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2007 Toyota Yaris Liftback Long-Term Update No.7

Saying Good Bye to a Dependable Friend

Automotive journalists have their tenets about small cars. Good on gas. Great in the city. Easy to park. Affordable. But for each positive attribute, theres an associative negative. Underpowered. Noisy. Uncomfortable on the highway. Cheap-feeling. Cramped (and built) like a sardine tin... so on and so forth. However, we discovered that not all small cars follow by these seemingly unwritten laws - one of these cars is the Toyota Yaris.

As a refresher, our long-term Yaris was a three-door Liftback in base trim. It was just about as basic as cars come, bearing only an automatic gearbox. No power windows, no power locks, no keyless entry, no ABS brakes. And as we soon found out, no rear wiper either. It was the most

This small car is going to change the way many people will think about small cars. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

basic version of Toyotas most basic car. For a couple of guys and girls used to sitting in the lap of luxury, the Yaris was like being dunked into a vat of icewater. Initially, there was that shock, but shortly thereafter it was refreshing. It became our drivable palate cleanser after every full-fat luxury car or self-indulgent sports car. For the long term, a power-free Yaris might actually be

You couldnt ask for an easier car to drive in the city. Or on the highway for that matter. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

the better way to go, as theres less stuff to break.
 
We ran our three-door hatchback Yaris for a grand total of seven months and 5,140 miles, most of which was accumulated in urban driving conditions. Its here that the Yaris is in its groove; its just about the easiest car in a congested metropolis, thanks to its fingertip-light electric power steering and sensitive throttle, which wrings the most out of the little 1.5-liter VVT-I engine. And when it comes to parking, the Yaris is a breeze,

Unusual design of the dashboard really does help to make the interior feel very roomy. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

with its short overhangs and excellent all-round visibility its easy to squeeze into spots much smaller than initially expected. The center-mounted instrument cluster and seats are a bit of a tossup: managing editor Justin Couture doesnt mind them, but staff writer Jon Yarkony doesnt like them. As a basic, commuter car (or a students first new car) it hits everything right on the nose.

There were many things that really surprised us about the Yaris, most of which we discovered outside of its home turf. The first is that it smashes the stereotype that small cars are for

Marks from our knuckles? (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

cities only. The longer gearing in the automatic gearbox and ample noise insulation keeps the car quite hushed at speed. Another thing we noticed was that the drivetrain vibration is very low. Sit at a stoplight (or in traffic), and you dont feel the engine through the pedals, steering wheel or gearshift, something atypical of bottom-rung subcompacts. The Yaris has a European feel to it with a firm ride, but remarkable compliance. Its much more absorbent than its rival from Honda, but has less body movement than the equivalent Hyundai. And theres a surprising weight to those doors; they feel quite heavy and make a satisfying thunk when shut, which takes quite a bit of slamming.
Overall,

An automatic carwash leaves its mark against the the wheel cover. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

the Yaris held up admirably to our daily use, showing few signs of wear and tear. Were wondering, though, about the longevity of those fabric-trimmed door panels, and how well theyll hold on to their color when exposed to prolonged sunlight. They do provide a nice cushy surface for resting your arm when its hanging out the window; its more comfortable than the hard armrest on the door. Another minor qualm is the slightly gritty texture of the low-sheen plastics used on the lower door and transmission tunnel surround. When theyre brand new they look great, but are very difficult to clean, holding on to rub marks from shoes and just about anything else. And if you dont hold the crank for the windows properly, its all too easy to rub

Plays all kinds of tunes, it just wont play your particular mix. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

your knuckles. It doesnt hurt, but try to clean it with a paper towel or cloth, and watch it disintegrate into little fibers and balls of fluff.

Also, a word from the wise: avoid automatic carwashes if you have plastic wheel covers. The tracks that guide the car through will scratch the finish. And if you can, spend the extra cash to upgrade the standard audio system head unit. For some reason, this particular one wont read burned CDs. Weve had other Yarii with this unit that had similar troubles.

From our point of view, as a city car the Toyota Yaris has rock solid foundations, but we feel that Toyota could be a little more generous with the standard specification sheet. We know that when it comes down to taking the bus or having a car, people are willing to live without things like

It didnt need gas, but a cleaning was in order. Scratched wheelcovers, on the other hand, were not. (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

power windows and locks, because at the end of the day theyre not necessary. But, given the upright rear window, a rear wiper should be standard equipment in colder areas, and Toyota could at least throw in height-adjustable seatbelts and a 60/40 split folding rear seat (rather than the whole bench folding down). One thing that would have made an enormous difference in the long run, especially if the car is being shared amongst many different people would be an interior-mounted manual control lever for the passengers side-view mirror. Currently, you have to roll down the window and stretch right across the cabin (but if your arms arent long enough you have to get outside) to adjust it. On the options list, we would also like to see more safety equipment being that all Yaris hatchbacks have is front airbags as standard equipment; side and curtain airbags are not available. Toyotas

Seatbelts dont adjust. Whys that? (Photo: Justin Couture, American Auto Press)

main competitors offer a six-count of airbags standard, if not as an option.

Still, for the most part our little Yaris impressed us, not just as a city car but also as a car itself. It shows exactly how far subcompact cars have come; just in the past couple years. We can easily understand why Toyotas had such great success with it, here, at home in Japan and in its other markets. And it just goes to show that you can have big car space and big car comfort with a small car.

And now, for the closing entries in our logbook:

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