Considering Yaris vs. Elantra

[businezguy]

The alternator on my Ford Focus ZTS (purchased by my wife prior to our marriage) has died, and was replaced by another dead alternator a couple of years ago. In addition, I had to do extensive repairs to fix an issue with the car overheating, and it's beginning to demonstrate the same issue as before. Needless to say, with only 98k on it, I'm fed up and need to replace this car ASAP (the next two the three weeks at the latest). I am forced to drive my wife's 1995 Ford Explorer getting 19 MPG driving 55 MPH.

I'm trying to decide between an Elantra and a Yaris, and I've pretty much made a decision to go with the Yaris. While the Elantra has by far the best interior of the two, and quite honestly is the better vehicle overall, I love the minimalism of the Yaris, and most importantly the better MPG I'll get from it. There is nothing I would love more then to spend less of my money overseas supporting terrorism and saving about $50 a month at $2.50 per gallon.

So I need your help! I would be getting the base Sedan with the convenience and power package, and added on Bluetooth. However, can somebody break down all of the storage compartments that come with this car? I do a lot of commuting (132 miles round trip 5 days a week) and need to have storage readily available for my MP3 player, toll money, cell phone, organizer (can put that in the glove compartment), etc. Also, I love a huge thing of coffee during my commute. How large of a cup could I fit in the cup holder that's in front of the air vent? Could I for example fit a 1 quart bottle of Gatorade in it as an example?

Sorry for all of the questions, I am going to be making me purchase soon, and this will be the first new car purchase I'll make (paying cash so I'll own it outright).

Thanks!

[rningonfumes]

Storage:
Non-locking glove box,
arm rest (small),
pockets behind the driver and passenger seats
coin box underneath the driver's cup holder.
and Valet locking Trunk-60/40 folding rear seats(they don't fold flat.

Cupholders:
two on dash-- under the vents-can hold up to a large/xltra large of Carl's Jr/Hardee's drink cup.
Driver's and front passenger has an indentation in the lower door pocket that can hold the standard water bottle.
Rear of the arm rest is one more cup holder that flips out.


It looks like you've done your homework. I would pick one or the other of the packages to save money. I hope you are thinking of the manual too-- more money saved. The advantage of the Yaris over the Elantra is the price.... don't option out the Yaris any where near the price of the Elantra. If we were talking Hyundai competitor for the Yaris, it would be the Accent.

When you say you're going to save 50 bucks a month, I'm going to assume you mean over the Focus and not the Explorer. I say you're gonna save a lot more than that if you drive it right.

How large a laptop do you have? Bare with no bag, it should fit with other things in the glove box.

I hope I addressed most of your concerns, Good luck on either car.

Feel free to ask more questions.

[businezguy]

Storage:
Non-locking glove box,
arm rest (small),
pockets behind the driver and passenger seats
coin box underneath the driver's cup holder.
and Valet locking Trunk-60/40 folding rear seats(they don't fold flat.

Cupholders:
two on dash-- under the vents-can hold up to a large/xltra large of Carl's Jr/Hardee's drink cup.
Driver's and front passenger has an indentation in the lower door pocket that can hold the standard water bottle.
Rear of the arm rest is one more cup holder that flips out.


It looks like you've done your homework. I would pick one or the other of the packages to save money. I hope you are thinking of the manual too-- more money saved. The advantage of the Yaris over the Elantra is the price.... don't option out the Yaris any where near the price of the Elantra. If we were talking Hyundai competitor for the Yaris, it would be the Accent.

When you say you're going to save 50 bucks a month, I'm going to assume you mean over the Focus and not the Explorer. I say you're gonna save a lot more than that if you drive it right.

How large a laptop do you have? Bare with no bag, it should fit with other things in the glove box.

I hope I addressed most of your concerns, Good luck on either car.

Feel free to ask more questions.

Thanks for the information you've provided, much appreciated. I read on some threads that folks were losing coins that were going behind the dashboard when storing them somewhere. Does the coin holder you describe have that issue?

As for the price, I need to get the automatic transmission and power package. Since the Yaris has no incentives and the Elantra does, a comparably equipped Elantra with more features standard, actually costs a few hundred dollars less. However, I figured that I would save about $50 in gas per month with the Yaris vs. the Elantra because I drive so much. VS. the Explorer I'll be saving about $232 per month. VS the Focus I'll be saving about $78 per month. All of this is assuming $2.50 for gas of course. If gas goes up, the savings obviously go up as well.

I have a large laptop bag, so I'll just put my laptop in the rear of the car while commuting and obviously if I stop that the market or something on the way home, throw it in the trunk. I'm more concerned with what to do with my toll money, MP3 player, and cell phone. Believe me, when it comes to toll money especially, I feel like I risk life and limb just to get the correct change for the toll.

[voodoo22]

One thing to consider if you do a lot of highway driving at higher speeds is the handling of the two cars.

You will find the Yaris does not handle so well at highway speeds, on uneven surfaces or crosswinds. Although it's better for the sedan vs the hatch, this is definitely an important thing to compare between the two cars before you buy. I never go over 55 mph and find the handling good enough, but a couple times a crosswind has nearly blown me out of my lane.

If you stick at 55mph; like you state; you will get about 45-50 MPG in the Yaris auto. I am unfamiliar with the Hyundai, but can guarantee you will not come close to that with the Elantra AT.

[scape]

like you said, the elantra is better build quality; tbh the corolla might be a closer match of comparison shopping-- notwithstanding, i still like my yaris ;D
but highway driving does get a bit hairy sometimes, this car is so light (and the hatchback is so tall!)

[scape]

oh, and yes the cup holders are awesome in this car! haha

[businezguy]

One thing to consider if you do a lot of highway driving at higher speeds is the handling of the two cars.

You will find the Yaris does not handle so well at highway speeds, on uneven surfaces or crosswinds. Although it's better for the sedan vs the hatch, this is definitely an important thing to compare between the two cars before you buy. I never go over 55 mph and find the handling good enough, but a couple times a crosswind has nearly blown me out of my lane.

If you stick at 55mph; like you state; you will get about 45-50 MPG in the Yaris auto. I am unfamiliar with the Hyundai, but can guarantee you will not come close to that with the Elantra AT.

I'm sure this is the case, and I'm sure the Elantra would not be effected nearly as much as the Yaris, so I'll keep that in mind. But it also occurs to me that having had to drive the Ford Explorer for the past couple of weeks I ran into that issue once. Nothing like driving a tall, huge box. It's quite possible the Ford Explorer would be worse in that respect then the Yaris.

When I do a test drive, I'll have to try going 65 MPH on the highway. It's not like I plan to stick to 55 MPH ALL of the time.

[businezguy]

like you said, the elantra is better build quality; tbh the corolla might be a closer match of comparison shopping-- notwithstanding, i still like my yaris ;D
but highway driving does get a bit hairy sometimes, this car is so light (and the hatchback is so tall!)

I've basically decided that saving $50 per month on gas is more important then the significantly better interior/design of the Elantra. I believe the Elantra would be about 20% less efficient in gas then would be the Yaris (despite EPA estimates stating only a 10% difference).

I really want to be hitting the high 40's to low 50's in this vehicle. I'm looking forward to saving some serious $$$ so I have more money to spend on myself. :thumbup:

[businezguy]

So I just sent in a counter offer on a 2008 Yaris sedan this dealer still has in their lot. Obviously I'll get a better deal for that car then I would a '09 model, and my last attempt at getting more from the dealer is to have free bluetooth installed.

Anyway, I am expecting the offer to be accepted, and I just looked everywhere and realized that I have lost my driver's license after coming back from vacation in Florida. I'm so pissed! I have no idea where my birth certificate and marriage license are, and I doubt I'll find them over the next couple of days.

Now I'm trying to figure out, do I need to have my driver's license to buy a new car? This is so ridiculous!

[Goose]

I'm not sure if you'll get in "the high 40's to low 50's" on the highway with the Yaris. Although people have posted that they've gotten above 40MPG highway, you'll be happier if you set your expectations at around 40MPG.

The Yaris is one of the best values on the market. Although Hyundai has been making great strides lately, their lower resale value tends to wipe out any savings up front. I recently dumped a new Genesis Coupe for another Yaris due to poor customer service from Hyundai - although your experience with Hyundai might be better. Based on my experience, I think Toyota has more advanced powertrains than Hyundai, too.

Based on your storage requirements, you may have to create some storage for change, etc because the Yaris sedan doesn't have many storage areas in the dash. Check the storage gadget section of your local auto parts store - you can find many things (like ashtrays) that can be used to store change for the commute.

EDIT: I'm not sure about needing a driver's license to buy in PA, but I'll bet you'll need to have it (especially if you're going to finance).

[businezguy]

I'm actually going to pay cash, so I'm not sure I'll need it. Obviously I'll need it so when/if I get pulled over I don't get a ticket, but I don't want to let it hold me back from making a purchase.

As for MPG, I was able to average 34 MPG in a 2002 Ford Focus ZTS. This is a car that is supposed to only get 29 MPG highway, and only 25 MPG combined, and believe me with today's EPA estimates, the MPG should really be lower then that. I should also add that this car has had issues with overheating, and really needed a tune up lately (I was getting more like 36 MPG last year around this time).

I have very high expectations for the Yaris, and would be very disappointed if I got less then 45 MPG. I am willing to drive very conservatively to get the best milage I can.

[AlexNet0]

I have very high expectations for the Yaris, and would be very disappointed if I got less then 45 MPG. I am willing to drive very conservatively to get the best milage I can.

if you are willing to follow the fuel economy forum and hypermiling tips to the letter, then expect 45+.

Drive normally, and expect 35-42.

Try to drive fast, get 30.

All are better than most vehicles

[businezguy]

if you are willing to follow the fuel economy forum and hypermiling tips to the letter, then expect 45+.

Drive normally, and expect 35-42.

Try to drive fast, get 30.

All are better than most vehicles

I'm wondering what I can expect by setting the cruise control to 55 MPH and leaving it at that. I really hope I can get well over 45 MPG by doing that.

[rbell]

Gald to see you're picking the Toyota. I just purchased a Yaris 3dr hb 3 weeks ago. I don't have any issues tooling around between 70-75 mph. I think it handles fine. Previous vehicle was a 2004 Tacoma. It now has 225,000 on it. I only had to replace the front brakes and change oils and fluids. Toyota quality is fantastic. Hate to be harsh, but I wouldn't consider buying a Hyundai or KIA piece of crap.

[id3379]

One thing to consider if you do a lot of highway driving at higher speeds is the handling of the two cars.

You will find the Yaris does not handle so well at highway speeds, on uneven surfaces or crosswinds. Although it's better for the sedan vs the hatch, this is definitely an important thing to compare between the two cars before you buy. I never go over 55 mph and find the handling good enough, but a couple times a crosswind has nearly blown me out of my lane.

If you stick at 55mph; like you state; you will get about 45-50 MPG in the Yaris auto. I am unfamiliar with the Hyundai, but can guarantee you will not come close to that with the Elantra AT.

The sedan does not do well when there's alot of wind on the highway too, it gets scary at some points with stock sus/wheels.

[supmet]

the elantra is better build quality

:bs:

Look up some resale values on similar toyotas and hyundais with similar miles. Hyundai doesn't know the meaning of the word quality.

[voodoo22]

I'm wondering what I can expect by setting the cruise control to 55 MPH and leaving it at that. I really hope I can get well over 45 MPG by doing that.

If you're not using A/C you'll break 50 mpg sometimes. For me to consistently get over 50 on entire tanks I drive 50-55 mph and no A/C. Solid A/C use will give you about 10% less fe. There is a ton of information out there on what you can expect. We have the sedan with convenience package and it's an auto. I don't drive as far as you do for your commute and if that's all hwy you may see better mileage than I see if you maintain similar speeds.

Going over 55 and using A/C will be your biggest enemies for your commute.

[businezguy]

Basically all but 4 miles of my commute is highway miles. I'll run into problems many times with traffic jams for a few of those miles, however. Still, if I leave early enough, that doesn't happen that often, and I almost never hit a traffic jam at all on my way home. That is one of the reasons why I have high expectations for my MPG.

I realize this is a forum for the Toyota Yaris, and I obviously am steering towards that as my choice. However, I will give accolades where they are due. The Elantra has a longer record then most cars on the road today, and it is proven very reliable, and equaled the Yaris in reliability. It also has a much better quality interior, and actually has more space then even a Yaris.

Somebody above stated that the drive train in the Yaris is more advanced then the Elantra, and that is very accurate. The other major advantage the Yaris has is MPG.

As a personal opinion, the Elantra is SO smooth, comfortable, and refined that it makes me feel like I'm driving a large luxury sedan to an extent, whereas the Yaris makes me feel like I have a basic commuting car that is more fun to drive, and handles better on country roads. This is all based on having test drove both a couple of times.

[rbell]

Hyundai has made a great deal of progress since the late 80s early 90s. I just don't think they're there yet. I looked at the sedan before deciding on the hatchback. I thought the sedan was descent. It all depends on how much you want to spend. There is a big difference between a base model and a model with packaged equipment. My Yaris is a base model so I realize its going to ride a little bumpy, it's not going to have a great sound system, and maybe it's going to be a bit noisy. But for what I need it for, it's fine. If ride and style were important to me, I would have looked at a Camry, or even a Volkswagen Jetta.

[businezguy]

I agree that Hyundai has made a lot of progress, but they have yet to match Toyota. For instance the Elantra is a very solid vehicle, and it's reliability would certainly compete with the Yaris. But the Entourage is an unreliable piece of crap, and the Sonata is behind in reliability standards compared to the Camry and Accord.

I would go for the base model with the roll down windows and the manual transmission, but my wife has some medical issues that would preclude her from driving the car if I didn't go with those options. Also, I will never buy a new car that does not have an aux jack. That simply isn't an option for me.

[roxy1]

I agree that Hyundai has made a lot of progress, but they have yet to match Toyota. For instance the Elantra is a very solid vehicle, and it's reliability would certainly compete with the Yaris. .

we'll see about that, but i doubt it. when i switched from my yaris to the new corolla, i test drove the elantra quite a bit. i actually felt it has a nicer interior than the corolla. but, the corolla was quieter on the road and just felt smoother. epa mileage was higher for the corolla, though i beat those numbers easily anyway. i was disappointed to find alot of elantra drivers getting disappointing mileage. i think hyundai doesnt quite compete with their engines as far as fuel efficiency and overall refinement goes.

my minimum expectation for any car in the class of the corolla/elantra or below is that 40 mpg is easily achieved with mostly highway driving. with the yaris and corolla, this criteria was easily met in real world driving for me.

[jambo101]

You'll be happy you bought the Toyota when it comes to trading it in or selling it some years in the future as the resale value on the Toyota will be double what it would be on the Hyundai.

[auxmike]

Comparing a base level Yaris to an Elantra is like apples and oranges.
Seems like Corolla vs. Elantra is more like it.
Perhaps Hyundai has gotten better, but it's still a ...Hyundai!
Resale value drops like a rock.Sorry, but I love telling folks I drive a TOYOTA.
Also, I know three people who had TRanny failures (A/T) , one at under 36k!
:eek:

[businezguy]

Comparing a base level Yaris to an Elantra is like apples and oranges.
Seems like Corolla vs. Elantra is more like it.
Perhaps Hyundai has gotten better, but it's still a ...Hyundai!
Resale value drops like a rock.Sorry, but I love telling folks I drive a TOYOTA.
Also, I know three people who had TRanny failures (A/T) , one at under 36k!
:eek:

The reason I'm comparing the two is because the Elantra comes with $2k in rebates. Currently I was quoted $15,183 for an Elantra compared to $16,520 for a Yaris with everything I want. The Yaris costs $1,400 more then the Elantra!

What I'm getting at is that I'm comparing the two due to the price. I'm finding it hard to justify the extra cost of the Yaris, but I'm still seriously considering it. I'm just disappointed by the higher pricing of the Yaris right now.

If you want me to compare the pricing of the Elantra with the Corolla I think we know where that would go. Ironically, I'm pretty sure I could get a Corolla for a bit more then the quotes I'm getting for the Yaris. It's a frustrating experience right now.

[TinyGiant]

i paid less than that on my yaris and i added the paint/interior protection, spoiler, and some other stuff

wait till the last day of the month like 4 hours from closing and then go talk price. the dealers have quotas they need to fill.. play hardball. there are people on the forums paying 12-13k for a brand new yaris

[TinyGiant]

bring quotes from out of state dealers too.. you can always tell them "look i could drive two states over and pay $X. But i would rather buy local ..so what are you going to do for me?"

[scape]

i waited til july 4th or 5th, expecting some kind of deal... no such thing with toyota haha.
either way, corolla is much more comparable to an elantra, and the corolla will get awesome gas mileage as well, and much, much better resale (it appeals to new families as well as singles of almost all ages). i still like my yaris though ;D

if you're so uncertain about buying, lease for 2 years, a yaris lease is like 100$/mo or something silly...it's a complete waste of money, but hey if you really like the car you can always pay it off to keep it.

[businezguy]

For the record, I wouldn't be frustrated if it wasn't for the fact that I loved the Yaris. I love the car, it's just that in the current environment the car is actually costing more then other cars, and is actually appearing to cost almost as much as the Corolla.

I'm really not concerned about resale or trade in value. I will drive the car into the ground. I want to have this car for at least 200k miles, and would love to get 250k to 300k out of it. Even with all I've stated, I'm STILL considering the Yaris.

I think that those who are getting these cars for 12 to 13k are getting less features then I am.

I don't remember if I mentioned this or not and I don't feel like reading everything I wrote, but my wife has MS and she doesn't always have the best motor function as a result. So I need a car with automatic door locks/windows, and an automatic transmission. If it wasn't for that, I'd be considering a manual transmission to save on the price.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but with a manual transmission wouldn't I expect even better gas milage?

[supmet]

I'm really not concerned about resale or trade in value. I will drive the car into the ground. I want to have this car for at least 200k miles, and would love to get 250k to 300k out of it.

Well you just made a decision on a yaris then. Elantras WILL NOT make it to 200k without rebuilding the entire thing. A yaris will.

[voodoo22]

If you think the Yaris is over priced now, just wait until gas prices get a little higher. Unless you can wait until winter (when gas prices will probably go down again along with the demand for cars like the Yaris), I would be making your purchase sooner rather than later.

The Yaris is one of the simplest and easiest to maintain on the road today. IMO you will recoup the extra cost over the Hyundai long term, but the most important thing you can do is get what you want.

[Goose]

I've owned both manual and auto versions of the Yaris and I don't think there's much mileage difference between the two.

If trade-in value makes no difference (such as driving it into the ground), the Toyota product still wins against the Hyundai. While I'm sure the Hyundai product is solid, Toyota has probably the best proven track record for reliability. Add a huge dealer network compared to Hyundai, and Toyota wins if you would ever need service.

You're right about not being able to get a Yaris sedan with power windows/locks for $13K. It would be interesting to see what price difference there is between a somewhat loaded Yaris sedan and a bare-bones Corolla. Depending on the dealer, it may be a toss-up as to which of these options would be cheaper. If mileage is your top priority, though, the Yaris beats the Corolla.

EDIT: A quick search of Cars.com listings in my area yielded interesting info on the auto+pwr Yaris sedan/basic Corolla price difference. Both examples are advertised at $16,500! If I had to guess, I'll bet the margin is bigger on the Corolla and you might be able to score a better deal. The mileage caveat still applies to the Corolla - the mileage won't be as good.

Actually, if you're willing to drive to central Ohio, this '09 looks like a very good deal: http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail.jsp;?tracktype=newcc&searchType=78&pageNumber=4&numResultsPerPage=50&largeNumResultsPerPage=0&sortorder=descending&sortfield=PRICE+descending%2cPRICE+ascending&certifiedOnly=false&criteria=K-%7cE-ANY%7cM-_47_%7cH-%7cD-_426_%7cN-Y%7cR-30%7cI-1%2c7%7cP-PRICE+descending%2cPRICE+ascending%7cQ-descending%7cZ-43015&aff=national&paId=304419004&recnum=224&leadExists=true

[businezguy]

Well you just made a decision on a yaris then. Elantras WILL NOT make it to 200k without rebuilding the entire thing. A yaris will.

That's really a generalization, but for the most part you're right, I'm close to making my decision and strongly favoring the Yaris. I love the car, I love the ride, I love the set up, and most importantly I love the awesome MPG I'll be able to get from this car without the need to dole out extra money for a hybrid.

[roxy1]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but with a manual transmission wouldn't I expect even better gas milage?

IMO, you are absolutely correct. back in 07 when i was shopping for my yaris, i made a crude spreadsheet from every forum i could find discussing real world mileage from yaris owners. i tried to compare apples to apples as far as driving conditions with the manual vs the auto. the vast majority (88%) of the highest mileage (identified as non hypermilers based on their posts) drivers were driving manual transmissions.

here is another site comparing a pretty good sampling of drivers of the 2007 yaris (which is identical as far as engine/transmission to the 09 yaris). you will see the manual transmission has an average of 38.8 mpg vs the auto transmission at 34.8 mpg.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorSelectEngine.jsp?year=2007&make=Toyota&model=Yaris

additionally, id have to say if you can get a corolla for the same price as a yaris, it would be a no brainer to go with the corolla. but, it you really want a hatchback, then the yaris is a no brainer, unless a base model fit appeals to you (which would already be equiped with power windows/locks.

[businezguy]

IMO, you are absolutely correct. back in 07 when i was shopping for my yaris, i made a crude spreadsheet from every forum i could find discussing real world mileage from yaris owners. i tried to compare apples to apples as far as driving conditions with the manual vs the auto. the vast majority (88%) of the highest mileage (identified as non hypermilers based on their posts) drivers were driving manual transmissions.

here is another site comparing a pretty good sampling of drivers of the 2007 yaris (which is identical as far as engine/transmission to the 09 yaris). you will see the manual transmission has an average of 38.8 mpg vs the auto transmission at 34.8 mpg.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorSelectEngine.jsp?year=2007&make=Toyota&model=Yaris

additionally, id have to say if you can get a corolla for the same price as a yaris, it would be a no brainer to go with the corolla. but, it you really want a hatchback, then the yaris is a no brainer, unless a base model fit appeals to you (which would already be equiped with power windows/locks.

To put it simply, I don't like the Corolla. It's a boring ride, with a plain interior that is...well, boring. The Yaris has a more basic interior, but somehow the overall experience is a fun/high MPG.

I have to admit it, part of the fun is going to be seeing how high I can get my MPG up to, and to me the Yaris is the most affordable route to do that. Unless I change my mind, once I gather all of the cash I need, I'll be going ahead and purchasing a Yaris. That's pretty much my decision.

Thanks for taking the time to answer all of my prices. I can't wait until I own my new car!

[Yaris Hilton]

I certainly could've bought a Corolla (or two.) I wanted a Yaris. (Got two.)

[guzziknight]

Just out of curiosity, have you thought about buying a used one? there's some good deals to be had.

[roxy1]

To put it simply, I don't like the Corolla. It's a boring ride, with a plain interior that is...well, boring. The Yaris has a more basic interior, but somehow the overall experience is a fun/high MPG.
!

id agree the yaris hatchback has a more fun overall appearance, at least on the outside. the yaris sedan is even more plain looking on the outside than the new corolla. on mostly highway driving, i easily pull similar mpg's as i did in my yaris. the yaris had a slight advantage in more stop and go situations. i just dont see the value in a yaris sedan unless it can have some type of price advantge over a corolla (or even the Elantra).

[businezguy]

Just out of curiosity, have you thought about buying a used one? there's some good deals to be had.

I actually have. I've been looking at some Yaris's that are 2007 models but have only 25k or so on them, and are selling for $8k. I doubt I would be able to do a trade in, or get much for the Focus, but that would still be a fantastic deal. I like the idea of buying new, but those deals are very compelling and I might go that route.

[businezguy]

id agree the yaris hatchback has a more fun overall appearance, at least on the outside. the yaris sedan is even more plain looking on the outside than the new corolla. on mostly highway driving, i easily pull similar mpg's as i did in my yaris. the yaris had a slight advantage in more stop and go situations. i just dont see the value in a yaris sedan unless it can have some type of price advantge over a corolla (or even the Elantra).

I love the Sedan. To me it's more fun then either the Corolla or the Elantra. The 5-door hatchback is an awesome vehicle but it actually costs more, and my wife doesn't like hatchbacks.

[roxy1]

I actually have. I've been looking at some Yaris's that are 2007 models but have only 25k or so on them, and are selling for $8k..

that would be a very good deal with that little mileage.

[businezguy]

Well I have been of many minds about my purchase, and I'm sure part of it is the fact that I'm able to pay cash and own my car outright, so I'm really focusing on making the right decision on my purchase. That and I'm enjoying the purchase process.

Between considering the Elantra and toying with purchasing a Ford Focus (don't worry, it aint gonna happen), it's very likely I'll be buying my new Yaris on either Friday or Saturday. I'm so excited, and greatly anticipating this potential purchase!

[businezguy]

Okay so here's my question. For those of you who went with a manual Yaris, have you had any regrets? I'm seriously considering the manual for the fun factor, to save money on the purchase price, and to save fuel economy.

How is the manual transmission on the Yaris, is it nice and smooth? Does anybody ever get tired of driving one?

[voodoo22]

For your mostly highway driving, you will in fact get worse fuel economy with a MT unless you do pulse and glide, which involves putting the car in neutral, shutting off the engine and coasting down to a certain speed before you start up the engine again.

Not as bad as with the Fit, but just like most cars nowadays, the MT's rev higher at hwy speeds and unless you're doing a lot of city driving where shifting properly can save you big, you will in fact get less MPG with the Yaris MT vs the AT.

I would have still bought a MT if it wasn't for my wife wanting AT (I personally prefer MT over AT), but don't discount marginally better hwy FE and never worrying about shifting in the AT.

[roxy1]

For your mostly highway driving, you will in fact get worse fuel economy with a MT unless you do pulse and glide, which involves putting the car in neutral, shutting off the engine and coasting down to a certain speed before you start up the engine again.
.


you will get better mileage with the manual transmission overall, and based on every shred of information i collected when shopping you will still get better mpg's on the highway (the difference in rpm's is little and the auto transmission will still have more parasitic losses than the manual transmission).

ill just repost what i wrote before:
back in 07 when i was shopping for my yaris, i made a crude spreadsheet from every forum i could find discussing real world mileage from yaris owners. i tried to compare apples to apples as far as driving conditions with the manual vs the auto. the vast majority (88%) of the highest mileage (identified as non hypermilers based on their posts) drivers were driving manual transmissions.

here is another site comparing a pretty good sampling of drivers of the 2007 yaris (which is identical as far as engine/transmission to the 09 yaris). you will see the manual transmission has an average of 38.8 mpg vs the auto transmission at 34.8 mpg.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorSelectEngine.jsp?year=2007&make=Toyota&model=Yaris

additionally, id have to say if you can get a corolla for the same price as a yaris, it would be a no brainer to go with the corolla. but, it you really want a hatchback, then the yaris is a no brainer, unless a base model fit appeals to you (which would already be equiped with power windows/locks.

if you really want to up the fun factor, try to talk your wife into a hatchback yaris. there is nothing fun looking or unique about the sedan. i rented the yaris sedan before i bought my hatchback and i had a lady at the bank ask me "is that a new Tercel?":frown:

[kimona]

This issue has been flogged to death here and elsewhere. Most drivers will get better gas mileage with the automatic transmission.

[businezguy]

I'm surprised that the manual transmission doesn't rev at lower RPMs because it is a 5-speed. I would be going around 55 to 60 MPH so I would think the 5-speed would run at lower RPMs for me.

Thanks for the clarification! I do not plan on "pulsing and gliding". I would certainly be very conservative with shifting, and intentionally leave the car at very low RPMs however.

[roxy1]

This issue has been flogged to death here and elsewhere. Most drivers will get better gas mileage with the automatic transmission.


flat out false. (odd that the epa highway estimate is worse for the automatic transmission)

if you want to...

-get the best mileage (not really debatable, IMO)
-save money on your purchase price (not in question)
-have a more fun driving experience when the mood hits you (hard to debate this)

...then get the manual transmission.

drivers of the automatic might have come to that conclusion in their own heads. a vast majority of the highest mileage yaris drivers are the manual drivers. auto transmission drivers can try to rationalize their choice of an auto transmission all they want. just admit you got the auto tranny for the convenience. the epa estimates and real life data bears out better mileage in the manual transmission.

i dont know how big of a sample you want:

68 automatic transmission drivers and 44 manual transmission drivers.
not only does the manual transmission yaris fare better in mileage, its not even that close. 38.8 mpg vs 34.8 mpg in favor of the manual transmission.

this forum is made up of a majority of auto transmission drivers (natural since there arent that many 5 speeds being made). it is natural they will want to believe the auto tranny can achieve equal mileage with the manual transmission. the facts wont show this to be so. the lower rpm argument doesnt cut it with this car as the rpm differences are minimal. the small rpm advantage cannot make up for the parasitic losses inherent in driving an auto (yes, even todays automatics). there is also a weight advantage, though it is not great.

now, taking the civic or fit as an example where the rpm differences between the auto are extremely different (something around 800+ rpm's at highway speeds) and you could see where that would make a difference.

the only argument to be had is someone who cant drive a manual transmision and doesnt understand efficient shift points might as well drive the auto.

i dont fault anyone for getting the auto transmission. it is more convenient (there are occasions where i widh i had one, such as traffic tie ups) and it still gets very good mileage, but not quite what the manual transmission will achieve.

[auxmike]

I bought the A/T because I could no way no how find a 5speed with a power pkg last March.:mad: All they had was ONE red "bare bones" model in stock. And I did check three dealers that day.
I was in DESPERATE need of a car and could not wait for the dealer to search around.
In the long run I'm glad I got what I did.....:biggrin:

[voodoo22]

flat out false. (odd that the epa highway estimate is worse for the automatic transmission)

I know it doesn't make sense, but it is a fact that if you are driving long distances at a consistent speed where shifting isn't required and not p&g'ing, you will get better FE with the auto. The higher rpms do make enough of a difference on the MT so that it cannot touch the AT.

If you're doing any kind of driving where shifting is involved the MT can do better than the AT if driven properly, but it is indisputable fact that the FIT and Yaris AT are better than the MT at consistent hwy speeds. I'm not trying to justify my purchase, I would be saying the same if I owned a MT like all my previous cars. You cannot change facts to suit what should make sense.

Don't take my word for it, go to sites like cleanmpg and read up on this from other people interested in FE more than most.

[businezguy]

This is an interesting debate, and it seems that if I was doing a lot of local/city driving the manual transmission would be superior for me. If I'm going to be doing a lot of highway driving the automatic will actually have the advantage, and will actually run at lower RPMs then does the manual (which is still surprising to me since the manual has 5 gears).

Do I have that information correct?

[roxy1]

This is an interesting debate, and it seems that if I was doing a lot of local/city driving the manual transmission would be superior for me. If I'm going to be doing a lot of highway driving the automatic will actually have the advantage, and will actually run at lower RPMs then does the manual (which is still surprising to me since the manual has 5 gears).

Do I have that information correct?

the reason the honda fit automatic does better than the manaul transmission fit on the highway is because their is a huge discrepancy in rpm's at highway speed. the fit manual is geared ridicuously high such that it cant make up the drivetrain advantages vs the automatic fit.


in the case of the yaris, the auto will come close to the manual on the highway. the rpm difference on the highway is only about 200 rpm's. i collected data from cleanmpg, toyotanation, edmunds car space forums, fueleconomy.gov, and this forum before i bought my yaris. 88% of the highest mileage yaris were manual transmissions, and many of these were long distance commuters. the auto was commonly 1-2 mpg's behind. clean mpg is slanted toward hypermiling, but most drivers arent utilyzing many of those techniques. of course, someone who hypermiles a yaris automatic on a long highway jaunt should easily beat the mileage of the average person driving either a manual or auto yaris. on a raw numbers basis, a large majority of the hypermilers i found with the best highway mileages across all the forums were driving manual transmissions.

i even broke 46 mpg with my manual yaris 4 times using few hypermiling techniques, but primarily by driving sensibly, and of course those were mostly highway tanks.

in 2008, the EPA decided to revise its testing methods. Tests will continue to use a dynamometer. Changes will include:
Higher speeds - up to 80 MPH on the highway cycle
Colder temperatures - tests will now start at 20 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 75
More rapid acceleration
Use of accessories - the air conditioner will be operated 13% of the time

this is what happens on the highway in real life. many drivers are going to have to speed up and slow down during their highway driving. very few people get a 50 mile run at one speed. out of 112 drivers on fueleconomy.gov, for example, very, very few have 90% or more of their overall driving consisting of highway mileage. the current testing methods resulted in the yaris being rated with a higher mpg on the highway. anecdotal evidence is nice for a forum debate, but in my view the raw numbers favor the manual transmission yaris in real world highway driving.

having said all of that, i dont think the difference is big enough (if all you do are highway commutes that are non stop) to justify buying a manual if you view the auto transmision as the more convenient choice.

[roxy1]

This is an interesting debate, and it seems that if I was doing a lot of local/city driving the manual transmission would be superior for me. If I'm going to be doing a lot of highway driving the automatic will actually have the advantage, and will actually run at lower RPMs then does the manual (which is still surprising to me since the manual has 5 gears).

Do I have that information correct?

the reason the honda fit automatic does better than the manaul transmission fit on the highway is because their is a huge discrepancy in rpm's at highway speed. the fit manual is geared ridicuously high such that it cant make up the drivetrain advantages vs the automatic fit.


in the case of the yaris, the auto will come close to the manual on the highway. the rpm difference on the highway is only about 200 rpm's. i collected data from cleanmpg, toyotanation, edmunds car space forums, fueleconomy.gov, and this forum before i bought my yaris. 88% of the highest mileage yaris were manual transmissions, and many of these were long distance commuters. the auto was commonly 1-2 mpg's behind. clean mpg is slanted toward hypermiling, but most drivers arent utilyzing many of those techniques. of course, someone who hypermiles a yaris automatic on a long highway jaunt should easily beat the mileage of the average person driving either a manual or auto yaris. on a raw numbers basis, a large majority of the hypermilers i found with the best highway mileages across all the forums were driving manual transmissions.

i even broke 46 mpg with my manual yaris 4 times using few hypermiling techniques, but primarily by driving sensibly, and of course those were mostly highway tanks.

in 2008, the EPA decided to revise its testing methods. Tests will continue to use a dynamometer. Changes will include:
Higher speeds - up to 80 MPH on the highway cycle
Colder temperatures - tests will now start at 20 degrees Fahrenheit rather than 75
More rapid acceleration
Use of accessories - the air conditioner will be operated 13% of the time

this is what happens on the highway in real life. many drivers are going to have to speed up and slow down during their highway driving. very few people get a 50 mile run at one speed. out of 112 drivers on fueleconomy.gov, for example very, very few have 90% or more of their overall driving consisting of highway mileage. the current testing methods resulted in the yaris being rated with a higher mpg on the highway. anecdotal evidence is nice for a forum debate, but in my view the raw numbers favor the manual transmission yaris in real world highway driving.

having said all of that, i dont think the difference is big enough (if all you do are highway commutes that are non stop) to justify buying a manual if you view the auto transmision as the more convenient choice. besides, when you get up around 35-40+ mpg's, the saving in a few mpg's gets to be rather small, and the higher you get, the more insignificant the savings from a few mpg's becomes. diminishing returns.

[Yaris Hilton]

How many angels can dance on a shift knob?

[businezguy]

Thanks for the information, Roxy. There are times when I get stuck in a jam and really do have to slow and and speed up for as much as 10 miles of my 62 mile commute to work (this rarely happens on the way home).

I still have a feeling that the manual transmission will be the better choice for me. Thanks for all of the information you've provided, it's been a lot of help.

[voodoo22]

Thanks for the information, Roxy. There are times when I get stuck in a jam and really do have to slow and and speed up for as much as 10 miles of my 62 mile commute to work (this rarely happens on the way home).

I still have a feeling that the manual transmission will be the better choice for me. Thanks for all of the information you've provided, it's been a lot of help.

If you can live with the MT, it's definitely the better choice based on initial cost alone. In Canada AT is a 1000$ option. Just don't be deterred from getting the AT based on FE fears for the kind of driving you do. The most important thing is to get what you want. It's much easier to deal with a choice you made versus one made for you, imo.

[kimona]

If you can live with the MT, it's definitely the better choice based on initial cost alone. In Canada AT is a 1000$ option. Just don't be deterred from getting the AT based on FE fears for the kind of driving you do. The most important thing is to get what you want. It's much easier to deal with a choice you made versus one made for you, imo.

I like this advice.

[roxy1]

Just don't be deterred from getting the AT based on FE fears for the kind of driving you do. The most important thing is to get what you want. It's much easier to deal with a choice you made versus one made for you, imo.

i completely agree with this.

[Shroomster]

in all honesty you should be comparing the yaris to the accent or even the kia spectra5 or rio5, not the elantra.

[twowheels]

I'm wondering what I can expect by setting the cruise control to 55 MPH and leaving it at that. I really hope I can get well over 45 MPG by doing that.

I think it depends on a lot of factors, one of which seems to be the state...

I drive a long, flat, rural road a few times per week, out and back, about 200 miles R/T, w/ the cruise control set at 55 MPH. I find that I can hit 45 MPG but it's not the norm, any small factor against you will make the mileage drop to about 42. This is in CA which tends to require more additives to the fuel which hurt mileage. A few months ago I went on vacation out of state, had lots of stuff in the car, an additional person, and wasn't driving like granny (doing 75/80) and managed 45 for a few tanks...

EDIT: Oh, and as for the Elantra... I had an '03 Elantra GT hatch that I purchased new. It was totaled w/ 20k miles on it, but I absolutely LOVED it... they've done a major redesign since then so you can't compare them, but it was my favorite car I've ever owned, and I've owned far too many! That said, I really enjoy the Yaris and the only reason that it's not as good as the Elantra is the lack of moonroof, leather seats, tweeters, etc which all came standard in the Elantra for less money {back then}.

[Kal-El]

Some of my points after reading through the thread...

- As many have pointed out, the Elantra competes with the Corolla, not Yaris regardless of price. Although for shopping purposes based on price, the argument can be made for a cross-shop. Point is, the Elantra, as is traditional with Hyundai, is a very good value and cheaper than direct competitors. Just like the Accent can be typically had for less than the Yaris.

- businezguy, since you want the power package, it does bring down the "value" factor of the Yaris and puts it at a price point that makes it overlap with fancier cars such as the Elantra. The Yaris is the best value in base form (or convenience package only) for around $13-$14K. That said, I wouldn't call a $16K Yaris overpriced, but an $18K one is (power pack, S-pack w/ alloys, ect..)

- As for the debate about which gets better highway mileage, MT or auto, well it's pretty close either way and is negligible. Fact is, the EPA tested both and rates the MT at 36 and the auto at 35 mpg. Maybe the auto revs slightly lower, but the MT makes the car lighter and less complex.

- businezguy, do you run into a lot of stop and go during your long commutes? If so, opt for the auto. It may save your sanity.

- Also, I know you want the sedan, but the liftback has more storage compartments for all the needs you listed. And there's now 4-doors available if that's your need. That said, I prefer the sedan too.

Good luck with your purchase!

[Yaris Hilton]

- Also, I know you want the sedan, but the liftback has more storage compartments for all the needs you listed.

For stashing small objects, packing pistols and such, the liftback's got an edge. For carrying larger things like guitars, amps, rifles, equipment boxes, anything that needs to be kept out of sight, the sedan's the only way to go. Occasionally the liftback might have an edge with a tall, square box that would go in the back with the seat down and wouldn't shut in the trunk of a sedan, but on the whole they just don't have the hauling capacity of the sedan. Most of the time you don't need to fold down the sedan's seats and give up passenger space to carry stuff. It's got a good sized trunk.

[daf62757]

I am not that tall....5-10, and I hit my head when I tired to get in the sedan. I don't have that problem in the hatchback....so I bought one.

[Yaris Hilton]

I'm 6'3". Learned to duck. :biggrin:
I do wish the ceiling were a little higher, as on the liftback and the old Yaris.

[businezguy]

Thanks for all of the additional advice. I'll most likely be making my decision and purchase TODAY! I'm thinking the auto transmission will be best for me for the convenience. I'd likely get somewhat better gas mileage from manual, but I doubt it would be that much of a difference based on the type of commute I have. No doubt with the type of commute I have, I have very high expectations on gas mileage, and expect 45 MPG or higher at the very least.

That's if I choose to go with a Yaris over a Corolla, Focus, or Elantra...we shall see...stay tuned kids. By the way, the Cash for Clunkers bill that was passed gives me no benefit, my trade in doesn't qualify for it anyway.

[Kal-El]

Thanks for all of the additional advice. I'll most likely be making my decision and purchase TODAY! I'm thinking the auto transmission will be best for me for the convenience. I'd likely get somewhat better gas mileage from manual, but I doubt it would be that much of a difference based on the type of commute I have. No doubt with the type of commute I have, I have very high expectations on gas mileage, and expect 45 MPG or higher at the very least.

Nice. :smile: Just keep in mine that 45 mpg is no cinch to accomplish regularly unless you are really willing to keep it around 55 mph as you stated earlier. 55 is hard to do especially when everyone else is whipping by at 75-85 mph.

[auxmike]

With the A/T, my personal best is a paltry 32MPG after 1 year of ownership.....:thumbdown:

[Yaris Hilton]

32.4 is my personal low, from the first fillup. I suspect the dealer might not have filled it completely. Also, I'd driven it hard chasing my speedy preacher back to his house the evening I took it home. You must be a pretty heavy footed driver!

I've never seen 45, though. That'll take work.

[auxmike]

Where I live, merging means flooring and praying.
Move, or get the heck outta the way......;.:frown:
I love punching the the gas at either 20 or or 50 and feeling the tranny kick down and actually feeling some POWER!!!!!:eek:

[jambo101]

- Also, I know you want the sedan, but the liftback has more storage compartments for all the needs you listed. And there's now 4-doors available if that's your need. That said, I prefer the sedan too.

Good luck with your purchase!
I opted for the sedan as the lift back may have more useable storage space with the rear seats folded forward but add the wife and two kids and the sedan has a full trunk whereas the liftback has virtually no storage space .

[businezguy]

I opted for the sedan as the lift back may have more useable storage space with the rear seats folded forward but add the wife and two kids and the sedan has a full trunk whereas the liftback has virtually no storage space .

I completely agree. That's why I decided to go with the sedan as well. The 5-door was very tempting, I must say. That is a pretty nice looking car, and I do love all of the extra storage in the front of the vehicle. Now that I have my sedan, I am confident it will have enough storage to meet my needs.