Not sure where to start (2009 yaris)...

[Faith87]

Not much of a car expert here. Just a female college student looking for a very reliable car and wise advice.

So far, I'm pretty much sold on a 2009 yaris after doing some research. (Still deciding on hatchback or sedan... have no idea what a "sport liftback" is). Guess I'd just like some reassuring input from others who are familiar with this kind of car.

some FAQs if you dont mind :biggrin:

1. I'm taking a roadtrip from Southern California through Oregon, up to Northwest Washington soon. Would this car be safe to take through mountain passes, harsh weather, icy streets, downpour, and snow? How about going up mountains/hills?

2. Should I think twice about options like the power package, weather package, etc..(is it worth the money?) Anything you'd recommend?

3. Whats the difference between a yaris sport model and a yaris (non-sport model?)

4. Is the engine and battery in this car powerful enough for mild-to-rough weather and climate?

5. What's better (in your opinion) a yaris with a hatchback or without one?

6. Can I comfortably fit atleast four people in this car?

7. Is general oil (like pennoil) okay to use in this car, or does it work better with the special overpriced oil/coolant?

8. Do you think atleast 2 surfboards could fit in this car? (educated guess is fine).

8. How is this car where street bumps, dips, holes are concerned? Does your yaris get damaged alot because it seems pretty close to the ground?

9. What are some perks about this car (in your opinion?) not including the gas mileage.

10. I've heard some things about brake problems with the yaris (haven't heard anything about 2009 model yet), are your breaks good enough in your opinion? If you have had break work done, around how much did it cost?

11. What are some overall cons about this car?

12. Is this car spacious enough for someone prone to getting car sick in small cars?

13. In your opinion, is this a good car for someone who generally enjoys the outdoors/nature?

14. On the toyota dealership I saw a light blue yaris that looked alot different from the zephyr blue colored one. Was that just a color manipulation? I think they only come in five colors: red, black, burgandy, blue, white.

14. Anything else?

[Twistoffate0817]

If you go with the hatch i suggest the 5 door hatch, just due to its easier for passengers to get in and out. ( i prefer the hatch over sedan)

[thewifesyaris]

1.) I live in Reno NV weather changes every 5 minutes. The Yaris has put through everything I have put it through. I have only done one 360 and that was with my balding Falken 512's during the first snow storm. The stockers get as good as traction as long as you drive safe. I have noticed that at high speeds small poodles are grounds for hydroplaning!

2.) Get what you can pay for. I went from having a car with everything to one with nothing. Some things I miss some I don't. If you have never had these such things as keyless, sunroof, there isn't a whole lot to miss. But one thing I think you might enjoy for safe of mind is ABS, mine doesn't have it and I wish it did.

3.) I believe the S has the power package plus a lip kit might be more not all quite sure. The 09 LB S looks pretty killer with 4 doors though.

4.) I upgrade my battery on most new cars due to the stocker usually being crap. As for the engines power. Just don't get stuck behind someone who has 4 wheel drive going too slow up a hill and you should be fine. I drove mine snowboarding during some pretty harsh snow conditions, as long as I had traction the car had enough to get around. It's not too much of a power issue, more of a traction issue. Buy some cables, chains, or spiders.

5.) I have owned a coupe, with trunk, and after I got my first hatchback I never went back. The simplicity of having everything available and the door (hatch) out of the way is awesome. Ever try to fit a mountain bike in a trunk?

6.) Yes and no. With 4 in the car hills get slower, But not one has ever complained about space or head room. Most passengers within the 5'6" to 6'4" range. In the two door liftback not to mention.

7.) I use Mobile1 0w30 for better gas mileage. I recommend synthetic but with oil it's more of "you get what you pay for" The better oil the longer the life more peace of mind thing portrays.

8.) With out a passenger maybe. I can fit 2 snowboards and a passenger in mine with cooler and gear just fine. Not too sure on the length of a surf board though.:iono:

9.) Cup holders, they are everywhere. Cheap cost of ownership. Insurance is next to nothing, combined with a minute payment and gas it's super cheap. Good aftermarket, plenty of goodies to add to the car. Just look for the Vender here CaliYaris. There is also the peace of mind it is a Toyota and the fact that the engine should last well beyond 200000 miles. Hell there's a member here that broke the 300000 mark.

10.) Never heard anything bad about the brakes. Mine are fine. My wifes are fine.

11.) Noisy, lack of standard features, no ABS (at least for mine), blind spot at your 7-8 o'clock, thats about it from my personal opinion.

12.) :iono: Whats your definition of small. A Civic, Miata, Corrola???

13.) If you pack small sure. I have been planning a camping trip to Oregon this May. 8 days, I will truly test the cars limits as far as cargo goes. Don't plan on off-roading it, that road trip ended poorly. From a nature standpoint your emitting less polutants.:iono:

14.) There are two blues Bayou I think, and then the more metallic one which name I forgot.

15.) If I could have waited I would have gotten the 4 door hatchback with power. But this is coming from someone who's prior vehicle was a Honda Fit Sport. Which had all those features. But for the price of a Yaris with the crapped out economy I would expect you to score a brand new 09 with power package and or S package for no* more than 14k. In fact I would be highly disappointed if you didn't get a discounted price considering that Toyota was discounting these cars before the whole ECONOSUX period.

Good luck with your decisions, and remember these are solely my opinions take them as you want.

[tomato]

Definitely go for HATCHBACK!! The flexibility of that body style amazing. This is my 3rd sub-compact hatchback car, just love them, they're the greatest for transporting stuff! But if you intend to have 4 people in the car on a long trip, then you want a 4 door hatchback, not the 2 door, IMO. And it wouldn't hurt if you saw the car in person to be able to estimate if you'll all fit in there or not.

"Liftback" means "hatchback" and "sport" probably means it has more options, not sure what they are. Go to toyota.com and click on "build your Toyota" select "Yaris", and play with the options, to see what it does to the car. You should be able to see the differences on your screen. That'll help you figure out what the options are and what you need and don't need.

There are a few recent threads already about the pros and cons of the cars, just look in the next couple of pages, and also look in the New Yaris forum, and you should find them pretty easily. I don't want to bore everybody by repeating the same thing over and over, but let's just say I'm one of these people who do not like the Yaris in rough weather (well for California, that's heavy wind and rain), that's the only time I wish I had gone Matrix instead (bigger, more power, a bit of a step up). Otherwise, most of the time, I love my Yaris. :wub:

No problems with the brakes. You know, I wouldn't expect mechanical problems with the Yaris on the road because it's a Toyota and it has good mechanical reviews. That's why I bought one! :) well, that and the price is right.

So anyway, good luck with your decision, and come on back and ask some more questions when you're ready to go to the dealer!


:burnrubber:

[kuyachris84]

hatchback all the way!!!!!! :thumbup:

[JBIZZ]

1. The Yaris is light & nimble, however the more weight in the car the worse the performance, especially up hills. I don't know about mountain driving, ice, & snow.

2. I see no reason for any extras

3. Lip kit & tachometer on "S"

4. I would believe so

5. LB

6. Yes

7. Any oil is fine. I did feel performance increase with Royal Purple though, when I switched over at 20K miles

8. If they're short boards probably, have not tried.

9. Its a Toyota, fun to drive, & very nimble. Technologically advanced VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing)

10. I have an '07 LB. No problems with brakes so far at 21K miles. Probably cheap to fix.

11. The car stock, in my opinion, is too high of the ground. It also gets blown around a lot on the highway in strong winds. The TRD rear sway helps with the wind issue. Poor paint job, chips easily, & is too thin (I have a white one).

12. The car seems bigger on the inside than what it appears from the outside. The cabin design offers an overall spacious feel, for a car this small.

13. Sure

14. Don't know

This is my 5th Toyota, 1st new one I've owned. The engines in these cars can last to 300K miles easily, even when driven hard. The Yaris is one of the cheapest cars to operate/maintain on the market. Yaris LB also has 7 cup holders, 2 of which are located next to the AC vents for heating/cooling of beverages, and has 3 glove compartments.

[Faith87]

Thanks for your post. I find it extremely helpful and useful.
:thumbsup:

Now for the hard part....car salesmen, lol! :help:

[Faith87]

Definitely go for HATCHBACK!! The flexibility of that body style amazing. This is my 3rd sub-compact hatchback car, just love them, they're the greatest for transporting stuff! But if you intend to have 4 people in the car on a long trip, then you want a 4 door hatchback, not the 2 door, IMO. And it wouldn't hurt if you saw the car in person to be able to estimate if you'll all fit in there or not.

"Liftback" means "hatchback" and "sport" probably means it has more options, not sure what they are. Go to toyota.com and click on "build your Toyota" select "Yaris", and play with the options, to see what it does to the car. You should be able to see the differences on your screen. That'll help you figure out what the options are and what you need and don't need.

There are a few recent threads already about the pros and cons of the cars, just look in the next couple of pages, and also look in the New Yaris forum, and you should find them pretty easily. I don't want to bore everybody by repeating the same thing over and over, but let's just say I'm one of these people who do not like the Yaris in rough weather (well for California, that's heavy wind and rain), that's the only time I wish I had gone Matrix instead (bigger, more power, a bit of a step up). Otherwise, most of the time, I love my Yaris. :wub:

No problems with the brakes. You know, I wouldn't expect mechanical problems with the Yaris on the road because it's a Toyota and it has good mechanical reviews. That's why I bought one! :) well, that and the price is right.

So anyway, good luck with your decision, and come on back and ask some more questions when you're ready to go to the dealer!


:burnrubber:


Thanks for the tips! I'll go on the toyota site now. Should have thought of that earlier. :redface:

[CompanyXPaladin]

1. I've had this car in ALL kinds of weather - and as mentioned, if you drive carefully and take care of your Yaris, your Yaris will take care of you. Up hills/mountains, two people and luggage is fine, three people and luggage starts to slow you down, four/five people with luggage means slow and careful driving (depending on the weight of your passengers and amount of luggage, of course.)

2. Power package and other dealer packages/accessories should be purchased on an as 'needed'/preference basis.

3. The sport model has a slightly different interior and cosmetic exterior modifications. (And a tach?) AFAIK, there are no mechanical differences.

4. I live in a mild climate, but from what I have read (largely on YarisWorld :wink:), the Yaris has no warm/cold problems.

5. Hatchback versatility and looks FTW, IMO, but then I'm biased.

6. Four people can fit comfortably in my 3 door. Five people if they're friendly. :rolleyes:

7. The Yaris will run almost anything (within reason!), it seems like.

8. Depends on the size of the surf boards? You may be better off putting a roof rack on your Yaris than trying to stuff surf boards inside.

9. Perks: Fun to drive, can carry as much as a small pickup truck (60/40 rear split down), can carry 4-5 people, reliable, fun to drive, LOTS of storage (at least in the LB), easy (and forgiving) to drive, easy to park, easy to handle in traffic, easy to handle on open freeway.

10. The only time I've had a problem braking is with crappy bald tires. The OEM brakes are more than adequate, unless you're towing. Although, braking does leave something to be desired with 4+ people going down mountains. (Brake fade?)

11. Cons: Stock suspension feels slightly boat-like. (solved with cheap, easy modifications.) Morbidly obese friends ruins gas mileage and handling. Some models equipped with automatic transmission. Some models not equipped with tachometer.

12. Preference thing. Test drive before you buy. It is QUITE roomy for such a small vehicle.

13. The Yaris is not an off-road machine. It can handle some - no rocks, relatively well packed dirt, gravel, no extreme dips or ridges, no water to cross. It can get you to your camp site, to the beach, to your hiking/bicycling trail, etc. no problem.

14a. Check Toyota website for color options. You should, as mentioned, do the 'Build Your Yaris' option, and see what you can expect.

14b. Yes. Buy the Yaris, if the option is available. As a college student, it's my opinion that the Yaris is the ultimate college-student-mobile. Surf YarisWorld.com and find out everything you ever wanted to know about your Yaris.

[*MAD DOG*]

Buy a hatchback for sure. If you are going to carry 4 passengers often then buy the 5 door, if your only going to rarely be carrying 4 passengers buy the 3 door. Be glad in the fact you are buying a fuel efficient, safe and sexy car.

[tomato]

Thanks for the tips! I'll go on the toyota site now. Should have thought of that earlier. :redface:

No worries!!! :biggrin: Buying a car is a big deal, so come on back and ask as many questions as you want.

This trip sounds like fun, too!

:burnrubber:

[wiirenet]

I just got my 2009 Monday... To me a power package is worth it. I learned to drive with, and had driven a power packaged car for 5 years and can't imagine living without power locks, window.. but it depends on how much you care about convenience versus money. Oh rear window wiper comes with power pack too and I've wanted one ever since I started driving, its going to make winter sooo much easier if I can just hop in the car and defrost and use the wiper on the back window without scraping it manually outside.

I got the weather package too. For me its worth knowing I got the extra heavy duty stuff for my chicago winters, but I can't say if it really makes a difference. One thing I am looking forward to is the larger washer tank with level warning that comes with it. I never knew if the washer tank in my old car was clogged, empty, or working as it should.. but it always felt like whatever sprayed out was too little, and sometimes nothing sprayed. I never cared enough to get someone to look at it, but look forward to my yaris TELLING me if the washer tank is low. And from reading about the options, that only comes with the weather pack.

IMO the yaris hatchback is better for me. If I were to get a sedan, which would only be if I got a family, or started being the designated driver in my circle of friends, I would prob go with a more expensive sedan than the yaris.
The hatchback is nice since I barely ever transport any more then me, my purse and my laptop and don't need the extra trunk and overall car size. I'm not sure if surf boards would fit in the hatchback though.

I don't feel any different driving in the yaris on bad streets (bumps, dips, holes) then I did with my old nissan sedan. However I do feel a huge different driving on the highway.. I can easily feel the wobble/sway I guess because the car is smaller or lighter then what I'm used to and it makes me feel unsafe.. But maybe it is safe, I'm just not used to it.

Perks: The look, the size, the compartments, the uncomplicated look of the console. Some car pics I looked at and went WTF do all those knobs, letters, meters, pictures do/mean?? With the yaris, I know exactly what everything does and don't feel cluttered.

Haven't noticed any difference in breaks then with my old car.

Cons: Just tiny things that I wouldn't have even considered before I bought it. My dashboard scratches easily, I feel weird when its night and my steering wheel area and gear shift area is completely black. Oh... its also hard for me to find it in the parking lot! Never considered that with a small car.. it gets hidden easily.. my sedan I could always find from seeing the rear bumper.. Oh there is no hatch pop inside the car, you need to manually use the key. Idk, I was just used to a trunk pop button. I hate using keys. Oh I feel like I have some blind spots when I turn my head to see behind or to the back/side.

[427chev]

This won't be a popular reply, but I'll give it anyway.

IMHO, the ONLY Yaris to buy is a lightly equipped 3 door hatch (base model).

The "bang for the buck" of the Yaris rapidly diminishes as options are added.

The Honda Fit is a better car for those who are thinking about spending more than $13K or so. The Fit Sport is a very refined car with a lot of content (power windows, power locks, tilt and telescoping wheel, better sounding stereo, better seats, 4 doors, etc). and can be bought new for around $16K.

[tomato]

This won't be a popular reply, but I'll give it anyway.

IMHO, the ONLY Yaris to buy is a lightly equipped 3 door hatch (base model).

The "bang for the buck" of the Yaris rapidly diminishes as options are added.

The Honda Fit is a better car for those who are thinking about spending more than $13K or so. The Fit Sport is a very refined car with a lot of content (power windows, power locks, tilt and telescoping wheel, better sounding stereo, better seats, 4 doors, etc). ansd can be bought new for around $16K.

:clap: Completely agree with you :thumbsup:

This is not to say that I don't enjoy my Yaris, I do, but the main reason she's in my driveway is because she's ECONOMICAL TRANSPORTATION. Adding a lot options kind of defeats the purpose, well to me.

:burnrubber:

[tetzyamis]

This won't be a popular reply, but I'll give it anyway.

IMHO, the ONLY Yaris to buy is a lightly equipped 3 door hatch (base model).

The "bang for the buck" of the Yaris rapidly diminishes as options are added.

The Honda Fit is a better car for those who are thinking about spending more than $13K or so. The Fit Sport is a very refined car with a lot of content (power windows, power locks, tilt and telescoping wheel, better sounding stereo, better seats, 4 doors, etc). ansd can be bought new for around $16K.

That's so true.

:clap:

[anapier88]

Wow, it looks like I should have done what you did before I bought my Yaris! I never even thought about finding a Yaris forum and asking questions to actual owners (I actually found this website accidentally because I was trying to Google a certain car color to see what it looked like). Now I've already bought my car and will (hopefully) be getting it tomorrow.

Good luck! I can't really answer any questions since I don't actually have the car yet, but it's cool to see someone going through exactly what I just did. Don't let salesmen rip you off! I had some pretty bad experiences before I found the one that sold me my car, lol.

:)

[41magmag41]

I have the sedan and enjoy it very much. When I was looking the 2 door hatchback wasn't going to do as I have grand Kids to cart around. If the 4 door hatchback had been available, just introduced this year in the US, I would have gone that route. If you really need the room for 4 people go with one of the models with four doors and you can't go wrong. My sedan came with everything and I wouldn't have it any other way, payed around 13800 for her. I get 37 to 42 mpg with her and have no complaints with over 47000 miles on her.

[supmet]

The fit is a mini-van, and its one of the ugliest cars since the aztek. The yaris is cheaper, gets better mileage, and looks like a car, not a shrunken odyssey. For the 2 grand you save, you can get power locks and windows, and a system that will blow the fit away.. But I agree don't get the options at the dealership - you can do them all later for way cheaper.

If you have over 13 grand to spend, don't even think about a fit - get a stock LB or sedan, and go on a shopping spree at microimage. :D

[427chev]

The fit is a mini-van, and its one of the ugliest cars since the aztek. The yaris is cheaper, gets better mileage, and looks like a car, not a shrunken odyssey. For the 2 grand you save, you can get power locks and windows, and a system that will blow the fit away.. But I agree don't get the options at the dealership - you can do them all later for way cheaper.

If you have over 13 grand to spend, don't even think about a fit - get a stock LB or sedan, and go on a shopping spree at microimage. :D

The facts don't support your claims.

Both the Fit and the Yaris come standard with A/C and all Fits come standard with power windows and locks.

http://automobiles.honda.com/fit/specifications.aspx

The Fit also comes standard with a better sounding, more powerful stereo, four doors, a tach, a multi-information display, superior seating, a rear window wiper/washer, a telescoping steering wheel and a more powerful engine.

Futhermore, the Fit's automatic trans is a 5 speed, while the Yaris's is a 4 speed.

The Yaris that would come closest to the equipment level of a base Fit would be an appropriately optioned, 5 door hatch "S." The sticker on that would be $16,855 (including destination).

The Fit would still offer more equipment (as I noted above) and would sticker for $16,220 (including destination), which is $635 LESS than the Yaris!

http://www.edmunds.com/

The prices I provided are for the automatic transmission models; the price difference among the manual cars is similar.

[thewifesyaris]

www.slickcars.com
For 80 bucks you have power locks with keyless, another 130 you have power windows, I had a fit she was great but when your looking for bang for your buck bare base Yaris and adding your own power is way way too cheap to pass up.

Then again I did see a commercial about a rather nifty looking Kia, though I know nothing about Kia the little thing was pretty bitching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQ-CDE_r_wg

[supmet]

The facts don't support your claims.

Thanks for the copy-paste from the other thread. If you get everything done at the dealership, then the yaris gets overpriced, that is correct. But give me 17 grand to spend on a fit or 17 grand on a yaris, and I'll take the yaris anyday.

[tomato]

Not to add any fuel to the fire or anything but IMO, I really REALLY think the Fit handles better overall. I don't know how to explain it, it just does. The clutch (shifter) works like knife in butter. Acceleration is lightning fast, even when you're in lower gears (very important for city driving with bits of freeway, hills and what not, like in the SF Bay Area).

I'm no mechanic, I'm just an idiot consumer driving stock cars, but I've been driving for a lot of years, and I'm telling you, if you take a stock base Yaris and a stock base Fit for a test drive, you will notice a big difference in handling.

It's not about power windows or power anything, it's just the handling and the driving experience overall. Can't explain it.

It's in the :burnrubber:

Again, I didn't say I don't enjoy my Yaris :biggrin::wink::headbang:

peace

:burnrubber:

[427chev]

Not to add any fuel to the fire or anything but IMO, I really REALLY think the Fit handles better overall.

The Fit doesn't handle better than a Yaris equipped with TRD shocks, springs and the rear bar, though the Fit most certainly handles better than a stock Yaris.

I had the dealer install those before I took delivery; it set me back $1,240 (including parts, labor and 4 Toyota mudguards).

That chewed into the "bang for the buck" factor, though, as did the stereo and speakers I had installed.

[tomato]

The Fit doesn't handle better than a Yaris equipped with TRD shocks, springs and the rear bar, though the Fit most certainly handles better than a stock Yaris.


Keep in mind that I was comparing stock and stock.

If you only spent a grand or so at the dealership, then it's really not so bad.

Is the "rear bar" the same thing as a "sway bar" ? can you tell the difference?

[tomato]

:redface: Never mind, I found my answer. Duh.

[yaris-me]

1. Yes.
2. Yes.
4. Yes.
5. HB.
6. Maybe.
7. Yes.
8. No.
8. Excellent. No.
9. It's not a KIA.
11. It's not a BMW.
12. Don't know.
13. Yes.
14. No. No.

For the money, the Yaris is a good buy. It does what it is suppose to do.

[427chev]

Keep in mind that I was comparing stock and stock.

If you only spent a grand or so at the dealership, then it's really not so bad.

Is the "rear bar" the same thing as a "sway bar" ? can you tell the difference?

Yes, I was referring to the TRD rear "swar bar," which is more properly referred to as an "anti-roll bar."

I had the shocks, springs and rear bar installed when the car was brand new and prior to taking delivery.

I have owned a lot of nice handling cars (1LE Camaro, Z51 C6 Corvette, Sentra SE-R (first gen.), Mazda Speed 3) and am VERY impressed with what the TRD components did to this Yaris. It is very well balanced, doesn't have a hint of float, squat or dive yet still rides quite well. The car's limits are a lot lower than those of the Camaro and Corvette (in particular) because I am running the OEM wheels and tires on the Yaris and because the Yaris is also far less powerful.

Still, a Yaris equipped with the TRD suspension can be a surprisingly fun and satisfying car to drive. :burnrubber:

[roxy1]

the manaul transmission fit will never make up for its one fatal flaw. the gearing on it is ludicrous. when i test drove it, i was dumbfounded that it was spinning 3400 rpms at 70 mph. it had grown tiresome on my 20 minute test drive. its loud and buzzy. it ruined what would have been a sure sale for me. additionally, the profile of the new fit is as ugly as a car could get, like a little chunk of metal pulling a big long glass bubble behind it. still, i could have forgiven its ugliness if not for the gearing.

i think small hatchbacks are made to be driven with a stick and im hoping the next batch of subcompact hatches (focus/polo/et al...) will have better gearing in their manual trannies.

[rningonfumes]

I've never really complained about going off topic much, but sheesh! Answer the questions, leave the fit vs yaris debate on the 10 other threads here on YW. You've pretty much thread-jacked the OP.

I was starting to enjoy reading the thread and then--- as usual it goes off topic.

/end rant.


1. Road trips/climates/mountains.... I'll leave this to the others who travel more. I would say you'd be okay as long as you understood the boundaries of the car.

2. Power Package- I like it, as others have said, you could also get the bare bones and do custom upgrades.

3. S model- just body kit, no mechanical differences, certain things in the cab are better but that's about it. (Tach- came with my sedan manual with power package)

4. Plenty of power to do whatever you want as long as you know how to apply it. Make sure you get to know the car before the cliimate differences.

5. Hatch vs sedan- I needed 4 doors, thinking back on it if they had the 5 door hatchback, I might just have gotten that. Then again when I first got the car I was never really into Hatches until I came to Yarisworld.

6. Seating capacity--if you intend to carry 4 adults-often, go with the sedan or the 5 door-- just more comfortable for your passengers.

7. Oil- pick as you wish. As mentioned before, it's up to you. If you're savvy as to where you do the changes or even try them your self, you could get away with getting the better oil and filters for the price of the regular stuff. Coolant- you don't need to worry about that until at least 70k or so.

8. Surfboards!---5 door is for you!

9. How is this car where street bumps, dips, holes are concerned? Plenty of height for all of those you speak of.-- no worries at all.

10. Perks- other have mentioned insurance, taxes, fees etc. I'm going to add that the car should not give you much trouble at all. So the main perk is low cost of ownership--google it, you'll see that it's at the top of many lists for cost of ownership.

11. Brakes- Pads alone was 45 bucks at the dealor, reasonable if you are a DIY person. Look at about 90 bucks for dealor work? 60 or so at an outside shop. They last a long time, I'm at 25k miles and when I rotated the tires the pads were mint.

12. Cons- I like to fix things around the house, I realized one day that I needed to tie sheet rock to the roof (I have a sedan). Could have used the 5 door. Automatic is sluggish compared to the manual tranny (my opinion). Be careful of the prices, you might run into Corolla territory if you option the Yaris out.

13. Interior space- sit in one, it's like Dr. Who's ship (if you are into scifi), you'll wonder how they got all that room in there- I'm 6 feet tall- on the large side, refer to my avatar.

14. Nature lover- I'm thinking the 5 door would fit a Nature lover's needs- lots of room for camping materials. Car sits high enough for the trails to campsites.

15. Can't answer you about the colors and interior (don't know enough).

16. Anything else?
a. Do cross shop with the fit, even the scion xD. Your questions seem geared towards a outdoorsy person, remember that these cars are not trail vehicles of any sort, if you're looking for something more, think of the rav4 or honda CR-V (the mini-suvs).
b. Be sure to go to the auto shows, I know it's too late for the LA one but the OC is coming up right? --- it's atmosphere where you can just take your time sitting in every car you are interested in, no worries about commission hungry eyes on you.
c. when the time comes for you to buy, know exactly what you want! Otherwise the salesman can TELL you what you want and that gets expensive.
d. Never go car shopping alone!

[427chev]

the manaul transmission fit will never make up for its one fatal flaw. the gearing on it is ludicrous. when i test drove it, i was dumbfounded that it was spinning 3400 rpms at 70 mph. it had grown tiresome on my 20 minute test drive. its loud and buzzy. it ruined what would have been a sure sale for me. additionally, the profile of the new fit is as ugly as a car could get, like a little chunk of metal pulling a big long glass bubble behind it. still, i could have forgiven its ugliness if not for the gearing.

i think small hatchbacks are made to be driven with a stick and im hoping the next batch of subcompact hatches (focus/polo/et al...) will have better gearing in their manual trannies.

What's kind of RPM is a 5 speed Yaris spinning @ 70MPH:iono:

Mine doesn't have a tach, but I guarantee it's close to 3,400 RPM and may even be higher.

[roxy1]

What's kind of RPM is a 5 speed Yaris spinning @ 70MPH:...................but I guarantee it's close to 3,400 RPM and may even be higher.

i think people w/ a scangauge have reported 3050-3100 rpms at 70 mph in the manual yaris.

[427chev]

i think people w/ a scangauge have reported 3050-3100 rpms at 70 mph in the manual yaris.

That sounds awfully low.

I've driven a lot of cars and have never seen a small 4 cylinder turn revs that low at 70 MPH.

My 2.0 liter Sentra SE-R turned 4,000 rom even @ 80 MPH.

My 5 speed Yaris is "responsive" at 40 MPH in 5th gear; it's got be be carrying some pretty heavy gearing.

Have someone with a tach VERIFY what it is.

[SailDesign]

That sounds awfully low.


Actually, it works out from the ratios at 3005 rpm.
At 40, it is 1720...

[427chev]

Actually, it works out from the ratios at 3005 rpm. At least that's on a 2007

Yep, you guys are right on the money.

Check out this calculator. (Use the third calculator for manual transmissions.):

http://www.csgnetwork.com/multirpmcalc.html

Stock tire dia. (RE92s) is 23.9", 5th gear ratio is .82 and the final drive axle ratio is 3.72.

I'm surprised that this car is responsive as it is in 5th with that kind of gearing and such a small engine. Mine will easily pull 5th from 40 MPH with a bone stock engine and no power enhancing mods of any kind.

[JBougie]

IMO, the car is perfect for all weather handling - I live in MN and deal with all of the extremes. Since I travel down south a lot I get a lot of the heat and quick weather changes on the travel down there and back - I have NEVER even had a funny sound come out of the Yaris. I have had mine for 1 year 10 months and have 38,890miles on her now.

I have the 4 door sedan, not "S" type but I do have cruise control, power everything, the 15" stock wheels, rear defrost, the weather package ... whatever that all comes with. It's pretty much loaded, the only thing I didn't get was the alloy wheels (because I am an aftermarket wheel type of girl lol) and leather seats (IMO leather in a yaris is dumb) and my price tag (before interest from financing) was $14,300 and I bought her brand new off the show room floor at Walser Bloomington Toyota here in MN.

I don't have a single complaint about this car and I looked for 3 weeks straight and had my Walser dealer going from dealership to dealership looking at everything and finally decided on the Yaris. My husband and I got to the dealership, I test drove the car and about an hour later drove it home. It was love at first drive.

I get my oil changed every 5k and use the 5/30 synthetic oil; she runs like a top so far :)

I don't really know about anything else you were asking, and since I don't surf and have never even seen a surf board I couldn't help you there - except I do know that you can get the racks on top of the roof of the car for storage.

Also - the Fit is ugly. Don't buy one of those. LOL

[SailDesign]

IMO, the car is perfect for all weather handling

<major snip>

Also - the Fit is ugly. Don't buy one of those. LOL

Heh! You can stick around. :wub:

[JBougie]

Heh! You can stick around. :wub:

WooHoo! :laugh:

[Pars]

Good questions. I think the 5dr liftback would meet most of your needs. I hauled some really big stuff in my liftback (delivery work) and if the surfboards are under 6.5 feet, they should fit, but you'll need to push forward the front passenger seat and recline it forward.

If you're taking on 4 passenger and they're all tall, the shortest person should take the front passenger seat since the glove box significantly cuts into leg room.

In the slippery stuff, if the roads are plowed and the car has enough traction to get up the incline then no worries. The problem is getting traction to keep the car moving, other then that one weakness, the car has excellent handling in the slick stuff and even better braking ability.

Power options are a must have, but if you're in Canada, you need to be leery of the durability of the ABS sensors.

Also, I'm thinking about getting another Yaris as a second car, but it's not on top of my list. Main reason being is that the 5spd manual transmission has bad clutch take-up and accelerator pedal is too slow when you're punching it for a downshift.


Not much of a car expert here. Just a female college student looking for a very reliable car and wise advice.

So far, I'm pretty much sold on a 2009 yaris after doing some research. (Still deciding on hatchback or sedan... have no idea what a "sport liftback" is). Guess I'd just like some reassuring input from others who are familiar with this kind of car.

some FAQs if you dont mind :biggrin:

1. I'm taking a roadtrip from Southern California through Oregon, up to Northwest Washington soon. Would this car be safe to take through mountain passes, harsh weather, icy streets, downpour, and snow? How about going up mountains/hills?

2. Should I think twice about options like the power package, weather package, etc..(is it worth the money?) Anything you'd recommend?

3. Whats the difference between a yaris sport model and a yaris (non-sport model?)

4. Is the engine and battery in this car powerful enough for mild-to-rough weather and climate?

5. What's better (in your opinion) a yaris with a hatchback or without one?

6. Can I comfortably fit atleast four people in this car?

7. Is general oil (like pennoil) okay to use in this car, or does it work better with the special overpriced oil/coolant?

8. Do you think atleast 2 surfboards could fit in this car? (educated guess is fine).

8. How is this car where street bumps, dips, holes are concerned? Does your yaris get damaged alot because it seems pretty close to the ground?

9. What are some perks about this car (in your opinion?) not including the gas mileage.

10. I've heard some things about brake problems with the yaris (haven't heard anything about 2009 model yet), are your breaks good enough in your opinion? If you have had break work done, around how much did it cost?

11. What are some overall cons about this car?

12. Is this car spacious enough for someone prone to getting car sick in small cars?

13. In your opinion, is this a good car for someone who generally enjoys the outdoors/nature?

14. On the toyota dealership I saw a light blue yaris that looked alot different from the zephyr blue colored one. Was that just a color manipulation? I think they only come in five colors: red, black, burgandy, blue, white.

14. Anything else?