Duran Duran and the Human League did it ages ago; now even former feuders Spandau Ballet have decided to bury the hatchet and reform.

So it looks like we’re in for a full-blown ’80s revival – a move which has been cunningly anticipated by Toyota, if the interior of its new Yaris supermini is anything to go by.

It’s all very grey inside, as if in homage to the car’s ’80s forerunner the Starlet.

Dashboard, seat fabric and carpets in the Yaris all came in a similar shade – even the shiny flecks in the seats were grey too. A quarter of a century ago you used to be able to get zoot suits fashioned from similar-looking material.

But the USP of the new Yaris TR 1.33 is not its uniform greyness: rather, it’s the latest car to adopt a greener approach to motoring.

As part of its facelift for 2009 the Yaris has been given more dynamic looks and a new 1.3 litre Dual VVT-i engine, developing 100bhp – more than many 1.4 litre rivals.

And if you’re looking for low running costs then this French-built supermini is among the best in its class thanks to its new Stop/Start technology.

There are a number of different ways of operating this technology and I feel Toyota has taken a sensible approach.

When you change into neutral and release the clutch – at traffic lights for example – the engine switches itself off. As soon as you depress the clutch the engine starts again, saving small amounts of fuel each time.

This feature helps the Yaris achieve a combined cycle economy figure of 55mpg – excellent for a small petrol engine.

Inside the Yaris, once you have accustomed yourself to all the greyness, the interior is well proportioned and thought out.

The centrally-located, digital speedomer gives it a Gallic look. You soon get used to looking towards the centre of the dashboard instead of straight ahead for your speed readout.

There’s a surprising amount of room in the back of the Yaris and the boot is spacious too. Even better, there’s masses of storage cubby-holes and drawers for nick-nacks.

On the road, the Yaris is set up for comfort rather than sportiness and soaks up bumps well – at the expense of some roll through corners.

The electric motor power steering works fine but has very little ‘feel’ to it. The 1.3 litre engine is a reasonable performer and will hit 62mph in under 12 seconds.

I found the new six-speed gearbox occasionally ‘sticky’ but its wider sixth gear adds to the economy savings.

Unsurprisingly, the new Yaris has a host of active and passive safety features and has achieved a five-star rating in the Euro NCAP safety tests – but you’ll have to pay an extra £345 for stability and traction control systems.

At under £11,000 on the road the Yaris is one of the cheapest and best-equipped ‘eco’ models on the market. It will set you back just £35 a year to tax.

There’s a choice of eight sensible exterior colours from which to choose. But with the Spandau Ballet revival in full cry, perhaps it’s time for Toyota to re-visit a colour from the Yaris range of old: gold…

By Peter Carroll

TOYOTA YARIS FACT FILE

Model: Yaris TR 1.33 Stop/Start Five DoorPrice: From £10,915 on the roadEngine: 1,329cc, four cylinders, petrolPower: 100bhpTransmission: Six-speed manual, front wheel drivePerformance: 0-62mph in 11.7 secondsTop speed: 109mphEconomy: 55.4mpg on combined cycleCO2 emissions: 119g/kmLength: 3,785mmWeight: 1,040 to 1,080kgInsurance group: 3Servicing: 10,000 milesWarranty: Three years / 60,000 miles