Toyota Yaris
#1
07-10-2006, 11:40 AM
Toyota Yaris
I regularly check out edmunds.com for reviews and I recently found this one on there for the Yaris... If you have friends or family looking for a new sub-compact, let them read this. I have highlighted the good bits... :) My comments are in green.
Ten years ago an inexpensive, comfortable, well-built car like the 2007 Toyota Yaris would have been a slam dunk. In fact, it was a slam dunk. It was called the Corolla and it was one of the best-selling compact sedans of its time.
But over the last decade, compact sedan buyers got greedy. They asked for more room, better features and increased horsepower. Toyota listened, building a larger Corolla with more standard features and a bigger engine.
Now with gas prices at nearly $3 a gallon, those same buyers suddenly have a conscience. They've joined Greenpeace, bought hemp socks and started looking for smaller, cheaper and more fuel-efficient sedans. Cars like the Yaris.
Not always inexpensive
As the cheapest machine in Toyota's lineup, the Yaris competes with other new subcompacts like the 2007 Honda Fit and 2007 Nissan Versa, as well as the Hyundai Accent and Chevrolet Aveo.
There are two body styles — a slightly cheaper three-door Yaris hatchback and the four-door Yaris sedan — but only the sedan offers an upgraded "S" model. Yeah, even subcompacts get the sport treatment these days. A Yaris S sedan, like our test car, gets extra body cladding, bigger 15-inch wheels and a CD stereo with an auxiliary input jack.
With the optional four-speed automatic, the Yaris S starts at $14,050, but equipped with nearly every available option like our test car, the price tops out at $17,045. The extra $3 grand added the Power package with antilock brakes; power windows, locks and mirrors; cruise control; a tachometer; and upgraded interior trim, along with stand-alone options like side curtain airbags, foglamps and keyless entry.
(Doesn't the Fit come with all this standard for less? ... Silly Toyota)
21st-century Corolla
Despite its subcompact label, the Yaris is longer, wider and heavier than the Echo it replaces and about the same size as that best-selling Corolla from a decade ago.
It also has a longer wheelbase, which is why the Yaris doesn't feel like a subcompact from inside. In fact, the Yaris has more front legroom than a current-generation Corolla and the Yaris is only half an inch shy of its bigger brother in the headroom department. Shoulder room, however, is 2 inches tighter compared to the Corolla.
Passenger room in back is surprisingly good, with slightly more rear legroom than the Corolla. With the driver seat adjusted for a 6-footer there's enough space behind the seat for an average-sized adult to sit without bumping his head or knees. There's good toe room under the front seats as well.
Classing it up
Toyota calls the Yaris' interior design "class-up" styling, and at first glance it looks a little more stylish than your average econobox. Surely, the optional metallic trim on our test car helped.
The V-shaped center stack uses a pedestal design, which looks interesting, but with no room for cupholders it's not very practical. All the controls on the stack itself are well organized, and the center-mounted gauges that sit on top look to be Camry-grade stuff. Putting the gauges in the middle isn't our preferred setup, but in a car with 106 horsepower you don't spend much time worrying about your speed.
Standard height-adjustable front seats and a tilt steering wheel are unexpected features for this segment. If you're tall the driver seat still doesn't adjust low enough, however, and the vinyl steering wheel feels cheap no matter how perfectly you adjust it.
Trunk space is about average at 12.9 cubic feet. The hatchback versions of the Yaris and the Fit offer more cargo room, but the trunk in the Hyundai Accent sedan is slightly smaller.
Style comes at a price
As slick as the Yaris looks on the inside, the design botches simple things like decent cupholders. Instead of putting them between the seats where they should be, Toyota placed one on each side of the dashboard. They're not only poorly placed; they're too shallow to hold big cups and too high to trust with a hot cup of coffee.
Storage space is a problem, too, as the only accessible bins sit behind the base of the center stack. Try fishing your Razr phone out of there a few times and the cool pedestal design suddenly seems as dumb as the cupholders you can't reach.
Those bins house the auxiliary plug for the stereo, however, so they are useful for holding your iPod. Sound quality from the upgraded MP3-capable stereo is decent, but with black numbers on a dull green background the faceplate isn't always easy to see.
Efficient power
Only one engine is offered: a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder with Toyota's latest VVT-i technology. It produces 106 hp at 6,000 rpm and 103 pound-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm. Decent numbers for the segment, but the engine is loud at full throttle and with so little power you find yourself digging into the gas often.
The good news is that it's easy on the gas card. We averaged 32.9 mpg over a week of daily driving.
Shifts from the four-speed automatic are reasonably quick and the gearing feels about right. At the track, our Yaris turned in a 0-60 time of 10.8 seconds. A Honda Fit with a manual will do the same in 9.2. The quarter-mile takes 17.8 seconds in the Yaris; the Fit does it in 16.7.
Like the Fit, the Yaris has excellent brakes. Its best stop from 60 mph was 122 feet.
Imported, from Europe
Although the Yaris has been on sale in Europe since 1999, the U.S. version is an all-new vehicle built on a unique chassis. Toyota claims its MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion bar rear suspension result in better handling, less interior noise and a smoother ride.
It got part of it right. The Yaris blew through our slalom at 65.9 mph, slower than the Fit (67.5) but faster than a Pontiac Solstice. Despite that athleticism, the Yaris S isn't much fun to toss around due to its substantial body roll and minimal steering feedback.
Ride quality on the highway is much improved over the Echo. You don't feel every crack in the pavement and wind gusts no longer redirect you into the next lane. There's less road noise, too.
When you're driving the Yaris around town, the word "competent" often comes to mind. Not "refined" or "sporty" or "fun": just "competent." The steering is light for easy parking maneuvers and the turning circle is tighter than the Fit by 2 feet. Basically it feels secure and comfortable, nothing more.
Some are more valuable than others
Ten years ago the Corolla was the standard against which every other subcompact was measured. These days, however, it's clear the competition has looked to a higher standard than the Yaris.
For $2 grand less than the price of our test car, you could get a similarly equipped Hyundai Accent with a better warranty, an equally spacious interior and decent cupholders. Or for $16K you could go with the loaded Honda Fit Sport, which is more fun to drive and has a better stereo, superior ergonomics and a more flexible interior.
Any way you look at it, the 2007 Toyota Yaris is average. And when you're trying to save the world, average doesn't cut it. Even people who wear hemp socks know that.
Ten years ago an inexpensive, comfortable, well-built car like the 2007 Toyota Yaris would have been a slam dunk. In fact, it was a slam dunk. It was called the Corolla and it was one of the best-selling compact sedans of its time.
But over the last decade, compact sedan buyers got greedy. They asked for more room, better features and increased horsepower. Toyota listened, building a larger Corolla with more standard features and a bigger engine.
Now with gas prices at nearly $3 a gallon, those same buyers suddenly have a conscience. They've joined Greenpeace, bought hemp socks and started looking for smaller, cheaper and more fuel-efficient sedans. Cars like the Yaris.
Not always inexpensive
As the cheapest machine in Toyota's lineup, the Yaris competes with other new subcompacts like the 2007 Honda Fit and 2007 Nissan Versa, as well as the Hyundai Accent and Chevrolet Aveo.
There are two body styles — a slightly cheaper three-door Yaris hatchback and the four-door Yaris sedan — but only the sedan offers an upgraded "S" model. Yeah, even subcompacts get the sport treatment these days. A Yaris S sedan, like our test car, gets extra body cladding, bigger 15-inch wheels and a CD stereo with an auxiliary input jack.
With the optional four-speed automatic, the Yaris S starts at $14,050, but equipped with nearly every available option like our test car, the price tops out at $17,045. The extra $3 grand added the Power package with antilock brakes; power windows, locks and mirrors; cruise control; a tachometer; and upgraded interior trim, along with stand-alone options like side curtain airbags, foglamps and keyless entry.
(Doesn't the Fit come with all this standard for less? ... Silly Toyota)
21st-century Corolla
Despite its subcompact label, the Yaris is longer, wider and heavier than the Echo it replaces and about the same size as that best-selling Corolla from a decade ago.
It also has a longer wheelbase, which is why the Yaris doesn't feel like a subcompact from inside. In fact, the Yaris has more front legroom than a current-generation Corolla and the Yaris is only half an inch shy of its bigger brother in the headroom department. Shoulder room, however, is 2 inches tighter compared to the Corolla.
Passenger room in back is surprisingly good, with slightly more rear legroom than the Corolla. With the driver seat adjusted for a 6-footer there's enough space behind the seat for an average-sized adult to sit without bumping his head or knees. There's good toe room under the front seats as well.
Classing it up
Toyota calls the Yaris' interior design "class-up" styling, and at first glance it looks a little more stylish than your average econobox. Surely, the optional metallic trim on our test car helped.
The V-shaped center stack uses a pedestal design, which looks interesting, but with no room for cupholders it's not very practical. All the controls on the stack itself are well organized, and the center-mounted gauges that sit on top look to be Camry-grade stuff. Putting the gauges in the middle isn't our preferred setup, but in a car with 106 horsepower you don't spend much time worrying about your speed.
Standard height-adjustable front seats and a tilt steering wheel are unexpected features for this segment. If you're tall the driver seat still doesn't adjust low enough, however, and the vinyl steering wheel feels cheap no matter how perfectly you adjust it.
Trunk space is about average at 12.9 cubic feet. The hatchback versions of the Yaris and the Fit offer more cargo room, but the trunk in the Hyundai Accent sedan is slightly smaller.
Style comes at a price
As slick as the Yaris looks on the inside, the design botches simple things like decent cupholders. Instead of putting them between the seats where they should be, Toyota placed one on each side of the dashboard. They're not only poorly placed; they're too shallow to hold big cups and too high to trust with a hot cup of coffee.
Storage space is a problem, too, as the only accessible bins sit behind the base of the center stack. Try fishing your Razr phone out of there a few times and the cool pedestal design suddenly seems as dumb as the cupholders you can't reach.
Those bins house the auxiliary plug for the stereo, however, so they are useful for holding your iPod. Sound quality from the upgraded MP3-capable stereo is decent, but with black numbers on a dull green background the faceplate isn't always easy to see.
Efficient power
Only one engine is offered: a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder with Toyota's latest VVT-i technology. It produces 106 hp at 6,000 rpm and 103 pound-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm. Decent numbers for the segment, but the engine is loud at full throttle and with so little power you find yourself digging into the gas often.
The good news is that it's easy on the gas card. We averaged 32.9 mpg over a week of daily driving.
Shifts from the four-speed automatic are reasonably quick and the gearing feels about right. At the track, our Yaris turned in a 0-60 time of 10.8 seconds. A Honda Fit with a manual will do the same in 9.2. The quarter-mile takes 17.8 seconds in the Yaris; the Fit does it in 16.7.
Like the Fit, the Yaris has excellent brakes. Its best stop from 60 mph was 122 feet.
Imported, from Europe
Although the Yaris has been on sale in Europe since 1999, the U.S. version is an all-new vehicle built on a unique chassis. Toyota claims its MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion bar rear suspension result in better handling, less interior noise and a smoother ride.
It got part of it right. The Yaris blew through our slalom at 65.9 mph, slower than the Fit (67.5) but faster than a Pontiac Solstice. Despite that athleticism, the Yaris S isn't much fun to toss around due to its substantial body roll and minimal steering feedback.
Ride quality on the highway is much improved over the Echo. You don't feel every crack in the pavement and wind gusts no longer redirect you into the next lane. There's less road noise, too.
When you're driving the Yaris around town, the word "competent" often comes to mind. Not "refined" or "sporty" or "fun": just "competent." The steering is light for easy parking maneuvers and the turning circle is tighter than the Fit by 2 feet. Basically it feels secure and comfortable, nothing more.
Some are more valuable than others
Ten years ago the Corolla was the standard against which every other subcompact was measured. These days, however, it's clear the competition has looked to a higher standard than the Yaris.
For $2 grand less than the price of our test car, you could get a similarly equipped Hyundai Accent with a better warranty, an equally spacious interior and decent cupholders. Or for $16K you could go with the loaded Honda Fit Sport, which is more fun to drive and has a better stereo, superior ergonomics and a more flexible interior.
Any way you look at it, the 2007 Toyota Yaris is average. And when you're trying to save the world, average doesn't cut it. Even people who wear hemp socks know that.
#8
07-10-2006, 12:50 PM
I considered the Yaris at first, and the wife was leaning towards it... until we test drove one. EWW. Cramped quarters, low roof, and my wife said the steering wheel felt like cheap vinyl mixed with plastic. Actually, the whole car felt pretty cheap to us, especially compared to the Fit.
Thanks for posting the article!
Thanks for posting the article!
#9
07-10-2006, 12:52 PM
Originally Posted by Paulo107
Yaris hatch is not that bad looking...what got to me was the center gauge cluster (wack) and then no tachometer (only on sedan S model) that sucks to:cool:
#10
07-10-2006, 02:04 PM
When I drove the Yaris at a Fit Ride and Drive(Its something Honda put on for the new model and you drive the Fits competitors) they set up a small course of pilons. When I went into a corner and was braking the back end almost came around on me... Here I thought I was gonna get in trouble for it, but no, it's one of the bad features of the Yaris.
Not everyone may get that to happen on the car cuz not everyone drives like that but if they did, I'm sure they would not want to buy it...
Not everyone may get that to happen on the car cuz not everyone drives like that but if they did, I'm sure they would not want to buy it...
#13
07-10-2006, 05:39 PM
I almost bought the Yaris, except I got caught in the Toyota merry-go-round (deposit, order and wait). That pushed me to look at, love, and buy the Honda Fit.
I'm sure that the Yaris is a good car for many people and is well-made and gets great mileage. But now that I compare the two more, the Fit is a better-looking, more comfortable and more fun subcompact.
I am so glad I bought a Fit!
I'm sure that the Yaris is a good car for many people and is well-made and gets great mileage. But now that I compare the two more, the Fit is a better-looking, more comfortable and more fun subcompact.
I am so glad I bought a Fit!
#14
07-10-2006, 06:35 PM
this past january, two friends and i drive around the circumference of iceland in a 4-door yaris hatch, and i was totally in love with it. very comfortable, pretty roomy, smooth ride. i was terribly disappointed that the 4-door hatch (wait...5 door?) isn't available in the states, and i'm not all that impressed by the redesign--the front end was a lot cuter on my icelandic steed. however, if there had been that option, it would have given honda a run for my money.
but then i saw the fit, and how much more space there is in the hatch, and the magic seats, and...well, you all understand. ;)
but then i saw the fit, and how much more space there is in the hatch, and the magic seats, and...well, you all understand. ;)
#17
07-10-2006, 07:39 PM
I was looking at buying a Yaris 5 door initially (we have them in Canada), but I was totally turned off by the fact that the side/side curtain airbags weren't even an option! That coupled with the lack of standard ABS brakes...well, the Fit was a no-brainer! The magic seats are the icing on the cake! :D
#18
07-10-2006, 09:01 PM
Yaris
I have a Fit Sport MT and my Fiance has the Yaris liftback AT. I'm sorry, but I have to defend the Yaris. Of course I hate the Yaris Sedan, but the liftback is actually fun to drive. The turning ratio seems better than the Fit. The steering is much better placed than the Fit. It feels more comfortable, while my arms get tired positioned at 3 and 11 on the Fit wheel. The Yaris or Vitz is very popular over seas with many organized Vitz races. The Yaris picks up pretty fast. We raced and she stuck next to me. Of course I didn't burn rubber, because we raced on a busy intersection (didn't want to get caught), but I won. Gas of the Yaris gets about the same with Fit too (about 34 MPG 60% city). Don't believe all the estimated MPG. Overall, Yaris Sedan sucks, Yaris liftback is cheaper and funner to drive, but the Fit is an overall better car.
