The Toyota Yaris pins itself against cars like the Ford Fiesta, Kia Rio and Nissan Versa Note; it’s not hard deciding between them. It’s all a mere matter of taste. With the Toyota however you get the legendary build quality as well as decent fuel economy. But is it really worth considering when all its rivals seem to have passed it by?
Performance: The sole engine available for the Yaris
is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder which produces 106hp. You can choose between a
five-speed manual gearbox and a four-speed automatic. Sadly the manual gearbox
which we prefer the most is only available on the 3-door L and 5-door SE trim.
Most will have to deal with an antiquated four-speed automatic which seems to
sap what little power the engine produces. Fuel economy is pretty good with
both though.
On the road: The Yaris is very comfortable and
smooth around town. Steering is light and makes life easy for maneuvering
through tight spaces. On faster paced roads however the Yaris just doesn’t feel
as composed as the Fiesta. Steering doesn’t really weigh up so it can often
feel twitchy. Ride comfort is jittery on anything but the smoothest of
surfaces. The top of the range SE with sports suspension doesn’t improve things
at all in terms of ride comfort. Handling however is vastly improved. You won’t
really hear much of a racket from the tiny four-cylinder. The manual gearbox is
much better than the automatic which makes the car even more sluggish than it
already feels. Road noise won’t be an issue. Wind noise will be a welcomed
companion on the highway.
Behind the wheel: Most drivers will get comfortable
behind the wheel of the Yaris. There’s plenty of adjustment for the driver’s
seat and steering wheel. Taller drivers will have a harder time getting
comfortable due to the limited adjustment of the steering wheel. The dashboard
has a sensible logical design. It’s not particularly attractive. The touch
screen infotainment system eliminates buttons on the dash but is overly
complicated to use and can become hard to read in bright sunlight. There’s
plenty of space for passengers in the front and rear seat. Rear headroom is a
little on the tight side. Legroom is impressively roomy and the boot space is
about average with its competitors.
Equipment: 3-door/5-doorL trim gets HD radio, power
door locks and nine airbags and air-con. LE trim gets cruise control, remote
keyless entry and split folding rear seat. You’ll have to step up to the top of
the range SE to get unique body-kit, sports tuned suspension with 16 inch alloy
wheels.
Buying & owning: The Yaris costs similar to its
keen rivals. Running cost should be slightly better thanks to decent fuel
economy. Resale value should be about average for class too.
Quality: Toyota’s reliability record is still strong
standing so you’ll have few worries. Most of the interior is dressed in
unattractive hard plastics which pushes itself even further behind its rivals.
The Yaris comes well equipped for safety. Stability control, traction control
and anti-lock brakes as well as electronic brake force distribution come
standard. Nine airbags with advanced front driver and front passenger side
airbags and knee airbags are also standard.
The Toyota Yaris is one of those vehicles you either
love or hate. It’s not as classy as the Fiesta and isn’t as fun to drive
either. But if a dependable no nonsense vehicle is what you are after the Yaris
fits the bill perfectly. However, its rivals can do the same thing but with
more fun and for similar cash too.
Devon’s Pick: The SE trim seems to be the only trim
that really does make sense in our eyes. For a few extra more than the LE trim
you get a sporty body-kit, 16 inch alloy wheels and a sports tuned suspension which
drastically improves handling. If the sporty trim doesn’t really appeal to you
the LE is the next best thing. You get keyless entry and cruise control.
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