I'm in the market for a small car to replace my aging '99 Corolla (about to roll over 140,000 miles). It runs well, but is starting to use oil (no oil leaks, I checked) so I was considering either a Fit, Versa, or Yaris. Did a test drive on the Fit and Versa, couldn't find the sedan Yaris to take a test drive, and I didn't like that you couldn't get cruise control on the hatchback Yaris.

I'm a very tall person, and most of my height is in my legs. Plus I could stand to lose more weight than I'm comfortalbe revealing in public, so I'm kind of limited in the area of vehicle selection. I prefer automatics because I live in an urban area. My first car was a manual, and constantly shifting gears got to be rather tedious.

Drove the Fit first. I liked the magic seat (which is of course the main attraction on the Fit) and the various ways the cargo area could be set up. What I didn't like was that after over a dozen years of driving cars with dead pedals, my left foot was constantly groping for one that wasn't there. Why Honda decided not to put one in the car, I can't figure out. Plus the prices that the dealers I looked into wanted were rediculous. One was asking $4,000 over MSRP!

The Versa I got to drive immediately afterwards (the dealerships were right across the street from one another) and between the two cars, the only thing I liked better about the Fit was the seating arrangement. The Versa was an SL with the convenience package and CVT. It had more leg room and a smoother ride, and the driver's door seemed to open wider. I liked the intelligent key feature and the smoothness of the CVT. When I found out that you had to buy a basically fully loaded Versa to get the ABS and convienence package, it shot the price right out of my range. I didn't want a sunroof or the upgraded audio package and satellite radio (I plan on swapping out the audio system on whatever car I buy, so it would just be a waste of money). So I reluctantly crossed it off the list. I swear, the steering wheel felt so comfy, though. It was hard to go back to the wheel on the Corolla after that.

The nearby Toyota dealership didn't have a Yaris sedan to test drive, and I wasn't in any great hurry since my Corolla still runs fine aside from using a quart every few thousand miles, so I put off making a final decision. I'm glad that I waited now that the '08 Versas have come out, since if I pick it now I don't have to spend an extra $1,500 on features I don't want.

I still have to test drive the Yaris, but if it fails to impress me, I'll definitely be buying an '08 Versa.

Woogie wrote:I still have to test drive the Yaris, but if it fails to impress me, I'll definitely be buying an '08 Versa.

Welcome to the group, Woogie. I'm 6'3" with long legs. The Yaris will not come close to the Versa when it comes to driver cockpit room. I have a Versa SL with the pump adjustable seat. Highly recommended for tall folks. Place the seat all the back on it's tracks and pump it all the way down. Gotta love it.

David

i am 6'2" and test drove the yaris and it seemed like the steering wheel was just too far away when the seat was all the way back to adjust for my height that is one of the reasons i got the versa the steering wheel was a bit closer not alot but there was a difference.

If you wait for a 2008, you can get ABS w/o everything else!

KimberKenobi wrote:If you wait for a 2008, you can get ABS w/o everything else!

You could still get ABS without everything else on an 07. Just not ABS AND Convenience w/out everything else.

(remainder of response emailed... it's region specific)

im 5' 11" but ya the car is great.

... 5' 6"

I'm 6 foot, and my son is 6' 1" and we're both quite comfortable in front or the the back. I've never had a car with ABS, so I don't miss it, and have been quite happy with the brakes. And the rest of the car, for that matter. (30,000 miles on it right now, since September.)

When you test drive the Yaris make sure you take a look at the quality of the interior. You'll find that there is no comparison between the Yaris and the Versa. I'd never be happy with the Yaris just because of how cheap everything inside feels.

I am 6' 4" and fit nicely into my V. I thought about a Yaris but after watching the crash tests I am glad I didn't!

I'm 6'4" and I absolutely love having so much leg and headroom. My Maxima, as great as it was, didn't come close in either department.

Thanks for the feedback, all. I figured the Yaris wouldn't have as much space as the Versa, but I forgot about the safety test results comparing the three. The Versa did get the best rating.

You might be wondering why I want to replace the audio system. Mainly because I consider myself a bit of an audiophile. I'm not all crazy like some people, but I drive a long way in my car every day, and I want it to sound good. I plan on bringing some components that are in my Corolla over to my next car, and I doubt even the upgraded stereo could run these babies and the 1,000 watt 5 channel amp that powers them.

Well, if you get a hatch, you may want to consider selling off the dual sub box and going for a single 12. If you're looking for "good sounding" as you say and not just "loud as bejesus", you're really not going to miss the 2nd sub. Since you don't have a trunk to dampen noise, 2 subs are going to be FAR louder than they would be in a sedan.

Also, going to a single sub will save a lot more trunk space.

marleyfan wrote:When you test drive the Yaris make sure you take a look at the quality of the interior. You'll find that there is no comparison between the Yaris and the Versa. I'd never be happy with the Yaris just because of how cheap everything inside feels.

Exactly! The Yaris is a nice little car, but the interior looks and feels cheap. The Fit is nicer inside than the Yaris, but it's too small of a car. The Versa has the most interior room/comfort, and the quality of the interior is amazing (especially in the SL). When you sit in a Versa you feel like you're in a much more expensive car than it is.

I bought a versa so my 6'-6" son could fit in the back seat. He's now 6'-8" and still fits in the back seat. He does not fit in the driver's seat. Thank God.

I was talking to someone who had rented a Yaris and said it was a truly horrible car. I think the best way to decide if you want a car is to rent the model you're interested in and drive it for a week. It could be the best money you ever spent. Test driving out of the lot is just plain inadequate.

Had there been any versas available when I was shopping, I would have rented one to put it through its paces. But I didn't like any of the other cars I looked at, so it's a moot point.