I had the oppurtunity to drive the latest 2009 Toyota Yaris hatchback for a week. During this time I was constantly analyzing how it feels, drives and delivers in terms of quality, performance, value and mileage. When I got my hands on it, it was driven only 600km and smelled so addictively fresh and new!
To start with: the interior "looked" luxury but there were a few thing which bothered me. 1st, the silver center console was like a big distractor (just like Prado's), at least for me. 2nd, the upper dash was so light and weak that you can pinch a hole in it literally (goes almost half inch down when pressed with finger).
For a small entry level car, it was fabulous though. Very well laid out and so many nooks and cronies. Even with 3 inches shorter wheel base and smaller dimension, I was surprised by the leg room for a tall guy like me (standing at 6'2"). With the seats are up right, it still feels airy & roomy in head room area similar to the sedan version.
It had 4 speaker CD/Mp3 player with nominal sound quality and had an auxiliary for iPod.
The exterior is a typical & unmistakeably Toyota. The front bumper is a no no for me as I've driven the sedan version of this a while back for more than a month and was disappointed when I just nudged a CRV in front of me and my bumper was a sucker, while he left unscathed. I had to change the whole front fascia as everything is integrated.
Painting was a daunting task as it took alot of time and effort for matching with the rest of the body. On the other hand, the hatchback got five star rating for frontal impact unlike 4 star for the sedan. I've no idea how and why?
It looks nifty and nimble. I like it for the reason that it was a snatch to find a parking for it. Brakes are not as efficient as they should have been, I have a Kia Rio and once had a Peogeot 206, and I bet I never found a fault in those, they stop where you wanted them to stop. It was a different story with Yaris. I don't know why but Toyota never caught up with the rest of the world.
On the performance side, its pathetic. Although the 1.3 ltr 4 cyl engine is very quite and smooth but gave me a hard time on the highways. It was impossible to keep up with the traffic in the fast lane. Driving in cross winds is a terrifying experience as well as passing bigger heavier vehicles. I was not able to keep straight in a lane even on normal day with normal driving condition. In city driving, it was acceptable to accelerate with the traffic but felt like an ON/OFF switch in slow stop 'n go traffic.
Ride quality is really good in its class but not as good as the Pug 206. Went solidly on rough roads but due to its light weight and small size, you can feel the road through your spine. Tire noise was too much for me, maybe I'm driving a Prado that's why. But lets compare it to similar size Pug 206 and it lags behind. If I remember correctly, the sedan was quieter.
The steering is Toyota trade mark, numb on-center feel but soft and nifty for urban driving. Mileage for such a small car should be satisfactory but it was not upto mark, but maybe due to my heavy foot and highway driving, where you've to push it to keep up with the traffic. Almost 500 km per tank (AED 55~60) is little less compared to similar category to Kia Rio and little better then Yaris Sedan. Even Corollas and Civics are giving similar results per tank, that's why I was not satisfied.
By the way, my Prado gives me 1200 km per tank but thats a AED 230 fill! (6)
Overall, if I had to choose a car in this category and same price segment, I'll surely look for Honda Jazz or Ford Fiesta but Kia, Hyundai, Chevrolet and some other brands have better value for money.
I might have missed some issues but whoever is interested can ask and I'll be obliged to give answers but you must know that these are my own experiences and my own thoughts according to my taste and might differ others opinion.
Options included for this top range model were:
* 185/60R15 Alloy
* Green Laminated Windshield Glass.
* Powered & Colored Door Mirrors.
* Front Fog & Driving Lamp.
* Rear Hatch Spoiler.
Performance :
* Engine - 1.3 Litre, 1298cc, 4 Cylinders
* Power - 84HP/6000rpm
* Torque - 12.3kg-m/4400rpm
Interior & Convenience Features :
* Audio System - AM/FM/CD Player with 4 Speakers
* iPOD compatibility.
* Power Steering with Manual Tilt & Telescopic.
* Power Windows and Central Locking.
* Keyless Entry
* Rear Seat - 60:40 Slide, Reclining and Fold-Down.
Safety Features :
* Air Bag System - Driver & Passenger.
* Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) with Brake Assist.
* Anti Theft System with Immobilizer.
* High Mount Stop Lamp
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I did a test drive of Mitsubishi Lancer EX GLS 2.0 ltr and will post my results about it soon.
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