SUPERMINIS rule the world. Well, Europe at least.

Every year almost three million of them are bought by European drivers - four million if you include Russia.

It means that one in every five cars sold is a supermini, so it's little wonder that what were once just plain small cars have been transformed into mini marvels of techno wizardry.

Launched 15 years ago - and at the forefront of innovation ever since - is the Toyota Yaris, a car that has given its designers a dilemma.

Clever packaging and traditional Japanese reliability have ensured a loyal army of predominantly private owners.

But as competition becomes ever more fierce, Toyota's strategy has been to appeal to the heart as well as the mind. And the latest Yaris does just that.

Costing from £10,995, the latest line-up has majored on style and desirable equipment with stuff like a leather-trimmed steering wheel, air-con, projector headlights and the latest Toyota Touch 2 multimedia system fitted as standard in all bar entry level Active grade.

Following a trend set by the latest Aygo city car, the Yaris looks stronger than before, notably thanks to the X design on the face of the car, something based on Japanese youth culture.

And inside little touches make all the difference, like thinner panels, a raised centre console so that the gear level can be made smaller and there's an extra closed storage area.

The overall feel of the soft-touch materials and seat trims also hints at an altogether more upmarket small car.

Four powertrains - two petrol, one diesel and a hybrid - are up for grabs and while the latter already accounts for a quarter of Yaris sales in the UK, the tested 1.33 VVT-i petrol with six-speed manual transmission offers a fair balance.

It feels spirited for an engine that produces a mere 98bhp and has an official average fuel return of 57 miles per gallon.

Regards technology, the Toyota Touch 2 is an updated version of the brand's touchscreen multimedia system with a new, higher resolution seven-inch display.

The package includes Bluetooth, a rear-view camera, vehicle info including trip data, climate control profile and management of settings for door locking and lighting.

It comes with DAB digital radio as standard and is also MirrorLink-ready, allowing users to connect compatible smartphones and operate them using the touchscreen.

Prices are from £10,995 for the Yaris 1.0 VVT-i Active three-door model rising to £17,695 for the 1.5 VVT-i Hybrid Excel five-door with CVT transmission.