Toyota Yaris Review
Recent high increasements in gas prices, have made gasoline very expensive, up to 3 $ a galon, but this price would be happy nostalgia for Europeans, where fuel can be twice as much, or more. So what kind of cars are popular in Europe? Small, economical, but roomy ones. Cars like the Toyota Yaris Liftback.
Yaris is a new nameplate for Toyota in the U.S., but it’s been well-received in Europe, where it’s Toyota’s best seller. Here, the second-generation Yaris, in both hatchback “Liftback” and sedan body styles, will be Toyota’s new entry-level model, replacing the Echo.
With its small size, only twelve and a half feet long, the Liftback can fit easily into tight urban parking spaces. At five and a half feet wide and an even five feet tall, over three inches taller than the sedan - there is much more room inside than expected, aided by an optional split rear seat that can be moved backwards for extra legroom. And if its fuel economy isn’t quite as high as that of a hybrid like a Prius, it’s not exactly thirsty with EPA estimates of 34 mpg city and 40 highway. With a base price of $10,950 ($13,510 as tested), it’s half the price of a Prius. Even at $4 a gallon, that difference buys a lot of regular unleaded.
It’s small size and low fuel consumtion per galon, have made this car to enter in the “econobox” class. Econoboxes of the 70s and 80s were no-frills vehicles, with few creature comforts and minimal power. The Yaris is a much more developed vehicle, with the precise construction, quality materials, and attention to detail for which Toyota is known. It’s not at all cramped, and with its 1.5-liter, 106-horsepower engine, it has no trouble keeping up with traffic. Even driven hard, it sips fuel - I averaged over 35 mpg in a week of mostly highway driving. It’s not boxy-looking, either.
The first Yaris Liftback I drove was an automatic, when the Yaris line was introduced to the press in suburban Irving, Texas, last Fall. I’ve spent the past week with a manual-transmission model with key convenience upgrades. As expected, performance with the five-speed stick was better than with the four-speed automatic. But fuel economy should be nearly the same for both, and the ease of driving an automatic in traffic is undeniable. In either form, the Yaris Liftback should make a great commute module - or a good low-cost car for anyone on a budget. Even though it’s Toyota’s entry-level car, it’s much more than basic transportation.
Written by admin on May 30th, 2006 with no comments.
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