Toyota thinking small with new Yaris
Toyota’s subcompact, front-wheel-drive Yaris is an urban warrior boasting industry-topping fuel mileage numbers at a time when squeezing every drop of available petro is fashionable. Available in a three-door liftback and four-door sedan, the former bodystyle is one of the smallest (overall length is 150 inches) cars sold in the United States.
All three of Japan’s largest automakers (Toyota, Nissan and Honda) introduced all-new subcompacts in the 2007 model year that are now on the road. Nissan introduced the five-door Versa hatchback last July (a four-door sedan version is on its way this year) and Honda introduced the Fit five-door hatchback.
The Japan-built Yaris began arriving last spring as replacement for the subcompact Echo, which hit the U.S. market in 1999 as a 2000 model-year product. About the same time Echo became available here, Yaris sales began in Europe and other parts of the world. Echo never generated the same enthusiasm as Yaris; Toyota ended Echo production in the 2005 model year.
Liftbacks are available in a single base trim level while the sedan (which is 19 inches longer than the liftback) adds a second ‘S’ grade. The two are completely different, created by two different chief engineers in two different design studios.
In both, the chassis is stiffer and stronger than what was available in the Echo, improving handling and maneuverability.
Powering both is Toyota’s proven 1.5-liter, double overhead cam, four-cylinder engine producing 106 horsepower. It’s the same powertrain found in two outgoing vehicles from Toyota’s youth-oriented Scion division. The recently retired xA five-door hatchback and first-generation xB both sported the same powerplant. The second-generation, ‘box-inspired’ 2008 xB, due in dealers by April, features a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine cranking out 158 horsepower. Both Yaris body styles have a five-speed manual transmission standard and a four-speed automatic optional.
By contrast the Honda Fit incorporates a 1.5-liter, inline four-cylinder engine delivering 109 horsepower while the Nissan Versa sports a 1.8-liter four cylinder with 122 horsepower.
Our liftback test model with optional four-speed automatic transmission started at $11,850. With five-speed manual, pricing starts $800 less. As with many entry-level subcompacts, many options are available and standard equipment is on the sparse side.
However, Yaris does include air conditioning standard. The optional power package (door locks, windows, outside mirrors, rear wiper and rear defroster) added $1,290 to the price. After factoring in carpeted floor mats and an all-weather guard package, the bottom line totaled $13,980. Also optional in Yaris liftback, but not in our test model, were anti-lock brakes and side curtain/side seat-mounted air bags.
Honda Fit comes with anti-lock brakes and side-curtain air bags standard with a $13,850 starting price. Nissan’s Versa five-door hatchback ($12,550) includes front-seat, side-curtain air bags standard, while roof-mounted side air bags and anti-lock brakes are optional.
Government-estimated ratings concerning fuel economy have Yaris leading the pack. Our test model, a three-door liftback with the optional four-speed automatic transmission, listed at 34 miles per gallon in city driving and 39 mpg. highway. With the standard manual transmission, highway mileage reached 40 mpg. Numbers are identical in the sedan body style. Combined mpg figures obtained during the weeklong test drive came in at 33 miles per gallon with the four-speed automatic transmission. The fuel tank holds 11.1 gallons of regular, 87-octane gasoline.
A Honda Fit with manual transmission lists estimated fuel economy at 33 mpg city and 38 m.p.g. highway. A Nissan Versa checks in with 30 mpg city and 34 mpg highway when mated with a manual transmission. Nissan Versa offers continuously variable transmission in addition to manual and automatic versions.
Inside, front seating in the three-door Yaris hatchback may present a challenge for those 6-feet and taller. Headroom is good in this subcompact, but leg room is a bit compromised because the cloth-inspired bucket seats don’t slide back as far as I would have liked. Seating position is slightly lower than what’s experienced in some larger compact models, but not as low as what’s found in some two-door roadsters such as the Saturn Sky. Seating fabric featured a blue spec design which also adorned the inside doors.
One of the first design cues to catch your eye is the location of the instrument cluster. The half-shell information center rises out from the top of the center dash area and contains a large, half-moon-shaped analog speedometer in the center (no tachometer in liftback editions), a digital bar graphic fuel indicator to the right and a digital clock to the left. Dashboard space in front of the driver remains barren and somewhat out of place until closer inspection.
A small storage area is revealed once a panel door (where traditional instrument panels are located) is flipped up. The same holds true for the passenger side, where the flip-up panel is just above the fold-down glove box door. At the far corners of the dashboard are single, fold-down beverage holders. Above the beverage holders are circular air vents that can be manually opened and closed.
Three vertically arranged, large ventilation dials reside under the rectangular sound system with two rows of push buttons controlling station preset and AM/FM bands. Both are user friendly. In between the front bucket seats are the hand-operated parking brake and floor-mounted transmission shifter. Additional cup holders are molded into the door bottoms. Power window and locks are atop a 45-degree arm rest extension on the driver’s door. The passenger door has a power window switch only. Exterior side-view mirrors are controlled via a square panel on the far left-hand side of the dash. The fuel-door release lever is on the floor, left of the driver’s bucket seat.
Both front and rear windshield wipers monitor from a right-side steering column stalk while headlights switch on and off by twisting the turn signal stalk. Both sun visors have pull-out extenders to help block out sunlight when needed.
Maneuvering into and out of the two-person back seat area is made easier by the passenger-side front-bucket seat that easily sides forward on a track once a lever atop the seat cushion side is slid downward. Sounds simple, but Toyota does this better than just about anybody.
Once in back, it’s surprisingly spacious. Head room is average and leg room is more than plentiful. Yaris includes four ceiling grab handles. A single cup holder near the floor in between the front bucket seats is accessible from the back.
When more storage capacity is needed, the 60/40 seat back cushions fold on top of the cushions. With seatbacks up, space behind the second row is limited.
This econo-box actually has some style and flair. Curved front ‘A” pillars connect with the roof and a short, curved hood. A honeycomb front grille with circular Toyota logo on top is flanked by oversized headlight housing. Strap-like body-color handles adorn both doors.
In back, the hatch door lifts up from the bottom as one unit. Large, triangular-shaped tail light housing flanks the hatchback door and wraps around to side fenders. Because this is a relatively short vehicle (60 inches of overall height), those taller than 6-feet must be careful not to bump against the uplifted door when loading the cargo area.
The test model did not feature the optional anti-lock brakes, which would have come in handy during the recent slushy snow. The lightweight Yaris’ front-wheel-drive handled pre-plowed streets adequately, but would have benefited from the technology. If the budget allows, opt for this very effective safety option.
This diminutive mode of transport is designed for economy, not zero-to-60 in 5.2 seconds. That said, Yaris performed admirably during testing. No more than two people traveled in the Yaris during the test week and for a 106-horsepower engine, had enough in reserve to merge with traffic with confidence thanks in part to a relatively light 2,326 curb weight. Wind noise at highway speeds was apparent, but not overwhelming.
Toyota does a good job of muting the four-cylinder powertrain so very little engine noise makes its way into the cabin. The rounded, sloping hood disappears quickly from the driver’s view so when pulling in a garage or parking space, be careful. |