Toyota Yaris – Ron Perry’s Opinion:
Driving the Toyota Yaris requires a different mindset. You have to constantly remind yourself what great mileage you’re getting in exchange for giving up size and power. The Yaris lacks low-end torque, so keeping the engine high in the rev range is the ticket to flowing with traffic or having fun on your commute, but this contradicts what the car is all about: good fuel economy. Forget about quickly ducking into that new lane opening; decisions like this must be planned and carefully calculated due to the lack of power. The Yaris is for the meek, those content with staying in the same lane all the way home and with no time schedule for getting there. I found the steering and braking to be good and I also liked the way the clutch felt but I admittedly found myself grinding the gears during quick shifts. The transmission feels notchy and the throws are long, adding to the miss-shift frustration.

Inside the Yaris, design outweighs function. The gauges are located in the center dash, clustered neatly above the console completely out of normal view; the cupholders block the air vents when used; side pockets on the center console are neatly integrated but are so deep you can’t get your hand to the bottom to grab the contents; and the radio screen – though sleek in design – is hard to read during the day because of the color and the font used for the display. The expanse of cheap black plastic on the dash and in the rest of the car is also disheartening. Even the seat cloth looks and feels cheap. For about the same money, Nissan offers the Versa with more power and better quality materials.

Toyota Yaris – Christian Wardlaw’s Opinion:
Small cars sure have come a long way in the twenty years since I attended college. Take the Toyota Yaris S sedan, for example, all decked out in alloy wheels, a monochromatic paint job, a classy two-tone interior with nice metallic trim, and an air conditioning system that thwarts muggy heat with ease. This car is no penalty box, looking and feeling like a more upscale vehicle. The driver’s seat is firm, and the seating position is high for good visibility. The stereo sounds good, and while I’m no fan of the center-mounted gauges, this car isn’t going fast enough or using enough fuel that the driver ever needs to glance at them. Despite plenty of hard plastic surfaces, including a center armrest which hurt my elbow, the Yaris convincingly plays the role of a more expensive automobile. It’s even got decent space in the back seat. Twist the key, however, and the Yaris loses some of its composure. This 106-horsepower motor is just adequate, nothing more, droning in a cyclical fashion on the highway. The steering is vague at best, and straight-line stability is fragile. The manual gearbox works well, the clutch is easy to manipulate, and while the body rolls over and plays dead, the tires stick and the car gets around a curve well enough. Handsome, comfortable, decently equipped, and marketed with freakishly compelling television commercials that add cool factor to the brand, the Toyota Yaris S only needs to have new hardware installed before I can give it my vote over the fun new Honda Fit or impressive Nissan Versa. Even the rapidly aging Ford Focus is more pleasing to drive than this Toyota.

Photos by Ron Perry