simple refresh.

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Well, It Looks Pretty New, Right?

Previous model year Toyota Yaris pictured on the left, newest model year Toyota Yaris pictured on the right.

It does indeed. The look was penned by Toyota’s ED2 studio in France, using the Toyota Keen Look and Under Priority design language as inspiration. It attempts to emphasize the car’s sportiness by using copious horizontal styling elements, and includes a new front bumper, new headlights, and new fog light housings. The front grille gets a trapezoidal shape and a honeycomb insert, while chrome details are sprinkled here and there.

There’s also LED daytime running lights, optional LEDs for the taillights, new character lines in the doors, and new wheels. The rollers get new designs for the Mid trim level (15-inchers with a silver cover), the Mid+ trim level (15-inch multi-spoke alloys), and the Chic hybrid (16-inches with a machined face).

Finally, there are two new exterior colors, including Hydro Blue and Tokyo Red, brining the total paint options up to 10.

That’s Fine, But What Do You Get In The Cabin?

Previous model year Toyota Yaris pictured on the left, newest model year Toyota Yaris pictured on the right.

Inside, there are new materials for the upholstery, new color schemes, new trim, new instruments, and further refinement to the infotainment interface. The steering wheel was upgraded with piano black trim, and there’s new switchgear. The gauge cluster throws in a 4.2-inch TFT multi-information display as standard on the Mid trim level.

Toyota also says the Yaris has a quieter cabin and a more comfortable ride. Meanwhile, Toyota Safety Sense comes as standard spec.

Previous model year Toyota Yaris pictured on the left, newest model year Toyota Yaris pictured on the right.0}

It goes without saying that people want the newest, the best, and the most cutting-edge vehicle that their money can buy (unless, of course, they happen to be an enthusiast, in which case all logic is thrown out the window). Most importantly, they want to feel like they are getting the most they can for their buying dollar, especially in the subcompact hatchback segment.

With that in mind, it makes sense Toyota went to such lengths to keep the Yaris feeling fresh. Rest assured the competition isn’t slowing down in the hunt to steal sales, but with all these updates to the styling, the equipment, and the powertrain, Toyota should keep the sales rolling in.

And I guess that’s what’s needed now that we’re getting deeper into 2017. You can get a lot of car for your money these day, and no punches are pulled in offering customers the highest possible value at the lower end of the pricing spectrum.

It’s almost as if the auto culture is taking after the tech culture. Just like the latest smart gadget must improve upon the old in blatantly obvious, utterly tangible ways, so too must the latest car model year stand out as a vast improvement, even between generation changeovers. The days of slow, methodical progress seem to be over. Out with the old, in with the new, ready or not.

What do you think, dear reader? Is this a good or bad thing? Are we off the mark completely? Let us know in the comments.