2020 Toyota Yaris Will Be a Rebadged Mazda 2 Hatchback

Is this a case of identity crisis we're talking about here? Perhaps--or perhaps not. But reports say that Toyota will scrap the Toyota Yaris hatchback in the U.S. and use a rebadged Mazda 2 hatchback instead. So like the Toyota Yaris sedan that Mazda builds in Mexico, it seems the hatchback version will also be built by the Mazda company again.

According to CarandDriver.com, the new Mazda-based Yaris hatchback will most likely use the same 1.5-liter inline-four engine as the sedan, with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. This might be similar with the 2020 hatchback version, with the added Mazda 2 hatchback platform to house it in.

This isn't the first time that Toyota and Mazda has collaborated on a vehicle. Their first venture was the Scion iA, which was a re-badged version of the Mazda 2 sedan. When Toyota decided to discontinue the Scion brand, the Scion iA was squeezed in-between the Yaris family and was re-named Toyota Yaris iA.

Still, reports say that the hatchback will be scrapped totally in the U.S.  Toyota made a statement to Motor1.com: "We will not be offering a MY2019 Yaris liftback for sale in the U.S. but will continue to offer the MY2019 Yaris sedan, which is built in Mexico in a partnership with Mazda. We're working on something new for MY2020 and look forward to seeing you at the New York Auto Show for more details."

So let's settle with Toyota's vague statement for now. We're looking forward to more details about the latest updates on the 2020 Yaris at the New York Auto Show in April.