I saw my first Yaris.

[OKVersa]

I had not seen a Yaris until last week. Instead of laughing, I was consumed with pity for the poor guy driving it - after he saw my Versa. I honestly don't know why they bother putting back seats in the "liftback." (It's a liftback, not a hatch.)

Dang, I'm turning into a snob!

[BBISHOPPCM]

I think I ran over one of those in my Versa. Had to scrape the damn thing off the road.

[Clipsed]

I have to say those Yaris (wait how do you put that word into plural form!?!? LOL! ) Anywho, they are reallllly small and funny looking in hatch form, but I do like the way the 4 door sedan looks. Wouldn't buy one personally though.

[xmaryteresax]

I have to say those Yaris (wait how do you put that word into plural form!?!? LOL! )

I'm not sure how to do it - but for one, I will forever now refer to them as Yarii. It makes me chuckle

[kc5f]

I haven't seen many on the road, but I did visit the Toyota dealer when I was first looking at the Versa. I mentioned to the sales rep that I had just looked at the Versa and wanted to see what they had to compare with it. He wouldn't even let me look at a Yaris - he knew it didn't come close! (Of course, neither did the Corolla or the Scion he showed me, either!)

[proxim2020]

I've seen quite a few Yoda's around town. I think the only reason people are buying them because they are dirt cheap. Majority of people that I've seen in it were guys and all looked as if they had to cram in it. It definitely looks like the car was way too small for them. I don't think the car comes with a radio standard. Although you will get 4 speakers standard. You either have to buy the power package or convenience package to get one.

[motoguy128]

On my steet a lady has a new Scion Xa the same color as mine and my neighbor just bought a VW GTI. I liked the Xa better than the Yaris, but both were too small. I'm also suprised that he GTI has a smaller trunk and back seat despite being larger in overall dimensions.

My fiancees and I drove to a movie with a another couple in the back seat. They were suprised how much room it had. I didn't have the heart to tell tham that there's a lot more room than in the back seat of their much larger Pontiac Grand Prix. Actually on paper, the only vehicles that have more back seat leg room are minivans and a few full size luxury cars. No SUV's, wagon, or sedans offer this much legroom.

[kc5f]

Actually on paper, the only vehicles that have more back seat leg room are minivans and a few full size luxury cars.

We've got a Honda Odyssey minivan, and we've taken the Versa on several 600-800 mile trips because it's more comfortable in the back than the minivan. If this minivan has more legroom, it sure doesn't seem like it when you're sitting back there!

[themanfromvlad]

After my Toyota Echo Hatchback (Model never sold in U.S.) was totalled on December 28, I got a 2007 Yaris as a rental for just over a month. My experience with it led me to get the Versa. I think the reason I'm so hard on it is because I had an Echo. There are so many little things that I would classify as design flaws on the Yaris. For instance:

-There is no light to indicate what gear you are in. It's no problem during the day, but at night, you are pretty much guessing if you are in reverse, neutral, drive or 3rd. -There's no handle to close the hatch on the inside of the car. So in the winter, you've got to touch the outside, which is cold and dirty. The Echo had this.-The back seat is not a 60/40 split. For a car with such limited truck space, it's an awful flaw to have. The Echo had a 60/40 split standard, and I used it a lot to transport long items and I was still be able to have a passenger in the car.-The instrument panel is atrocious. It's a long vertical column, and it's comprised of three double-dials. Difficult to use with gloves on and not user-friendly.-The console is centre-mounted like the Echo, but it's not agled towards the driver anymore. Not as smart.-The trunk is useless, because they changed the layout. While it's slightly deeper, it's not nearly as tall, so you can't even put a tall shopping bag in it without crushing it. It's not even as tall as a GAP paper bag or President's Choice Reusable grocery bag. I went to costco with it and it was a disaster. -They got rid of the extra storage underneath the steering wheel and underneath the passenger seat.

Add these design flaws to the bare-bone nature of the car, and you've got a huge ripoff. When I added the complete power group, A/C, cruise, 6 airbags to match the standard features on the Versa SL, the Yaris was $50 more a month over a 5-year finance. Ridiculous. And you can't even get heated side mirrors. Yeesh.

I love Toyota's cars a lot, but couldn't justify spending so much more for so little. I will say that if fuel economy is the only thing you care about, nothing beats the Yaris.

[stevenjb]

The Yaris Liftback, being a carryover from the European Yaris hatchback is based on the Toyota Echo platfrom.

When SCION was formed during the selling period of the Echo in the US. The SCION xa and xb were based on the Echo.

Then the Echo was phased out in 05 and the Yaris line hit the US - keeping a more uniform product line between the US and Europe

The European Yaris' are much nicer looking cars.

I have heard the the Echo was / is very popular in Canada. It did not do so well in the US.

I own an Echo, and it is a great car. Handles great, even if it does ride on bicycle tires.

[OKVersa]

I saw an Echo once. It's awfully cute!

[Ever Victorious]

I'm not sure how to do it - but for one, I will forever now refer to them as Yarii. It makes me chuckle

Actually, I do believe that would be the correct pluralization.

Out here in the PNW, you can't spit without hitting either a Subaru, and SUV, or oddly enough, a Yaris.

When I was driving the V, it felt like a behemoth compared to the Yaris hatch. Just from that alone I know I could never own a Y, since it would not have nearly enough cargo area for me.

And as a scary thought, you could almost fit a Yaris end-to-end in the cargo area of my First-gen Legacy if you flipped the seats down.

Nissan was on to something with "Autoclaustrophobia"...

[marleyfan]

Here it's the Mazda 3 that is as common as dirt. As for the Yaris, I really don't mind the look. I prefer it over the Fit. But I like the European look of the Versa much more than both. The Yaris is extremely cheap feeling once you get inside compared with the V. When I was in the market the fullyl loaded Yaris was within $500 of the SL Versa with the tech package (Canada). But after comparing the quality and feel of both it was no contest. The Fit was too wedgelike to me and didn't appeal to me. I have no regrets with my choice.

[MinisterofDOOM]

The Echo and Yaris both remind me of golf carts with doors. They're so tiny, I can't imagine having to drive one anywhere. I think I'd end up with scoliosis and a steering wheel imprint on my chin. I see people driving them, and it seems like the driver alone takes up 2/3s of the cabin. How can people stand that?At least with the Yaris, they offer size wheels on it. I never understood why these things come with 14 inch wheels. It just ends up costing more for tires, and it can't possibly contribute to a decent ride.They both just feel CHEAP to me. Unbearably cheap. Everything, from styling to paint to fit-and-finish to materials quality...it's just cheap. Much less car than any competition. Now way on earth they're worth their MSRP.

The Versa doesn't have the ultra-cheap feel of the Toyotas. Neither does the Fit. Even Chevy's Korean-built Aveo feels like a Maserati compared to the Yaris.

[Clipsed]

The HB Yaris, Fit, and Aveo are all ugly tiny golf carts that some how made the cut to be considered an automobile!

[sixdgrees]

When I was shopping around for a car I test drove the following and after test driving the Versa is was an easy decision:

Toyota Yaris - couldn't get past the ridiculousness of the center mount console that isn't even angled towards the driver.Toyota Corolla - not bad but somehow didn't feel as comfortable as the Versa and the price was a bit high for what it offers.VW City Jetta - I had high expectations for this one as I've always liked VW... but this car felt cheap and was very uncomfortable. Even the steering the auto T felt sluggish. BTW - I don't think this one is available south of the border.....

I was going to test drive the Mazda 3 and Honda Fit but never actually did. When I read the reviews of the Fit and saw the major advantage it had over the Versa was cargo space I lost interest.... I am much more likely to be transporting people that cargo so I liked the spaciousness of the Versa's back seat.

The Mazda 3 was a bit higher than I was looking to spend.... I see them every day now.... there's so many on the road!

[marleyfan]

First, what's the difference between a liftback and a hatchback? Semantics if you ask me.

Second, about the Aveo feeling like a Masarati, my daughter has an Aveo (well...a Wave actually but same thing) and it aint no Maserati even compared to the Yaris. As a matter of fact having driven both (Wave and Yaris...not the Maserati) they are similar in many respects, mainly both having the cheap feel.

[proxim2020]

First, what's the difference between a liftback and a hatchback? Semantics if you ask me.

Well liftbacks used to be a term used for cars that were designed like a normal car except you had to lift up the trunk and glass in one unit. It's not really used stateside anymore because everything hatchbacks. They still use the term in Europe. It's hard to explain so here's a picture.



I'm not sure why they call the yaris a liftback because it's a hatchback.

[CopyChief]

I parked my new Versa next to a newish Yaris the other day, and was really struck at how small and cheap the Yaris looks.

When we were shopping, we considered the Matrix, the Fit, the Mazda3 hatch, the Matrix and, of course, the Versa. My preference was the Mazda3, but when it came right down to it, it was too expensive and the gas mileage was going to be an issue. The Fit felt a lot more like an econobox than the Versa. Add to that the chance to get Intelligent Key and bluetooth and all those geegaws, and I was sold.

I couldn't be happier.

I've learned everything is a trade-off.

I suppose in that way car shopping is a good life lesson!

[OKVersa]

On my steet a lady has a new Scion Xa the same color as mine and my neighbor just bought a VW GTI.

My fiancees and I drove to a movie with a another couple in the back seat. They were suprised how much room it had. I didn't have the heart to tell tham that there's a lot more room than in the back seat of their much larger Pontiac Grand Prix. No SUV's, wagon, or sedans offer this much legroom.

Motoguy....you have more than one fiancee?

<ever curious>

[proxim2020]

Well there's no law against it. That's just the way he rolls.

[OKVersa]

Well...there is also the fact that he says they drove from the back seat....

This story is getting more interesting!

[COVersaSL]

I don't know why you all have to hate on the yaris? It's not that bad of a car.

[jquick]

I don't know why you all have to hate on the yaris? It's not that bad of a car.

i see lots of "yarii" in Vancouver and they are all ugly compared to the v i also test drove it b4 buying my v and i have to say that out of the fit, v, aveo, yaris, and rio the yaris felt the cheapest and most unreliable out of all of them the panels were vibrating and the sun visor fell out when i put it down when i was driving i will never look at Toyota as the same quality manufacturer i used to the new lower end models of toyotas have seemed to have dropped quality for fancy gadgetry's

[Deke40]

A couple of weeks ago I had to travel to Beaumont (130 Miles oneway) and pick up a two door yaris 5 speed stripper. After driving back on I-10 with all those 18 wheelers around me my wife was a nervous wreck after looking up at the undercarriage of the big trucks most of the time.

I drive everything in both the Toyota and Nissan line and the more of them I drive the more impressed I am with my Versa.

Got to drive one of the new Sion XBs yesterday. What a difference the 158HP engine makes. The new quad gage layout is a lot more pleasant to look at.

[ace rothstein 81]

Does anyone have a picture of the instrumentation and/or console of the Yaris? I'd be interested to see these after hearing how they were designed so awkwardly.

I never test drove nor looked inside one. I have seen a few on the road, though. Upon seeing the sedan just once, I thought it looked pretty nice. The hatchback looked alright, but nothing to write home about.

I was never really interested in the Yaris, because I had heard from the get go that it was pretty much a bare bones type; just what you'd expect from an entry level economy model.

The cars I did seriously consider along with the Versa were the '07 Nissan Sentra and '07 Toyota Matrix. I drove both and liked both of them, there was just a lot more to like about the Versa than there was the Matrix. Plus, I am always going to lean heavily toward the Nissan name. As for the Sentra, it was a fine car, but it was a bit more expensive for the fully loaded equivalent and the styling just wasn't all that bold or interesting for my money.

[kc5f]

Check out these pcitures of the Yaris interior. They never give a driver-view shot of the panel, but the last picture gives a pretty good idea.

I, too, wanted to drive one, but the Toyota sales rep wouldn't even let me sit in one after hearing I'd just test-driven a Versa! And when I sat in the Corolla he did want me to try, I wasn't even interested in a test drive...

[Demonspawn]

i test drove a yaris one day after work and sort of liked it but was not that impressed. the speedometer did take some getting used to. the steering wheel was way to far away when you adjust the seat for your height im 6'2" and my arms were all the way out and there is no adjustment for this.

went the next day at lunch and test drove a versa sedan was not really looking at the HB found the car to be much more comfortable and more features so i went after work that same day and test drove the Honda Fit and really liked the sports feel of the car but the salesman was of foriegn decent and had a bit of a chip on his shoulders and was very rude plus he said i would not be able to get one for two months.

on the way home from that test drive i decided to look at another versa at another dealer and test drove the HB and out of the three i liked what the versa offered was not going to buy one that night but as the salesman led me into the showroom they had the sapphire blue one in there and i fell in love with the way it looked so the salesman offered a deal and after a hour or so of saying no they finally came around to a deal i could live with and i am now a happy Versa owner!