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2008 Toyota Yaris Sedan Review

7-21-2008

by Amyot Bachand, Auto123.com


The Yaris sedan doesn't revolutionize any aspect of the drive, be it in style or efficiency. It gaily conveys you from point A to point B without incident. An urban creature first, it doesn't hesitate to venture out on the highway, but beware those side winds. There may be a solution to that, which I'll discuss a little later.

Toyota is a past master in the designing and manufacturing of small cars.

The Yaris's shape is neither compelling nor off-putting. It rather has the air of a too-serious teenager: I preferred the curvy Echo. But it does have trunk space. Its cargo capacity will suit a young family or a single person.

Compromise layout
The front doors open wide and offer decent access to the seats, but the position of the steering wheel impairs the driver when climbing in. Once seated, the driver can adjust the steering wheel vertically to find a suitable driving position. The front seats are comfortable, and the driver gets a seat cushion height adjustment.

If the exterior finish is nice, the interior finish brings plastic to mind without being too cheap. The Yaris was designed for all markets, which had an impact on the layout: whether driving on the right or left side, only a few things have to be modified during the assembly. But at what cost to the driver? Silver trim was added in an effort to brighten things up, but it's too shiny and hurts the eyes. The shift lever (automatic transmission) looks downright destitute. The competition offers a better quality of finish in this category.

The storage space falls short. We have to make do with a small centre compartment and a glove box. The cup holders are located at the tips of the dashboard, which is great for the passenger but trickier for the driver. The ventilation controls do score some points: large and round, they are easy to identify and operate. Warm or cool air quickly flows through the interior to maintain a comfortable temperature. The sound system is also good and will satisfy most people.

The front doors open wide and offer decent access to the seats.


We don't expect to find elaborate instruments in such a car. It's not the first time I mention this, but the central position of the instrument panel makes it difficult to read: it's not the location that bothers me but the viewing angle. Even if the engineers designed this visual unit for the international market, they could have made sure that the viewing angle could be adjusted during assembly according to the driving side. I would also invert the position of the RPM counter and the speedometer to allow faster reading. It feels like this car was designed mostly with the Asian market in mind.

The central position of the instrument panel makes it difficult to read.

A good city car
Even if the steering barely translates the impressions of the road, it's precise and allows the Yaris to easily zip through traffic in the city. Its turning lock allows us to park the car smoothly. Front visibility is impaired by the dominant A pillar: particular attention must be paid to pedestrians and cyclists as well as vehicles coming up in the front left angle.

The optional ABS ensures good control of the vehicle in the winter when braking on snowy or icy surfaces. The drive train holds its own, but while the automatic transmission offers good engine braking, normal shifting is slow: don't expect extreme velocity. I would definitely opt for the manual transmission, as the Yaris is powered by an excellent little 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder engine that is very efficient. Its overall performance is both acceptable and reasonable: 0 to 100 km/h in 10.7 seconds, passing from 80 to 120 km/h in 8.9 seconds.

With the automatic transmission we managed an average fuel consumption of 8.2 litres per 100 kilometres: we could easily have achieved 7 litres per 100 kilometres with a manual transmission. After all, this sedan isn't a sports car. A better balance between the automatic transmission and the engine would make it more fun to drive.

The Yaris is powered by an excellent little 1.6-litre, 4-cylinder engine that is very efficient.


On the road
The Yaris doesn't claim to be a sports car. But on a sunny day, it will take you from Montreal to Les Escoumins without the slightest hitch. When the wind picks up, we have to keep both hands on the steering wheel: tall and well padded, the car tends to make the passengers nervous because of its sensitivity to side winds. While not disastrous, it's better to slow down (90 km/h) rather than maintain 110 km/h on the highway. But I discovered that you can order shorter springs at the dealer's. This minor option (nevertheless expensive with the installation) increases the car's stability and speed in the city as it reduces the pitch. It might not affect our comfort; we'll have to see. I know that a few dealers in Montreal East have successfully set this fashion since the time of the defunct Echo.

The Yaris doesn't claim to be a sports car.

Urban first and foremost
Toyota is a past master in the designing and manufacturing of small cars. The first Corollas of the 1970s were successful models not only because of their efficiency and layout but also because of their reliability. But the Japanese manufacturer is trying to do too much or to make everything bigger, and it seems that it's forgetting what made it a success in the first place: outstanding small cars. The reliability is still there, but the layout needs to be reviewed. The Yaris sedan is the size of the old Corollas, but it just doesn't measure up. Yes, it deserves the attention it's getting, but the competition can do better in terms of interior layout.