The Aqua pairs a compact, easy-to-park body with Toyota’s proven hybrid tech, so it’s one of the most efficient hybrids to run in the country. As a used import it gives you genuine hybrid economy at a price that’s hard to beat.
Under the bonnet a 1.5 litre petrol engine works with Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive and an electric motor, switching between the two to use as little as 3.6 to 4.5 litres per 100km depending on the year and how it’s driven. It charges itself as you go, so there’s never a charging station to think about.
It’s light, nimble and easy to park, so it’s right at home around town, and it stays comfortable and composed once you reach the open road. The proven reliability and low running costs are a big part of why so many Kiwis choose it.
Inside, the Aqua is practical and easy to live with, with room for five and the simple, sensible layout Toyota is known for.
The cabin’s straightforward and hard-wearing, with room for five and a usable boot for the weekly shop or the overnight bags. The kit varies by year and trim, and the later models add EV and Eco driving modes along with upgraded infotainment.
Because it’s a hybrid, the Aqua is quiet and smooth at low speed, which is ideal for stop-start city driving. The compact size and light controls make it an easy, relaxing car to live with day to day.
The first-generation Aqua from 2011 to 2021 is the most affordable and the most common on the used market. The second-generation model from 2021 brings a more modern design with an upgraded hybrid and a higher-output lithium-ion battery. Armstrong’s can help you weigh up year, mileage, condition and budget to find the right one.
If you want hybrid savings without a new-car price then the Aqua is hard to beat. It’s proven, economical and easy to own, and buying through Armstrong’s means it’s also a checked, well-presented vehicle backed by a team you can trust.
The original Aqua is the one most New Zealanders know, a compact hybrid hatch built on the Yaris platform with a 1.5 litre engine and Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive. It’s affordable, frugal and widely available as a used import, so it makes a sensible first car or city runabout, and the later updates feature EV and Eco modes along with improved kit.
The second-generation Aqua brings sharper styling and a more refined cabin, and it adds an upgraded hybrid with a higher-output lithium-ion battery for even better economy and smoother low-speed running. Newer examples may also carry extra Toyota Safety Sense features, so it’s the pick if you want the latest version of a proven formula.
The Aqua, also known as the Prius c, is a compact hybrid hatch that pairs a 1.5 litre petrol engine with Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive, and an electric motor comes with it too.
The Aqua uses as little as 3.6 to 4.5 litres per 100km depending on the year and how it’s driven, and it charges itself as you go too, with no plug required.
The first-generation NHP10 ran from 2011 to 2021. The second-generation XP210 followed from 2021 on, bringing a more modern design too, along with an upgraded hybrid and a higher-output lithium-ion battery.
Eligible Toyota hybrid vehicles can receive Toyota’s high-voltage hybrid battery warranty of up to 8 years or 160,000 km, subject to the applicable eligibility criteria.
Later models add EV and Eco driving modes, with upgraded infotainment coming along too.