2007 Toyota Yaris Review

Specifications

Canada First in Line for Yaris Global Subcompact

Yaris? Whats that? You might as well get very familiar with the name now, as youre going to be hearing a lot more about it for a very long time. While other automakers designate their cars with names of mammals, fowl, or fish, places and even people in an effort to conjure up a positive associative image, Toyota often creates all-new names that mean nothing at first, such as Tercel, Corolla, or Camry, but soon become synonymous with quality and reliability.

The name Yaris has long been associated with such attributes in Europe, where it has represented the subcompact model known here as the Echo Hatchback in Canada and in four-door form, the Echo in the U.S., and now that Toyota has accepted that the Internet has turned us all into global shoppers, especially those younger more web savvy buyers who are expected to flock to the new entry-level model, its chosen to adopt the popular European tag name in North America and other jurisdictions around the world - Japan previously called this car the Vitz.

Toyota has also chosen Canada as the launch pad for the all-new model, being that the neighbors to the north have a particular affinity for small, fuel friendly hatchbacks, and the previous Echo Hatchback has sold so well there. Makes sense, I suppose, and it also made sense for our publication to report on it being that the car has already been announced for the U.S. in three-door hatchback guise, due next year as a 2007 model.

Along with the new name comes a vehicle that will certainly go a long way in changing perceptions about the subcompact category on the whole, let alone among Toyota faithful. Its built using methods incorporated into Toyotas larger cars, creating a solid little package the offers up a surprisingly comfortable ride, terrific handling, sporty acceleration and commendable high-speed stability.

It looks good too, inside and out. Regarding the former, the Yaris continues forward with the Echos centrally-mounted gauge cluster, situated up above the center stack on top of the dash, so for the uninitiated it takes some getting used to, but for those already familiar to the Echo it will be like coming home.

That center stack is completely revised though, and something totally different than anything Ive ever seen in any other car. What makes it so unique? Its the layout of controls, set up vertically, one dial upon the other for a total of three heating and ventilation controls, and ending atop with a somewhat conventional audio head unit that includes an AM/FM/CD player, and above that a set of vents. The super-bright silver finish is a bit over the top, at least for my taste, but Im sure it will be appealing to those who like a more upscale environment. Personally, I like a little bit of metal trim mixed in with more traditional black or graphite, not the all-metal, all of the time look of the Yaris center stack. Cest la vie, you cant please em all.

Well, maybe you can… as Toyotas TRD division has some slick accessories available at the dealer level that can make a big difference in styling and performance. The center stack can be modified with either faux carbon fiber or a black gloss surface, complemented with a similar treatment added to other areas around the cabin. TRD also has aluminum short-throw shifters, unique wheels and tire packages, exterior aero add-ons, and engine upgrades, all covered by Toyotas standard warranty.

But even without the aftermarket extras the Yaris monoform European styling is unique in the subcompact segment, and interior packaging, like the Echo that preceded it, still larger on the inside than it appears to be from the outside. Its tall, allowing ample room for people with the same tall body type, while smaller folks can almost stand up when stepping into the rear. And climbing in back is made easier thanks to a seat that flips forward easily, and when put back into place remembers the exact position it was in prior to adjustment. Very nice. Whats more, its 34.6 inches front to rear seat span makes the back almost as roomy as the front.

These reasons make it a fabulous little people hauler, made even more accommodating by the inclusion of 60/40 split reclining (up to 10 degrees) rear seats - yeah, I thought you might find that surprising. First of all, there are many luxury cars that dont offer reclining rear seats, so to find them in an economy model is especially appealing. But this is not all that separates the tiny Toyota from the subcompact pack.

When loading in gear is precedent, the Yaris can stow away 8.1 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 24.5 cubic feet when the rear seats are folded flat in the three-door, 26.1 cubic feet when folded flat in the five-door (which I reiterate, wont be coming to the States).

Well, I should revise that last comment, as I wasnt exactly able to fold the seats flat. For some strange reason Toyota included two panels to bridge the rear cargo area and the seat, and when you attempt to fold these forward they stand up awkwardly and cut into the loading room. A mistake from Toyota? Hey, it happens to the best of us, and my guess is this problem will be remedied soon, if it isnt fixed already. Theres a solution, of course. Dont fold the panels forward. Probably not the fix that Toyota is working on, but effective just the same.

Problem or not, its cargo capacity is sizable, and especially useful for young families with only a single child or none at all (enjoy that while you can by the way), or for that matter grandparents who might only use the rear seats when taking little Bobby and Suzy (or to be more up with the times, little Jacob and Emily) to the zoo.

So its accommodating, but how does it drive? Toyota offers features normally only available on larger cars, again in an attempt to help buyers rethink the subcompact segment. What do I mean? How about available ABS, an extra that is starting to become more popular in the subcompact class. OK, the Accent and Rio also offer rear discs, which is a bonus for sure, but these might be available on the Yaris by the time it hits U.S. dealers.

In case you were wondering, Toyota is up against some bargain basement regulars, two being the Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio just mentioned, plus a fairly recent addition in Chevys new Aveo - a model made by GMDAT (GM Daewoo Auto & Technology) and available in other markets under the Suzuki and Pontiac nameplates as well. That makes the Yaris the only Japanese vehicle in the bunch, if that matters to you, the others (yes even the “Heartbeat of America” Chevy) all made in Korea.

The Yaris is also slightly lower in power than the Hyundai and Kia models, by a mere 4-horsepower at 106 compared to 110, but youd have to have acute perception to notice any difference under acceleration. Its actually a blast at full throttle, with enough pull on the front wheels in second gear to spin the tires, no less. But that would be irresponsible, no? I suppose the Yaris brought that not-so-dormant adolescent side of me out into the open, especially during a handling test that Toyota had set up in a little-used parking lot… you know the drill: orange cones, a short straight, bunch of tight corners, high-speed slalom and then a brake test.

It was pouring with rain, I mean buckets. Not the ideal setting for testing out a cars limits of adhesion, unless trying to get real-world results. I say this in jest, of course, because half the time Im running the same types of courses somewhere in Southern California, enjoying the heat on my back but hardly experiencing road conditions anywhere near typical of what regular the majority of Americans endure day in and day out. This made any attempts of dodging raindrops, while my jacket soaked through entirely and in so doing drenched the two shirts underneath, almost worth it, the waterlogged effect being the result of switching between various trim levels in order to get a full understanding of how the car drives at the limit. What were my deductions?

Well, as expected the sport-tuned RS is better than the more basic models, thanks to aluminum wheels and slightly wider tires. This was especially true when fitted with the five-speed manual transmission. It comes with a four-speed automatic too, which, because of the cars light curb weight, is still fairly peppy off the line. But the autobox cant launch the Yaris with as much energy as the manual, making the latter more enticing to the enthusiast driver. An enthusiast buying a subcompact? Yes, no joke. The Yaris, like the new Accent or Rio, will bring smiles to anyone who drives it hard.

On that note Im not sold on which one is better in the rain, or in any other circumstance; all three are good. The Yaris was superb on the tiny autocross course, biting down hard on the mismatched tarmac even when I pushed it beyond what would have been wise outside of the closed track. Its a little top-heavy, so itll sway a bit during transitional maneuvers, but its performance is not disconcerting at all and the body lean doesnt seem to upset the cars overall balance.

I have to laugh when I talk so seriously about a subcompacts handling characteristics, knowing all too well that most who buy this car wont take it beyond the posted speed limit very often and definitely wont put it through the same regimen that I did during this test.

Still, a cars handling, any cars handling is hardly a laughing matter, especially when active safety is being considered. Active safety, in case youre not up on automotive technical lingo, is the opposite of passive safety, i.e. airbags, crumple zones, three-point seatbelts at all positions, seatbelt pretensioners up front, active head restraints, and soft-touch dash surfaces to absorb impact, etc. The Yaris comes well equipped with the most former, actually including up to seven airbags in total, with integrated seat position sensors for the front two (plus side-impact, side curtain airbags and a drivers knee airbag) to protect from frontal, and side impact crashes, plus Toyotas Minimum Intrusion Body Structure (MICS), a highly rigid body shell that dispenses loads evenly throughout the vehicle in the event of a crash, but the little Toyota gets even higher marks for delivering a chassis that can avoid those accidents in the first place.

Those previously mentioned optional antilock brakes can help in this department too, but if a suspension system cant hold up under the duress of tactical avoidance measures, even a state of the art four-channel ABS system, with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) as is the case with the Yaris, wont do much good. To this end the Yaris, helped partially by its electric power steering system, is up to the task, fully controllable even in horrendous weather conditions.

So here I am, back talking about practical issues when I was in full song about performance only a few minutes ago, but I suppose this is fitting being that most people who buy into this entry-level league are doing so because money, or the lack thereof is an issue, making a cars livability of utmost importance.

And to that end I find the Yaris extremely livable, and while it shouldnt be hard on the bank account with an expected base price of about $10,500, especially when factoring in its estimated 41 mpg city and 51 mpg highway fuel consumption rating (no doubt a bit optimistic as are all EPA specified ratings) it nevertheless delivers enjoyable performance.

I found the outgoing Echo similar in this respect, and I think that owners of the previous car will be happy that Toyota didnt forget about the importance of simply having fun behind the wheel, when they were refining the brands most compact offering. Truly, the Yaris is a car that you cant go wrong in buying, and when it becomes available next year, it should sell better than the brands previous subcompact.