Consumer Reports not too pleased with Yaris

[Befuddled]

Just got the new Consumer Reports. They were assessing budget cars this month. In the auto transmission category the Yaris came in 6th out of 9 and in the HB, manual category it came in next to last, just ahead of the Aveo. :iono: In the manual category the Honda Fit came in first with overall score of 75 (Yaris was 36) :eyebulge:

[littlecarlove]

Just got the new Consumer Reports. They were assessing budget cars this month. In the auto transmission category the Yaris came in 6th out of 9 and in the HB, manual category it came in next to last, just ahead of the Aveo. :iono: In the manual category the Honda Fit came in first with overall score of 75 (Yaris was 36) :eyebulge:


:eyebulge: WHAT?!?:eyebulge:
What were their reasons for the low scores?

Hays

[Befuddled]

Main gripes were no ABS, engine and road noise, driving position (and pedal placement) and sloppy handling at the limits.
They feel it would benefit greatly from stability control.

[littlecarlove]

Do you know if it's on their website? (comsumerreports.org) I subscribed to that but can't seem to find the same write up.

Hays

[Befuddled]

The website is showing November as the current issue. This is in the December issue (just got it by snail mail yesterday)

[argylesocks]

Main gripes were no ABS, engine and road noise, driving position (and pedal placement) and sloppy handling at the limits.
They feel it would benefit greatly from stability control.

I agree with pedal placement... and if i could have spent $500xtra for abs, i certainly would have...

that being said. i drove the FIT and was prepared to buy it... but after sitting it, the thing seemed soo cheap. the yaris has a much better interior...

sloppy handling? i certainly didnt buy this car for its speed or handling capabilities...

[bugnuts]

ABS is for people who can't control there own vehicle! And as far as the pedal placement I think it is perfect (I wear size 11 shoe) Maybe if you have 13 or 14 size feet then it would feel a bit uncomfortable, But then again if you have feet that size then the rest of your body would not probably fit as well in the car either. And as far as the road noise goes, I don't have any problem hearing my stereo at highway speed...And it's the stock piece of crap! That is what they should have bitched about..THE STEREO!. I drove the Honda Fit, and I thought it handled like a small SUV, The Yaris felt more like a Small Sportscar. Just my opinion.:iono:

[BMGYaris]

Just got the new Consumer Reports. They were assessing budget cars this month. In the auto transmission category the Yaris came in 6th out of 9 and in the HB, manual category it came in next to last, just ahead of the Aveo. :iono: In the manual category the Honda Fit came in first with overall score of 75 (Yaris was 36) :eyebulge:

What models did they use? top of the line Fit vs lower end Yaris? which would mean a 50% increase in initial price, and a drastic change in creature comforts. But they are right on with the pedal placement, its really killing me and making me really want out of it.

[esquiva]

abs is for safety reasons...i agree about the pedal placement...the gas pedal is positioned so far to the right,and there is not even a reason for that...there is enough room for the pedals...
the car does not have very good handling but w/some modifications you could easily make it better

[argylesocks]

But they are right on with the pedal placement, its really killing me and making me really want out of it.

The pedals need to be pushed back about 2-3"...

[boris13]

I'll bet the TRD shock absorber kit would add stability in corners and improve handling. Too bad Toyota doesn't offer a "Sport" version of the liftback; I think something like that would be popular.

[Yaris Revenge]

How is it that the Yaris has been SO popular in Europe, won awards, and is getting shot down by the "experts" over here?

I'm really starting to think that Honda is slippin' these guys some $$$ under the table to talk up the Fit. Spoiler kits don't automatically make a car sporty, nor does the Honda logo. I read a review yesterday that was the 1st to sound truly objective, and the reviewer said the Fit was "just ugly, ugly, ugly." Wish I could find that article again!

~YR

[BMGYaris]

Well dont forget we only get the 2 door and sedan, lb doesnt have height adjuster seat or telescopic steering wheel which would really help comfort, you have ABS, EBD, BA, where as BA is not even an option and its near impossible to get the other two, you have more airbags, and correct me if i am wrong, but i am betting the side airbags have roll sensors, ours do not at any rate, and im sure there are alot other plusses, but those are 2 (comfort and safety) marks that are different and part of the reason for the low rating...i mean its a car, what REALLY matters other than comfort, safety (handling, etc...), fuel economy and versatility?

[bugnuts]

I bought the Yaris cause it's a Toyota!! Plus it's just a badass little car, Every car I have owned from G.M., Ford, Mitsubishi, Honda, Eagle, Volkswagen, Buick, Chrysler, Toyota I have been able to find something to pick on with all of them, There will never be the perfect car because no person is the same.

[stuffy]

i've driven my friend's auto fit many times, and while it is a great car, it sure isn't head and shoulders above the yaris,
but it is a chunk more expensive.

[littlecarlove]

I bought the Yaris cause it's a Toyota!! Plus it's just a badass little car, Every car I have owned from G.M., Ford, Mitsubishi, Honda, Eagle, Volkswagen, Buick, Chrysler, Toyota I have been able to find something to pick on with all of them, There will never be the perfect car because no person is the same.

This is true - NO car is perfect for everyone.

If you want luxury there are many more luxurious cars out there. If you
want the safest car on the road, buy a Volvo. If you want a fast car
well, there are LOTS more to choose from. AND if you want more
gadgets there are still more to choose from.

I want reliability and economy at a low price. I think the Yaris is tops on
that list.

Hays

[corey415]

How is it that the Yaris has been SO popular in Europe, won awards, and is getting shot down by the "experts" over here?

I'm really starting to think that Honda is slippin' these guys some $$$ under the table to talk up the Fit. Spoiler kits don't automatically make a car sporty, nor does the Honda logo. I read a review yesterday that was the 1st to sound truly objective, and the reviewer said the Fit was "just ugly, ugly, ugly." Wish I could find that article again!

~YR

So Honda is paying off the entire automotive press? I thought that accusation was only reserved for BMWs!

You would think Toyota is more capable of that, especially since they have so much in cash reserves.

Face it; the automotive press simply likes the Fit more.

But if you are truly happy with the car that you bought, that should be the only thing that matters right?

[fearturtle44]

This confirms my negative opinion of Consumer Reports. Just like sports teams, once somebody has risen to the top, publications such as Consumer Reports are so ready to knock them down.

Love the Yaris. NOTHING (so far) to complain about.

Hopefully we will get a report on what Consumer Reports did NOT like.

Kevin

[stuffy]

the thing about consumer reports that really blows my mind is the fact that hyundai has been getting rave reviews,
my experience working for a rental company knows them to be the least reliable in the fleet.
a big payoff? or is hyundai somehow fudging their numbers?

the reports do seem to be especially hard on the yaris, they seem to expect it to have the same attributes as a lexus.

[littlecarlove]

I think Consumer Reports generally loves Toyota. The FJ Cruiser and the
Yaris are new and they can’t tell anything about their reliability so they
don’t give a recommendation. HOWEVER, Consumer Reports recommends
every other car in the Toyota line. In other words they recommend
Toyotas more often that any other car! I bet the Yaris will get on that
list once they prove how reliable they are.


Hays

[whoguy]

G'day all,

Cars are very much a subjective thing. Me and my wife love our Yaris. She always look forward to driving it everyday even though it's her daily driver.

One thing for sure is that there are no squeaks and rattle... and the car is so solidly built.

I don't care what any so called EXPERTS say cause I know a good thing when I come across it and the Yaris is definately one of the few things which are a GOOD/GREAT thing.

Enjoy the drive

[foober]

I have never bought any thing because of consumer reports. They're usually like most corporate reports way off the mark. I always go by what others that have actually bought the thing have to say about a product before I buy it. The so called experts tend to just look for whats the most tricked out and expensive. And usually they're way off on dependablity and the things actual abilitys.

[junior]

I think Consumer Reports generally loves Toyota. The FJ Cruiser and the
Yaris are new and they can’t tell anything about their reliability so they
don’t give a recommendation. HOWEVER, Consumer Reports recommends
every other car in the Toyota line. In other words they recommend
Toyotas more often that any other car! I bet the Yaris will get on that
list once they prove how reliable they are.


Hays


I have to agree with this sentiment. Once the yaris has been on the road a few years it will be as lauded by consumer Reports as the Echo was.
They simply gushed over the Echo.

I subscribe to Consumer Reports and they generally do a good job. They just take awhile on the new models to get the evaluation nailed down.

With the resurgent market in sub-compacts Consumer Reports was probably feeling pressured to do a side by side comparision pretty quickly. Toyota and Hondas are traditionally reliable and economical so they had to fall back on more subjective criteria like styling, comfort, and available options.
IMO the Fit is hideous as far as styling goes (they got that part right) but has some inovative interior specs. and decnt options. and you will pay for them

The Yaris is plenty comfortable, looks better and will run for a decade.
and since it was my first new car ..the price had alot to do with it.
I have always said i would never finance an automobile. Once i decided to finance...i could ot see going with anything other than a Toyota. If Im going to be paying interest on a depreciating asset it had damn well better run forever.

however..i think that Toyota is getting a little complacement sitting at the top.
I hope they wont take loyal customers for granted.

[Pars]

sloppy handling on the Yaris Liftback? Are these guy nuts? I never took the Consumer Report's auto journalist seriously, seems like a bunch of posers doing the testing. They're probably the type that are ticked off that the Lotus Elise doesn't have a cup holder (or so oblivious, they wouldn't even get my last statement).

Let us know when the link comes online...

[hasher22]

be realistic....its a cheap car, get what u paid for. want a better car? get a much more expensive car.....

if the yaris had all the features then the retail price would def be up there......

[Violin]

I trust Consumer Reports for objective evaluations. Having test driven many, many cars before deciding on the Yaris, I am anxious to see how they came to such a different opinion.

I'm not happy that they just hurt my resale value though.

[the_saint]

...I read a review yesterday that was the 1st to sound truly objective, and the reviewer said the Fit was "just ugly, ugly, ugly." Wish I could find that article again!

~YR
Yeah, that sounds objective.

sloppy handling on the Yaris Liftback? Are these guy nuts? I never took the Consumer Report's auto journalist seriously, seems like a bunch of posers doing the testing. They're probably the type that are ticked off that the Lotus Elise doesn't have a cup holder (or so oblivious, they wouldn't even get my last statement).

Let us know when the link comes online...
Actually, I think it was cabin noise & bumpy ride. :laugh:

[ECHOKnight2000]

be realistic....its a cheap car, get what u paid for. want a better car? get a much more expensive car.....

if the yaris had all the features then the retail price would def be up there......


I totally agree...if this were the case and the Yaris had a lot of options found on higher end cars and it was priced higher then they would bitch about how the Yaris is too expensive for what its competing against and probably vote against it cause the competition isn't expensive.:thumbdown:

[nsmitchell]

I think like some others, once the Yaris proves itself in reliability, which I'm sure it will, it will be reccomended like the rest. One thing is for sure, Consumer Reports does not take money from any company. That is what separates them from the rest of the review magazines. If they did, you would see things like Jeeps and Durangos at the tops of the lists.:biggrin:

Here is a nice site for a good overview of reliability of cars. It only goes up to 2002 though. http://www.autooninfo.info/ReliabilityPercentranks.htm

[Befuddled]

I think like some others, once the Yaris proves itself in reliability, which I'm sure it will, it will be reccomended like the rest.
They did give the Yaris their highest mark in reliability, based on Toyotas history. They had a problem with the emergency procedures at higher speeds and felt that the steering was 'too soft' at slower speeds. I have subscribed to and contributed to CR for many years. And while I might not always agree with their assessment (not running out to sell my Yaris before the public becomes aware :eek: ) I do believe that they give and honest and objective opinion.

[mikeukrainetz]

I had a 99 chevy malibu - the car was optioned out pretty much on all available models. Tons of options and accessories and you know what? that car was a piece of sh*t. They crammed all the cheapest garbage (hey its chev...) they could find to compete with more competent cars of the same class for a cheaper price.
The Yaris is twice the car with half the options in my opinion.

[BlueLiftback]

The primary issue I have with all of the magazine "comparisons" is that they completely lack any true sense of OWNERSHIP of the vehicle. That is, getting in and living with it DAILY for an extended period of time (longer than the 3 days or so that the take writing up a 10 page or less article concerning 8 or so cars).

Cars may be rated higher than the Yaris today, but give it a few years... For the $$$ involved, it's the best value for the money. 1) Toyota 2) Predicted Reliability 3) Predicted Resale and 4) GAS Mileage...

Add in the fact that it's fun to drive (maybe not as fun as a Fit, but certainly not $3000 less fun lol), and it's a killer combo.

Doesn't much matter what a magazine says imho...

[stuffy]

very well said blueliftback

[ECHOKnight2000]

The primary issue I have with all of the magazine "comparisons" is that they completely lack any true sense of OWNERSHIP of the vehicle. That is, getting in and living with it DAILY for an extended period of time (longer than the 3 days or so that the take writing up a 10 page or less article concerning 8 or so cars).

Cars may be rated higher than the Yaris today, but give it a few years... For the $$$ involved, it's the best value for the money. 1) Toyota 2) Predicted Reliability 3) Predicted Resale and 4) GAS Mileage...

Add in the fact that it's fun to drive (maybe not as fun as a Fit, but certainly not $3000 less fun lol), and it's a killer combo.

Doesn't much matter what a magazine says imho...


Going along with that it comes down to sales not reviews, sure reviews are legit but to some extent...the Yaris is selling like hot cakes and its one of the best selling sub-compacts out there. Remember when magazines rat on the Toyota Camry being boring and plain and it usually got lower scores cause of that? Well its the best selling car in America so who gives a flying &@^@$^Q what a reviewer(s) say. I'll get off my soap box.
:biggrin: :rolleyes:

[BMGYaris]

I asked this before but no one aswered? what type of models did they test? a relativly base yaris verses a decked out versa would be totally unfair, and up against a sport fit well geez...of course it is going to get al ower score, especially with a base yaris with no abs or side airbags. so what were the versions they compared with? AND if anybody knows anyway to improve pedal distnaces that woudl really help to boost the yaris comfort scores:)

[littlecarlove]

I’m pissed that I paid for a membership to Consumer Reports online and yet the newsstands get the new information first. They have a forum and I posted this:

“I’m very confused. I thought Consumer Reports tested and reviewed new cars, but you list the Toyota Echo as a new car in 2007. It has been discontinued - you CAN’T buy a new Echo. On the other hand you seem to have left out the replacement to the Echo: The Toyota Yaris.
I joined this site specifically to find out about the Yaris and how it compares to the competition.
Then I found a website for Yaris owners and they said there was an article in the November issue that compares the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa, and Honda Fit. I can find no such article on this website.
What gives?”

They responded:

“…the web review on the Yaris will be posted any day, keep checking. The December issue of CR is just hitting the newsstands and mailboxes.

Toyota Yaris
Highs: Fuel economy, hatchback storage, turning circle, reliability.
Lows: Braking without ABS, engine and road noise, driving position, sloppy handling at the limits.

Not bad, but our test engineers liked the Nissan Versa, Honda fit, Kia Rio, and Hyundai Accent better (in that order). The Fit is a CR recommended car.”

The Yaris placed FIFTH! Are you kidding me? It’s rated BELOW the Kia Rio?!?!??? The Killed-In-Action Ride-InOperable???? My faith in Consumer Reports has been shaken to the core.

I do agree that both the Accent and Rio are both safer than a Yaris because chances are those cars will not be running. I doubt you can hit anything if your car can’t move. :evil:

I canceled my membership. I suggest if you have one that you do the same.

Hays

[eTiMaGo]

I do agree that both the Accent and Rio are both safer than a Yaris because chances are those cars will not be running. I doubt you can hit anything if your car can’t move. :evil:


Hhahahahahah :thumbup:

[Jem_hadar]

Yeah, that sounds objective.


Actually, I think it was cabin noise

Ill give it this. There is a great deal of cabin noise (absolutely, and relatively).

(I'm not complaining though, I dont mind, but I'm just saying its a perfectly valid and real point to make/note.)

Jem

[mcdaddy]

strange!! the Yaris that came out here in Saudi Arabia has ABS on it.. well,.. no wonder.hahahaha. you know what I mean..
correct!! the handling & suspension will surely improve with aftermarket performance parts..

[Pars]

I just don't get it. Even with the dinky 175/65/14 tires, I wouldn't describe the handling a sloppy at the limits. I they said, 'dinky tires that wash-out too quickly', I'd understand...but sloppy handling, that's not accurate.

[palsan]

Lows: Braking without ABS, engine and road noise, driving position, sloppy handling at the limits.

Not bad, but our test engineers liked the Nissan Versa, Honda fit, Kia Rio, and Hyundai Accent better (in that order). The Fit is a CR recommended car.”

The Yaris placed FIFTH! Are you kidding me? It’s rated BELOW the Kia Rio?!?!??? The Killed-In-Action Ride-InOperable???? My faith in Consumer Reports has been shaken to the core.

Hays

I tested all the cars mentioned. Both the Accent and the Rio have far worse engine and cabin noise. So bad that I thought the engines were struggling to move the car. Only the Yaris and fit came close to a "quite ride".

I think the problem is that the journalists are giving Toyota a beating for leaving ABS out of the base model Yaris - note that in Canada the Echo came with ABS in the base model!!! Obviously if you test a base Yaris (without ABS) and a base Fit/Accent/Versa (with ABS) the latter will win out on breaking.

Toyota is paying in terms of publicity for forcing people to buy packages just to get the safety features (ABS and side air bags). They will learn and will likely change and include these as standard in the future.

For me the Fit and Yaris are the two supperior vehicles in this class. I leave the Versa out because of the crappy fuel economy. The Fit has supperior seating and I think the journalists are enchanted with the tricks the Fit's back seats can perform. For me though the trick seats are not worth $2000 price premium (the difference between the Yaris I bought and an equivalent Fit) AND 3% higher finance rate.

The only disapointing thing about the Yaris is the limited colour choices!

In closing ... I understand the Fit comming out ahead of the Yaris (maybe even the Versa). The Rio and Accent better than the Yaris?????? Yea, right!

[Katana]

Cme'on the Fit has awful handling and it is very sloggish.I like better the Yaris!

[tomjasz]

Cme'on the Fit has awful handling and it is very sloggish.I like better the Yaris!
Comparing my LB to my Camry's, Tundra's, and a single Sienna, the Yaris has a lot of failings. :thumbdown: I generally agree with the assessment by CR of the Yaris. I'd give it an adequate rating on performance, top shelf forreliability, but noisy as hell.

I'd buy one again given what I know today.:thumbup: It will be the most reliable of the group, but it's still a CHEAP car with plenty room for improvement. My Vespa scooter cost exactly half the price I paid for the Yaris LB! Look at what the drivers here have done and claimed improvement by tweaking the running gear and adding stabilizer bars!! It will never be the "peoples car" that the Beetle was, but it's as close as anyone has come to building a great subcompact.

Once again Toyota is ahead of the pack!:bow:

:bow: Yaris rules!!:bow:

IMNSHO:respekt:

[ECHOKnight2000]

I just read well skimmed Motor Trend's assement of the Yaris, FIT and Versa and Yaris came in last. In there summary I guess the Yaris wasn't a car driven by "enthuisists." The Yaris doesn't fullfill the enthuisists needs so that didn't help it with the final results.. And of course the Fit was in first then Versa, then Yaris.:thumbdown:
I'm no brain surgen but I thought these were ECONOMY cars not sports cars...oh well that's what the major magazines are concerned about more than anything else.:thumbdown:

[littlecarlove]

Their opinions don’t matter to me. I haven’t received my Yaris yet and
could still back out of the deal if I wanted - of course I’m not going to.
What burns me up is that their opinions do affect the resale value of my
car. I don’t see myself selling it as I plan to drive it until it rusts
apart underneath me. On the other hand, who knows what will happen
in the future? I might find that I NEED to sell it for some reason and I’ll
get less because of these jerks.

Hum, I wonder what they all said about the Echo in it’s first year?

Hays

[tomjasz]

Their opinions don’t matter to me. I haven’t received my Yaris yet and
could still back out of the deal if I wanted - of course I’m not going to.
What burns me up is that their opinions do affect the resale value of my
car. I don’t see myself selling it as I plan to drive it until it rusts
apart underneath me. On the other hand, who knows what will happen
in the future? I might find that I NEED to sell it for some reason and I’ll
get less because of these jerks.

Hum, I wonder what they all said about the Echo in it’s first year?

Hays
The small Echo offers a commanding driving position and easy cabin access. With a manual transmission, the 1.5-liter engine provided spirited performance while returning 38 mpg in our testing. The shifter is a bit clunky, though. Handling is fairly responsive and secure, but body roll is pronounced when cornering. The ride is compliant. The roomy cabin has plenty of storage nooks, but the interior materials feel cheap. The speedometer is at the top center of the dashboard, which takes getting used to. Echos equipped with desirable antilock brakes can be hard to find. The Echo was replaced by the Yaris.

[tomjasz]

The small Echo offers a commanding driving position and easy cabin access. With a manual transmission, the 1.5-liter engine provided spirited performance while returning 38 mpg in our testing. The shifter is a bit clunky, though. Handling is fairly responsive and secure, but body roll is pronounced when cornering. The ride is compliant. The roomy cabin has plenty of storage nooks, but the interior materials feel cheap. The speedometer is at the top center of the dashboard, which takes getting used to. Echos equipped with desirable antilock brakes can be hard to find. The Echo was replaced by the Yaris.
Highs: Roomy interior, easy access, fuel economy, interior storage, reliability.
Lows: Spartan interior look, ABS may be hard to find.

As a small commuter car, the Echo has much to recommend it. With its high roof and efficient interior packaging, it provides more interior room than some larger cars. Drivers sit high, making the car feel a little like a micro-minivan. A low price and good fuel economy help keep costs low.

THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE

The Echo's ride is compliant enough but jostles at times, particularly on the highway. A full load settles it down some. Wind and engine noise permeate the cabin at higher speeds. Pronounced body roll in corners feels disconcerting at first, but the car hangs on well and a driver soon realizes that the handling is actually quite good. The Echo negotiated our avoidance maneuver reasonably well. Though hardly a fire-breather, the 1.5-liter Four was fairly quick for its class, and we averaged 38 mpg on regular fuel. We estimate the range on one tank of fuel at almost 500 miles. The five-speed manual shifts satisfactorily but has long throws. Braking performance was good overall, although the car veered a bit to one side on our wet divided-pavement test, even equipped with ABS.

INSIDE THE CABIN

The roomy cockpit should allow practically anyone to get comfortable behind the controls. The rather rudimentary front seats are comfortable enough though the cushion is flat, and there's no height or lower-back adjustment, but all drivers found a good driving position. The rear seat is adequate for two adults but too narrow for three. The cabin lacks some of the amenities of the other cars, but offers numerous cubbies and bins. There's a sizable drawer under the passenger seat, map pockets in the front doors, and pouches behind the front seats. The center console offers a small tray and two cup holders for the front, one for the rear. The driver's side has a covered but non-illuminated vanity mirror. As in the Prius, the Echo's instrument panel is located in the center of the dash, but the small markings can be hard to read. The speedometer is positioned close to the windshield, requiring a rightward glance to see your speed. Most controls are intuitive, though the central door-lock switch and manual side-mirror controls are a bit hard to reach. The climate-control system offers plenty of heated or cooled air, but you have to fiddle with the dash vents to get everything adjusted right. The trunk holds up to four suitcases and an overnight case or a wheelchair, with room to spare. You can enlarge the trunk space by folding one or both halves of the rear seatback. A compact spare stores beneath the trunk floor. Trunk access is partly hampered by a very short, 7-inch front-to-rear opening. And the trunk-lid hinges can crush cargo packed beneath them.

SAFETY NOTES

The Toyota Echo has dual front air bags and three-point belts for all five seating positions. The front belts have adjustable upper anchors, in addition to pretensioners and force limiters to limit forward travel and undue belt force in the event of a crash. Side air bags are optional. Rear belt anchor positions do not adjust, and may pull uncomfortably on the shoulders of some passengers. Adjustable, locking head restraints protect for rearward head travel in all outboard seats. Daytime running lights are optional. Driving with Kids: Most child seats can be adequately secured in both front and rear passenger seating positions.

RELIABILITY

We expect reliability to be much better than average, according to our latest subscriber survey.

[littlecarlove]

Thanks tomjasz. Man it looks like they liked it right off the bat. I find
it puzzling that they don’t like the Yaris - now Motor Trend too? This
is nuts. Well, I don’t plan to sell it anyway and since it is a Toyota it
will last me longer than any of those other cars.

Hays

edited to make sense

[paultyler_82]

Yeah, that sounds objective.


Actually, I think it was cabin noise & bumpy ride. :laugh:

They probably didn't like the Cobra R's lack of radio or air conditioning either :laugh:

[tonywenzel]

I think the pedal placement is excellent. But I am 5'4". I think the Yaris was designed for smaller people. I've driven a Fit and was real close to buying one but the extra features and flashy items weren't worth the price. If the Fit was the same price as the Yaris then they might have had my business. I still think the Yaris looks better though.

[Yaris Dick]

Consumer Reports does a great job testing and reporting on toasters and fridges, but for cars, they suck. Some of my best and favorite cars were on their shit list. They should stick to things less subjective.

[stuffy]

when the yaris first came out in canada, ALL of the canadian press was positive, basically the gist was that the echo was a great little car and the yaris was an improvement on the echo.
but this was before the fit and versa were available here.
i think honda did the right thing by including side air bags, abs on all models even if it means the base price will be higher, then factor in the magic seat and and you can see why the critics love it so much.
and the fit does have decent handling, but it isn't head and shoulders above the yaris as some would have us believe.

i can understand the yaris playing second fiddle to the fit and versa,
but the versa is not in the same class and the fit (due to price difference) might not be either.

[tomjasz]

Some of my best and favorite cars were on their shit list. .
Likely because on average they were shit....:barf:

[Yaris Revenge]

Yeah, that sounds objective.

Well, actually it was. The rest of the review was pretty balanced. He did have good things to say about it. I thought that part sounded like an objective remark because he was the first I'd seen that didn't just bowl over and claim it cute and sporty, when it's pretty obvious it's an econobox with ground effects.

~YR

[KittenRD]

I saw that too and was actually going to post this. I was pissed with their review. My dad says they seem to have a major thing with toyota or something. They rated the prius horrible as well.

[Driver]

I have subscribed to Consumer reports for years and agree with their assessments of many things except this one. I find the pedal cluster to be fine, the car comfortable and as stable as my last car a 2000 Saturn SL2. Other reviewers who deal in nothing but cars gave the Yaris good reviews. If the Yaris is so bad how is it that in 1999 it won car of the year on Europe.

[Chemware]

Main gripes were no ABS
The AU versions all have ABS.
engine and road noise
are no worse than any other car in its class ...
driving position (and pedal placement)
are excellent - I can even toe-and-heel (though the engine response makes that tricky).
and sloppy handling at the limits.
Nonsense. Handling is better than the Honda Fit (Jazz over here), and far better than the Korean death traps. The Fit has excessive understeer and tyre scrub, and requires far greater steering input. The only cars with (slightly) better handling in its class are the Suzuki Swift and Mazda 2.
They feel it would benefit greatly from stability control.
Then they have not driven the car. While it has the usual FWD mild understeer, it tracks accurately and goes where you point it with no instability. Steering feedback is lacking - like most cars with electric power steering. Stability control would not improve its handling one bit.

What it really needs in the handling department are: rear anti-roll bar, stiffer front bar, greater negative camber on front wheels, quality (not stiffer) gas shocks, and maybe 195/55 tyres.

My guess is that they only looked at the spec sheet, and ticked the boxes.

[tomjasz]

The AU versions all have ABS.


My guess is that they only looked at the spec sheet, and ticked the boxes.
You guessed wrong....:thumbdown:

[nsmitchell]

I am going to trade my Yaris in! On a new on in 2 or so years. Hopefully they will have brought the 5 door to the states by then, with Side Airbags, Traction control, stability control and ann that stuff! Like the Friggin Scions already have! I may change colors too, but I will still drive a Yaris, that's for sure... unless I win the lottery and buy an Aston Martin or something.:biggrin:

[tomjasz]

"The manual, two-door hatchback Yaris was the least-expensive car here. It tied the Honda Fit with an excellent 34 mpg overall. Both Yarises have a good ride, but when pushed to their handling limits, their tails tended to slide easily. Our Yaris sedan had many more amenities than the hatchback.

Predicted reliability "much better than average"

HIGHS | Fuel economy, hatchback storage, turning circle, reliability.
LOWS | Braking without ABS, engine and road noise, driving position, sloppy handling at the limits

The Yaris is available as a funky hatchback and a conventional sedan. Both deliver excellent fuel economy and a very good ride. Handling is sloppy and unforgiving at its limits. Acceleration is adequate, but the engine is noisy at high revs. Stopping distances for our non-ABS hatchback were extremely long, and ABS is hard to find. Many drivers found the driving position flawed. Options can quickly drive the price up from the spartan base car. First year reliability has been excellent for this new model, but the Yaris scored too low to be recommended.

For an inexpensive car the ride is compliant and absorbs bumps well, but quick body motions disrupt somewhat. Road noise is pronounced, and the engine note is boomy.


The Yaris feels responsive, but the steering is overly light at low speeds. It firms up appropriately at higher speeds but isn’t linear. Body lean is moderate. At its limits the Yaris is sloppy, with so-so grip. The rear end slid out too easily in our avoidance maneuver and around our track, especially in the hatchback. The Yaris would greatly benefit from stability control, but like on the other cars here it’s not available. The 106-hp, 1.5-liter four-cylinder returned an excellent 34 mpg overall when paired with the five-speed manual transmission. The smooth-shifting four-speed automatic gets 33 mpg overall, but acceleration is blunted.


Braking distances without ABS are extremely long, in both dry and wet conditions. Opt for ABS if you can find it. Low-beam headlights don’t illuminate far enough ahead.

The interior has lots of hard plastic, and there are exposed screws. The tilt-only steering wheel is too far forward, and there isn’t much room to rest your left foot. The pedals are very close together and are close to the driver, making it difficult to drive the manual smoothly. Wide roof pillars, rear head restraints, and the hatchback’s center safety-belt routing hurt rear visibility.


Some drivers wanted more lumbar support from the firm seats. The sedan’s manual height adjustment helps thigh support. The taller hatchback offers better head room. Rear access is better in the sedan.


The gauges, mounted at the dashboard center, are too far away and the sedan’s gauges are smaller and harder to read. The confusing climate fan switch drew complaints. The externally adjusted manual mirrors in the hatchback are a long reach.


The sedan holds more luggage than the hatchback. Oddly, the hatchback’s rear seat is not a 60/40-split, but a one-piece unit."

Best all around and for fuel economy:
Honda Fit
Honda Fit Sport

Mileage is impressive with 34 mpg with the manual and 32 with the automatic.

Most fun to drive:
Ford Focus ZX3

It has a more comfortable ride and handles better than the Fit.


Most cargo space:
Scion xB (automatic)
Scion xB (manual)

The xB has a tall, squared-off cargo area. Standard antilock brakes and electronic stability control are big pluses.

Most spacious:
Honda Fit
Honda Fit Sport
Scion xB (automatic)
Scion xB (manual)

Clever interior packaging maximizes space. The xB is almost like a delivery van.

[foober]

To be honest all comsumer reports cares about is add ons that make cars more expensive and air bags that injure people. Don't have much respect for consumer reports.

[Bretsuaz]

I didnt like the interior of the Fit. Appeard very cheap. And from the outside, it looke like a Suzuki Aerio. But the main reason I didnt buy a Fit was because of reliability concerns. I liked the styling of the Yaris, and this engine has a proven track record. I have heard the auto trans in the Fit has some problems. So far I love my car, and would recommend this vehicle to anyone. I would have expected them to receive similar scores though.

[tomjasz]

To be honest all comsumer reports cares about is add ons that make cars more expensive and air bags that injure people. Don't have much respect for consumer reports.
:laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove:

[hasher22]

Well, theres no such thing as a perfect car for the perfect price.

[tomjasz]

I didnt like the interior of the Fit. Appeard very cheap. And from the outside, it looke like a Suzuki Aerio. But the main reason I didnt buy a Fit was because of reliability concerns. I liked the styling of the Yaris, and this engine has a proven track record. I have heard the auto trans in the Fit has some problems. So far I love my car, and would recommend this vehicle to anyone. I would have expected them to receive similar scores though.
A honda with reliability concerns?:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[foober]

tomjasz, I get the feeling that you subscribe to that "fish wrap" consumer reports.:smile:

[tomjasz]

tomjasz, I get the feeling that you subscribe to that "fish wrap" consumer reports.:smile:

Care to stay on point and tell us about Honda and their reliability problems...
BTW
Fish wrap is what you call a local newspaper, only "cowsbell" has a "split the sheets" column....:thumbsup:

[Pars]

"The manual, two-door hatchback Yaris was the least-expensive car here. It tied the Honda Fit with an excellent 34 mpg overall. Both Yarises have a good ride, but when pushed to their handling limits, their tails tended to slide easily. Our Yaris sedan had many more amenities than the hatchback.

Predicted reliability "much better than average"

HIGHS | Fuel economy, hatchback storage, turning circle, reliability.
LOWS | Braking without ABS, engine and road noise, driving position, sloppy handling at the limits

The Yaris is available as a funky hatchback and a conventional sedan. Both deliver excellent fuel economy and a very good ride. Handling is sloppy and unforgiving at its limits. Acceleration is adequate, but the engine is noisy at high revs. Stopping distances for our non-ABS hatchback were extremely long, and ABS is hard to find. Many drivers found the driving position flawed. Options can quickly drive the price up from the spartan base car. First year reliability has been excellent for this new model, but the Yaris scored too low to be recommended.

For an inexpensive car the ride is compliant and absorbs bumps well, but quick body motions disrupt somewhat. Road noise is pronounced, and the engine note is boomy.


The Yaris feels responsive, but the steering is overly light at low speeds. It firms up appropriately at higher speeds but isn’t linear. Body lean is moderate. At its limits the Yaris is sloppy, with so-so grip. The rear end slid out too easily in our avoidance maneuver and around our track, especially in the hatchback. The Yaris would greatly benefit from stability control, but like on the other cars here it’s not available. The 106-hp, 1.5-liter four-cylinder returned an excellent 34 mpg overall when paired with the five-speed manual transmission. The smooth-shifting four-speed automatic gets 33 mpg overall, but acceleration is blunted.


Braking distances without ABS are extremely long, in both dry and wet conditions. Opt for ABS if you can find it. Low-beam headlights don’t illuminate far enough ahead.

The interior has lots of hard plastic, and there are exposed screws. The tilt-only steering wheel is too far forward, and there isn’t much room to rest your left foot. The pedals are very close together and are close to the driver, making it difficult to drive the manual smoothly. Wide roof pillars, rear head restraints, and the hatchback’s center safety-belt routing hurt rear visibility.


Some drivers wanted more lumbar support from the firm seats. The sedan’s manual height adjustment helps thigh support. The taller hatchback offers better head room. Rear access is better in the sedan.


The gauges, mounted at the dashboard center, are too far away and the sedan’s gauges are smaller and harder to read. The confusing climate fan switch drew complaints. The externally adjusted manual mirrors in the hatchback are a long reach.


The sedan holds more luggage than the hatchback. Oddly, the hatchback’s rear seat is not a 60/40-split, but a one-piece unit."

Best all around and for fuel economy:
Honda Fit
Honda Fit Sport

Mileage is impressive with 34 mpg with the manual and 32 with the automatic.



Cool, I finally get to read the consumer reports article. I sort of can see where the guy is coming from, but boy, talk about the glass being half full. I can follow how the rear end can washout on ya, if your charging the turn as fast as the Fit, which is packing 195/55/15 (or better) tires and expect the Yaris dinky 175/65/14 (or 185/60/15) tires to be as controllable at the same speed. The sledge hammer tactics will overload the tires and cause the car to spin out of control. It's not do to bad/sloppy handling, it's do to bad driving and not being able to explore the car's true limits. I've charged the turns many times in my Yaris to the point where the rear is about to rotate on me and I can hold it there forever, it's very controllable. Not to say the car is tail happy, but it has just the right amount of over-steer dialed into it.

What's with the steering being not sensitive and then too sensitive and then not linear? wtf, make up your mind. Personally, I found the Yaris steering spot-on. Steering sensitivity becomes quick at moderate speeds (which is great, unless you're an old man with titanic-like reaction), so slight turn-ins will return immediate response, which is normally a good thing. Like wise, slow and lighter steering response is preferable at low speeds.

One point I did get, is when spinning out of control, ABS with stability control would be a huge asset. My old Civic didn't have any fancy ABS system, but that car had a really good suspension system. In one extreme situation,I was sideways doing 120km/hr on the highway on a straight-away, in the wet and simply easying off on the gas and not panicking, was enough to bring the car back in line (but that particular car had $4500 of suspension/wheel upgrades and a double wishbone front & back). I wouldn't expect any of the short wheel base car in this segment to be as forgiving in the same situation, unless it was packing a good electronic stability control system. Toyota should make their abs system standard on the Yaris to compensate.

[foober]

Care to stay on point and tell us about Honda and their reliability problems...
BTW
Fish wrap is what you call a local newspaper, only "cowsbell" has a "split the sheets" column....:thumbsup:

I am on point. The point was is consumer reports seems to have an agenda. And I'm sure alot of it has to do with who greases their palms.

My advice to you is read other owners opinions of the product. Having used the product in normal situations and use they are very probably the best at explaining a product.

I myself like to look at reliability of a vehicle or product over the years. The yaris is an offshoot of the echo which is one of the most reliable vehicles ever built. Its why I bought my yaris.

[tomjasz]

I am on point. The point was is consumer reports all that reliable and thourgh how they judge things . I don't think they are. They as they say seem to have an agenda. :bs: :bs: And I'm sure alot of it has to do with who greases their palms.:bs:

My advice to you is read other owners opinions of the product. :bow: Having used the product in normal situations and use they are very probably the best at explaining a product.

I myself like to look at reliability of a vehicle or product over the years. The yaris is an offshoot of the echo which is one of the most reliable vehicles ever built. Its why I bought my yaris.

Consumer reports rates the Yaris as much better than average for reliability. Whats the problem with that? CR sends out polls and the ratings are based on the feedback. CR DOES NOT ACCEPT ADVERTISING AND BUYS THE PRODUCTS THEY TEST! So far you're long on opinion and short on facts. Please point out the unreliable Honda product? The Yaris is my 9th Toyota product, every model I've purchased has been top rated by CONSUMER FEEDBACK IN CR! So far I've not seen a single sensible review and point by point counterpoint of the CR review. All I've read so far are comments from kids wounded by a critical review of their bottom of the line Toyota....go ahead and shoot the messenger....:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[palsan]

CR may not be convinced the Yaris is the best car in its class but Canadians seem to think otherwise ...
YARIS outselling the FUGLY by more than 3 to 1:clap: :clap: :clap:

Canadian auto sales for October 2006 (and year-to-date):
Toyota Yaris 2,834 (30,460):respekt:
Ford Focus 1,663 (23,795)
Hyundai Accent 1,340 (15,229)
Nissan Versa 1,260 (4,716 not available for whole year)
Honda Fit 895 (8,367):thumbdown:
Chevy Aveo 654 (9,156)
Kia Rio 523 (5,846)
Pontiac Wave 475 (7,006)

Full report available here: http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,49281.0.html

I have no problem with CR in general, but in this case, I think they missed two very important factors:
1. intangilble: the cool look factor favours the Yaris by far!
(I already have a minivan in my driveway I didn't want two.)
2. tangible: an equally equiped Fit is more expensive than a Yaris (at least in my market).
(In my case, an equivalent Fit would have cost me somewhere between $1,500 & $2,000 more up front and double that after paying the higher interest rate over the 3 year financing period.)

[Katana]

Ηere in Greece, Yaris is the best selling car of the month!!!

[tomjasz]

YARIS outselling the FUGLY by more than 3 to 1:clap: :clap: :clap:

.)

Based on looks it should and thats why I own one! :bow: I read about the Echo and the styling of the Yaris and bought one of the first 3 in Las Vegas. Inspite of the CR report I'd buy a Yaris hatch again, :thumbup: owever I use the Camry for road trips, it's quieter, more comfortable and handles far better.:thumbsup: But at almost double the cost.:rolleyes:

[BMGYaris]

Its LOOONG but i think i did a good job, tell me what is wrong and i will edit.

"The manual, two-door hatchback Yaris was the least-expensive car here."

This is one of the keys to the CR report, as will be further discussed.

"Predicted reliability "much better than average""


no problems here, we all agree, though honda is in a constant battle with toyota for reliability rankings. What is the difference right now? .1 problems every three years?


"The Yaris is available as a funky hatchback and a conventional sedan. Both deliver excellent fuel economy and a very good ride. Handling is sloppy and unforgiving at its limits."

Here is the first odd statement, they said both that it delivers a very good ride and that it has sloppy handling and is unforgiving at its limits? which is it?

Now, for twisty racing the stock fit is obviously better, but most of the consumers are buying for their kids or are very young and lets admit it, in general those people really should NOT be pushing it too its limits, maybe sloppy handling at 90-120mph will help cut back on that. And if you ARE going to push it to its limits you are probably going to invest in some sway bars and other mods, which you would do in the fit also, and will really improve performance, so that is really irrelevent. The question here is, what did they test as the "limits"? i dont have CR so i dont know, but I know my Yaris has pretty high limits....

" it delivers a really good ride, Acceleration is adequate, but the engine is noisy at high revs."

Again they said a good ride. I drive one and i can tell you that the yaris is not particularly loud at high revs and is quieter than the fit, too me the fit sounded like a weed wacker, not a very sexy sound at all. Of course, a few bucks with some sound dampening materials can fix a good deal of that in both. Its not a camry, but compared to the fit it is certainly not at a disadvantage--and as they said, it has a good ride, just dont push it to 5,500rpm if you want a nice quite trip.


" Stopping distances for our non-ABS hatchback were extremely long, and ABS is hard to find."

The first thing i want to say is that the ABS yaris are no more difficult to find than a fit.

This is the first point at which i get truly confused. According to NHTSA

"ABS is designed to help the driver maintain control of the vehicle during emergency braking situations, not make the car stop more quickly. ABS may shorten stopping distances on wet or slippery roads and many systems will shorten stopping distances on dry roads. On very soft surfaces, such as loose gravel or unpacked snow, an ABS system may actually lengthen stopping distances." further "When your brakes lock up on wet and slippery roads or during a panic stop, you lose steering control and your vehicle can spin. Rear wheel ABS prevents wheel lockup so that your car stays in a straight line. If your car has ABS control on all four wheels, you also keep steering control. If you have steering control, it is possible to avoid a crash by steering around hazards if a complete stop cannot be accomplished in time."

Thus we see that ABS is not truly about shorter breaking distances, it is about maintaining control. It is possible that the Electronic break force distribution contributed to the shorter distances.
It is also possible that the stock yaris 14 inch tires contributed to longer breaking distances
However, it IS POSSIBLE to get a yaris with ABS and EBD therefore, since the models are available with a reasonable wait or good searching skills, it should NOT be counted heavily against the yaris in points. Further more if you do research on the NHTSA website you will find that ABS has caused as many deaths as it has saved, netting a 0% improved mortality rates.


"Many drivers found the driving position flawed"

Damn true. But if many found it flawed, i'll bet many found it just fine. That is what a test drive is for. So heads up folks, check if you are comfortable before you buy your car, many people will be comfortable, many wont.
(side note: many people find the exact same problem with the scion xb, and i believe the thigh support and length of the base of the seats are the exact same, if anybody wants to measure that woudl be awesome, but nobody makes a big fuss about it.)

"Options can quickly drive the price up from the spartan base car."

Again, a price difference, they tested a BASE MODEL yaris that is 33% less expensive than the cheapest fit they tested. That including rear head restraints that blocked visibilty, no ABS, 14 inch stockers and manual mirrors., all things that can easily be fixed and still be under the base fit price.



"For an inexpensive car the ride is compliant and absorbs bumps well, but quick body motions disrupt somewhat. Road noise is pronounced, and the engine note is boomy."

i dont understand this, what does he mean quick body motions? Either way, somewhat doesnt sound all that terrible. The other issures were discussed above.

"The Yaris feels responsive, but the steering is overly light at low speeds. It firms up appropriately at higher speeds but isn’t linear."

The base yaris has 14 inch tires. The fits couldnt have been less than 15. my understanding is that 15's on the fit would have given more stable control than the 14's right? if not then i made a mistake, and sure, the fit has some strengths.

" Body lean is moderate."

ok, thats pretty neautral, nobody should be scared driving it.


"At its limits the Yaris is sloppy, with so-so grip."

Again, they had stock 14's which would have seriously affected the grip, i believe., being narrower smaller tires. Also here again they talk about "limits" which i dont know what they are. Anyway, Dont drive your vehicle to its limits without mods if you dont want to die, same for the fit. Also, lets not forget about all the comments they had to say about yaris' "very good ride"

" The rear end slid out too easily in our avoidance maneuver and around our track, especially in the hatchback. The Yaris would greatly benefit from stability control, but like on the other cars here it’s not available."

It is not quite as good on the twisties as the fit, but its not much worse either., and of course, none of the others have stability control or traction control and ABS does not kick in under those circumstances. (we are not talking about xb)


"Low-beam headlights don’t illuminate far enough ahead."

Im not sure about this, and im not sure how it stacks up with the fit, but my low beams work just fine with me. I use my fog lights all the time though, so that might create a sense of better lighting. Im betting they are the same as the fit though.

"The interior has lots of hard plastic, and there are exposed screws. The tilt-only steering wheel is too far forward, and there isn’t much room to rest your left foot."

If you do some research on the internet you will find just about ALL the fit drivers complaing about left foot comfort, and none of the yaris drivers complaining about left foot comfort. I wonder if he just came from a fit and his foot was cramped from that ride, because this is the first i heard of left leg problems in the yaris. Anyway, this seems to be a fairly isolated case.

Exposed screws? anybody else seeing this? I'm not seeing it in mine, if i did, i would be saying something about it promise.

hard plastics, damn straight, but better carpets and paint jobs than the Fit, just looking at forums. Of course the only time that plastics really matter is the armrest, planning to fix mine up actually, but yea, the plastics arent as nice to touch....kudos to the Fit for nicer feeling plastics.

"The pedals are very close together and are close to the driver, making it difficult to drive the manual smoothly."

Very true for me, again, do a test drive, some feel that way some dont. But i will tell you one thing, if this guy had a left leg problem he must have been one TALL glass of water with some really long legs.


"Some drivers wanted more lumbar support from the firm seats. The sedan’s manual height adjustment helps thigh support. The taller hatchback offers better head room. Rear access is better in the sedan."

Of course access is better, the hatch is 2 doors. The base fit at 15,500 does not come with a seat height adjuster, i dont think. again if i make mistakes, point it out.


"The gauges, mounted at the dashboard center are too far away and the sedan’s gauges are smaller and harder to read. The confusing climate fan switch drew complaints. "

the question here is visibility, and if you hate the center position dont get the yaris. However, scientifically there is no reason i know of that would make the center placement a major issue in picking a car, just a matter of preference and one i would expect CR to be above.
As to the climate controls they move in a circle. I wont say more or i will get mean about that one.

"The externally adjusted manual mirrors in the hatchback are a long reach."

if you are planning to be the only driver most of the time this shouldnt be a problem. if your going to switch out alot, you can pay the 1300, still be significantly cheaper than the Fit, and get your power mirrors.

"The sedan holds more luggage than the hatchback."

They both have damn small luggage specs. and yes with seats up the hatch is much smaller. If you are planning to pick up a bunch of friends at the airport regularly this is not the car for you. However, with the seats folded down the sedan has 13.7 cubic feet and the Hatch has 25.7 cubic feet.
Niether are monsters, but on seeing those specs i consider the hatch to have almost twice as much luggasge capacity as the sedan. I chose mine for me and my sweety going to the beach camping, works for that. Fit has the advantage here though, thats for sure.
http://www.toyota.com/yaris/specs.html

"Oddly, the hatchback’s rear seat is not a 60/40-split, but a one-piece unit."

first notice that he said "oddly" everyone here knows that the power package fixes this, it seems the CR guys didnt do their homework.
Here again, you cant complain about that and then praise the fit for having it. It is available and plenty are out there with it, you can chose to leave it out and save 1300 dollars, or pay the 1300 and get it with the other features.

Lastly:

"rear head restraints, and the hatchback’s center safety-belt routing hurt rear visibility. "

These problems are fixed with the power package as well. The power package has the rear headrest that press down into the seat and the rear middle seat adjuster locks into the roof, leaving the backwindow visibility completly open and clear. Again, you can get all of this and still be well under the Fit prices. but the CR tester seems not to have actually looked into options and pricing on this one.

Anyway, this is my line by line break down of the Yaris analysis, I dont know much about cars, but it looks to me like CR has nailed all kinds of points against the yaris, and most of those points are because they chose the base model. increase the price 50% and you can get yourself a base fit, sure, but you can increase the price by 25% and fix nearly all of those complaints on the yaris. and save a chunk of money for some aftermarket mods and get even better handling than the stock fit.
And dont compare our base model to the canadians, if we had the canadians it would have fixed everything, even driving comfort, in which case every single point listed here against the Yaris would be removed and youd have nearly a perfect score--way to go in Canada toyota!

[tomjasz]

great review, insightful and well thought out, thanks!:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

[Black Yaris]

anyone notice the 0-60 times on the Yaris compaired to the Fit? Yaris was faster on 0-60 and the 1/4 mile.. funny shit since the Fit is more preformance oriented and the Yaris is more economy oriented

[spkrman]

anyone notice the 0-60 times on the Yaris compaired to the Fit? Yaris was faster on 0-60 and the 1/4 mile.. funny shit since the Fit is more preformance oriented and the Yaris is more economy oriented

nah I didn't, care to post the data here?

[spkrman]

nah I didn't, care to post the data here?

bump x2, I'm interested :)

[tomjasz]

Fit 0-60 12.4 sec
Yaris 0-60 11.4 sec:drinking:

[tomjasz]

Fit 0-60 12.4 sec
Yaris 0-60 11.4 sec:drinking:
bump bump

[spkrman]

u gotta be kiddin me?

They love the fit because its more sporty... but it takes you an extra second to get to 60, and 1.5 seconds from 45 to 65.... while getting lower MPG...

The fit doesn't look sporty, nor does it even compare on acceleration, but its so much sportier, huh??

Just going off those numbers, I'd say the yaris held up extremely well...and considering it hits the nail on the head where most people looking for a car in this segment want it... decent acceleration, great MPG, and proven reliability. I'd say most people looking for a cheap commuter car just want something they can hop on the highway with, and it doesnt feel uncomfortable.

On that note, who's driving for the 0-60 and 1/4 mile? Those times seem piddly slow... I know it doesnt take me over 11 seconds to get to 60...

[ChinoCharles]

That is what I am wondering... I have had a buddy hang onto my watch while I was punching it and we got sub-9 seconds for a 0-60. Am I crazy?

edit: other than speeding in a Yaris, that makes me crazy by default... I'm just talking about the times. :laugh:

[spkrman]

I'm assuming with the auto they just floor it from idle, and with the stick they actually launch it... only reason I can account for the auto times, and the big difference in times.

The auto yaris floored @ idle IS slow, but still, 11+ seconds??? lol

[tomjasz]

I'm assuming with the auto they just floor it from idle, and with the stick they actually launch it... only reason I can account for the auto times, and the big difference in times.

The auto yaris floored @ idle IS slow, but still, 11+ seconds??? lol


I'm happy, afterall it is what it is!:thumbup:

[roadrunner]

The 0-60 time with a manual 5 speed is 9.5 seconds from what I have read.

[Pars]

From the seat of my pants, I think I'm getting about 6.5 second, but that's cause I'm only going up to 85km/hr before I snap it from 2nd to 5th and let it coast back down to my 70km/hr cruising speed, while on the streets. If I had better rubber, I could shave an extra .5 sec off that time since keeping the rubber from burning out is tricky business. Also, I doubt this car would bog down after a hard drop, so getting stickier tire should really help with with 0-60mph (0-100kmh)

[tomjasz]

From the seat of my pants,:bs: I think I'm getting about 6.5 :bs: second, but that's cause I'm only going up to 85km/hr before I snap it from 2nd to 5th and let it coast back down to my 70km/hr cruising speed, while on the streets. If I had better rubber, I could shave an extra .5 sec off that time since keeping the rubber from burning out is tricky business. Also, I doubt this car would bog down after a hard drop, so getting stickier tire should really help with with 0-60mph (0-100kmh)
:laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove:


:laugh: Wow!! Those seeds from Vancouver are really potent!!!!:laugh:

[keesue]

Wow...

[Pars]

:laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove: :laughabove:


:laugh: Wow!! Those seeds from Vancouver are really potent!!!!:laugh:

laughable? not really. :burnrubber:

[tomjasz]

laughable? not really. :burnrubber:
It's OK, just reread your post....you'll eventually get it....:iono:

[Pars]

It's OK, just reread your post....you'll eventually get it....:iono:

Are you referring to your BS? Cause the only BS I've encountered on the above post is coming from you.
:slice:

[ChinoCharles]

Oh my God, that ninja chopped that man's face off!

You didn't do a 6.5 0-60. I think that was what he was getting at. Get your clock checked, I think they scammed you!

[eTiMaGo]

0-60km/h in 6.5 seconds is not unbelievable, maybe that's where he got confused?

[spkrman]

0-60km/h in 6.5 seconds is not unbelievable, maybe that's where he got confused?

yep sounds right.

[tomjasz]

Are you referring to your BS? Cause the only BS I've encountered on the above post is coming from you.
:slice:


Come on it's just a couple of sentences, go ahead and reread. Chino gets it...I get it....everyone else gets it....0-60 in 6.5???
:laughabove:

[stuffy]

as eTIMEaGo noted, pars is probably referring to 0-60km/h

(no need to get bitchy with one another, just a cultural misunderstanding.)

edit: i just reread pars's original post myself, and realized that he is talking about mph

[nsmitchell]

My Odyssey will smoke a Yaris and it can only do 0-60 in 7.5 seconds. You may do a 6.5 sec 0-60 but you will need a Corvette and a rope. hehe

[Pars]

as eTIMEaGo noted, pars is probably referring to 0-60km/h

(no need to get bitchy with one another, just a cultural misunderstanding.)

edit: i just reread pars's original post myself, and realized that he is talking about mph


Nope.

I admit, it was the confusing post, but I was referring to 6.5 sec to reach 85km/hr (which works out to 53mph). The reason why I used such a weird stats, is that racing up to 85km/hr seems to fit nicely into first and 2nd gear's power band (plus less chance of attracting police attention). Since I'm good at squeezing the most out of my car and it was a good day, I'm sticking to my numbers.

[BMGYaris]

well now, i dont know much about all of this, but i was looking at these numbers.

if he went 0-53mph in 6.5 seconds that means 53/6.5 yields an average accelleration of 8.153 mph/second. Now, from what i have read on yaris world it seems that the Yaris has much better acelleration from 0-40 than say, 40-70, or even 40-60. So lets say that his rate of acelleration is decreasing from 40 mph so that he is getting about an increase of 7.153 mph every second. Then he hits fifty and his rate of acelleration slows to lets be generous and say about 6.65mph/second. that means at 53 mph it would take him an additional second to reach 60 mph. that would put him at 0-60 times of 7.5 seconds, throw in human error (since it sounds like he doing this alone?) and it could easily be 8 seconds. so maybe in a manual on a slight incline?

Further, my understanding is that modern cars naturally read slightly higher than they are actually going as a safety precaution which could cost him an additional 3 mph off his recorded time, that would then mean an additional .5 seconds added to his time making his reading a possible 8.5 second time.

I suppose since many of you are getting low 9s for manual its concievable that a good driver might, on some occasion, break into 8? especially if there were a slight, maybe not very perceptible, downhill slope. Or perhaps the switch from second to third would cost more time and have reduced his speeds by larger amounts, meaning that he would have been right in the sub nines with the rest of you guys for 0-60 times?

maybe i am crazy, but just some thoughts from an idiot.

[Pars]

well now, i dont know much about all of this, but i was looking at these numbers.

if he went 0-53mph in 6.5 seconds that means 53/6.5 yields an average accelleration of 8.153 mph/second. Now, from what i have read on yaris world it seems that the Yaris has much better acelleration from 0-40 than say, 40-70, or even 40-60. So lets say that his rate of acelleration is decreasing from 40 mph so that he is getting about an increase of 7.153 mph every second. Then he hits fifty and his rate of acelleration slows to lets be generous and say about 6.65mph/second. that means at 53 mph it would take him an additional second to reach 60 mph. that would put him at 0-60 times of 7.5 seconds, throw in human error (since it sounds like he doing this alone?) and it could easily be 8 seconds. so maybe in a manual on a slight incline?

Further, my understanding is that modern cars naturally read slightly higher than they are actually going as a safety precaution which could cost him an additional 3 mph off his recorded time, that would then mean an additional .5 seconds added to his time making his reading a possible 8.5 second time.

I suppose since many of you are getting low 9s for manual its concievable that a good driver might, on some occasion, break into 8? especially if there were a slight, maybe not very perceptible, downhill slope. Or perhaps the switch from second to third would cost more time and have reduced his speeds by larger amounts, meaning that he would have been right in the sub nines with the rest of you guys for 0-60 times?

maybe i am crazy, but just some thoughts from an idiot.

My 1st and 2nd switch is done right at the red and always result with the tire chirping. I could get rid of the chirp, but that means I'd have to slow down with the shifting, which would add to the time. Normally, my tinny tires are a big factor on the initial take-off, but in that particular occasion, they gripped well. Perhaps they were running hot or the incline factor.

Anyways, getting 8.5sec to 60mph shouldn't be a problem. Initially, my Yaris wasn't that quick, the over 9sec seemed reasonable, but now after 24,000km and some hard driving mid 8's seems more accurate and possible better with sticky rubber.

[PetersRedYaris]

When buying my wifes new Civic I told the salesman I was going to buy a Yaris. He of course tried to push me into a Fit. He showed me multiple reports and with each article the Fit beat the Yaris.

Heres the catch; In each report the Yaris was compared to a Fit Sport. Did you know the Fit Sport starts in the $17,000 range? In my opinion this is not even the same price bracket as the Yaris.

What makes the Fit Sport beat the Yaris? I think the real difference is the Fit has a 5 speed automatic, paddle shifters on the steering wheel, outside temp. guage, a tachmeter, and dual front, side, and side curtain airbags.

Five speed auto; I admit it works very well in my wifes Civic with a 1.8L, however, since the Yaris beat the Fit in acceleration I don't see the need for it. Paddle shifters; This isn't a Ferrari, do people really want to push the 1.5L to the max. An outside temp guage and Tach would be nice. Lastly, Toyota really needs to make 6 airbags standard like Honda. Safety is a big issue in these reports.

As far as looks, the Yaris blows the Fit out of the water.

[Pars]

All the Fit models gets the 6 airbags (not just the sport), but here in Canada, the Yaris also gets a tachometer (which is a very good thing...no tach is a deal breaker in my opinion). Outside temperature gage would be safety issue here in Canada, with the temperature constantly handing around zero Celsius.

It seem that style is a motivating factor when purchasing a new car and the Fit without the skirt package is too simplistic, so it'd require the Fit's Sport model with the skirt package to compete with Yaris's looks. And those skirts on the Fit comes at a hefty premium. Here in Canada, a loaded 5dr Yaris goes for $16720 while the Fit sport cost $19480.

The Fit's standard side airbags got good results in side impact test, as did the optional airbags in the Yaris sedan. In rear end crash test, the Yaris faired better then the Fit. So overall, the Yaris could be a safer car. But since the side airbag isn't offered in the liftback model (which is very popular in Canada), the Fit wins in that department.

[corey415]

He showed me multiple reports and with each article the Fit beat the Yaris.

Heres the catch; In each report the Yaris was compared to a Fit Sport. Did you know the Fit Sport starts in the $17,000 range? In my opinion this is not even the same price bracket as the Yaris.

What makes the Fit Sport beat the Yaris? I think the real difference is the Fit has a 5 speed automatic, paddle shifters on the steering wheel, outside temp. guage, a tachmeter, and dual front, side, and side curtain airbags.

Five speed auto; I admit it works very well in my wifes Civic with a 1.8L, however, since the Yaris beat the Fit in acceleration I don't see the need for it. Paddle shifters; This isn't a Ferrari, do people really want to push the 1.5L to the max. An outside temp guage and Tach would be nice. Lastly, Toyota really needs to make 6 airbags standard like Honda. Safety is a big issue in these reports.

As far as looks, the Yaris blows the Fit out of the water.

Most of those articles test the Yaris with options as well you know. Its not like they would compare a base Yaris with a Fit Sport. If they did, that is obviously an apples to oranges comparison. A comparably equipped Yaris does end up costing within the general vicinity of the Fit Sport, albeit a little cheaper.

With regards to why the Fit wins comparos; its mainly due to the classier interior and Fit is often described to have the "sport[iest] handling", especially when compared to its subcompact brethern.

Also, the paddle shifters may be more useful than you think. They are sort of gimmicky, but they can come in handy. It is nice to be able to control what gear you are in when descending down a curvy mountain road for example. One can do this with a regular automatic, but it definitely is a more akward task to accomplish. Another use is to do a downshift when you know you are going to need passing power, perhaps whilst on the freeway. If they really annoy you that much, you dont even have to use them.

[boris13]

C'mon, let's say it: the Fit is just plain UGLY.

I ordered my loaded Yaris hatchback at a price of about $15,800. The main thing it lacks in comparison to the Fit Sport ($17,000+) is a tach. It's not as roomy inside as the Fit, but it's not bad... enough room for me.

A Yaris that's well equipped competes very well with the Fit Sport, IMO.

[Pars]

The RS version of the Yaris is a rip-off. You're basically paying a huge premium for minor stuff that would be standard on most entry level cars. So, using the Yaris RS as a comparison point against the Fit just doesn't make sense. It's Yaris's LE model that dominates the road. Reason being, it looks exactly the same as the RS model (except for painted side mirror) has the same power options and sells for about $3000 less.

However, in appearance, there's a noticeable difference between Fit LX vs Sport. The LX version without the skirt package looks bad. And to avoid the dopey look, you need to pay a huge premium ($19480) for the Sport. Considering that the Civic DX-G can be had for less, paying that much for the Fit is stupid.

If you really want to compare apple vs apple, then pit the Fit LX against the Yaris LE. Considering that both cars will be running on similar size tires and the Fit's plain-jane looks will be noticeable without the skirts, it'd put the the Fit at a huge disadvantage, even though equipment level and price are almost identical (Canadian models only). In the States, the Fit's sport model is more reasonably priced, so pitting it against the Yaris makes sense, but here in Canada, the Sport model is totally over priced when compared to a loaded Yaris.

Regarding interiors. I like the Yaris seating and view of the road (but Fit is almost as good, so no clear winner). The Fit has a very upscale dash layout, but the Yaris simplistic but elegant design has it's own character, so once again, no clear winner. For me the deciding factor was the placement of my portable NAV system, which mounted perfect onto the glass covering for the Yaris's instrument panel and actually gives the dash a more upscale appearance since the Magellan unit has the same chrome finish and blends in with the stock layout.

[PetersRedYaris]

Most of those articles test the Yaris with options as well you know. Its not like they would compare a base Yaris with a Fit Sport. If they did, that is obviously an apples to oranges comparison. A comparably equipped Yaris does end up costing within the general vicinity of the Fit Sport, albeit a little cheaper.

With regards to why the Fit wins comparos; its mainly due to the classier interior and Fit is often described to have the "sport[iest] handling", especially when compared to its subcompact brethern.

Also, the paddle shifters may be more useful than you think. They are sort of gimmicky, but they can come in handy. It is nice to be able to control what gear you are in when descending down a curvy mountain road for example. One can do this with a regular automatic, but it definitely is a more akward task to accomplish. Another use is to do a downshift when you know you are going to need passing power, perhaps whilst on the freeway. If they really annoy you that much, you dont even have to use them.

Classier interior? More functional seat adjustments I admit, but thats it. The comparisons I saw was a Fit Sport vs. Yaris LB base model, no airbags. Thats a $17,000 plus Fit vs. a $11,900 Yaris. No wonder the Fit won, but mot buy much.

[corey415]

Might you have links to said articles which make such ridiculous comparisons?

Of course looks are subjective, but the Fit is often praised by automotive journalists as having a "classier interior"...

[Jem_hadar]

Yeah, I think generally the Fit has an interior dash look that would appeal to most ppl far more than the Yaris's does...

but myself I like the Yaris's interior look much better!

Its more "techno" :wink: hah

[Pars]

Same here, I'm personally in favor with clean looking dash layout in the Yaris, but the Fit's dash looks rich. In fact, a friend of mine who drives a new Accord prefers the Fit's dash over her Accord.

One thing I totally dislike about the Yaris's in-dash system is No AUX port for an MP3 Player and paying over $300 for an iPod adapter is ridiculous when everyone else is offering it for free. It's not going to cost the manufacture that much more to offer a stereo system with AUX-in port. So why leave it out? My old Civic had an Alpine system with an iPod adapter and now with the New Yaris, the iPod is collecting dust on the dresser and I'm listening to AM/FM for my music. How primitive. But on the bright side, I'm working on getting a 2 din DVD player with iPod adapter which should also add some 'richness' to the centre dash's appearance.:cool:

[foxtrot685]

well... this is 2006 and ABS is standard on almost every other car in its class, including the scion cousins, even the Hyundai accent sedan has it... its becoming one of those features that is now expected on a car in this price category to be standard equipment. how dare they compare a yaris to an aveo... ewww! the difference between them is night and day. they should have had a separate category for the aveo... "super ultra crappy Korean-built car segment"

[graywolf_14]

Shoot for 17k you can get a yaris with every option they have and that is with the 18"s.

[foxtrot685]

thats close to a fit sport with automatic tranny and no upgrades (meaning the stock 15 inch alloys)

[eTiMaGo]

I just have my 2 cents to share :wink:

I have never driven a Fit, but I am back home now down in Phuket where my mother has a 3-year-old Honda City, which for all intents and purposes you could call a Fit Sedan. Similar styling, same motor and platform, very similar interior layout. More info can be obtained here:

http://www.honda.co.th/city/


I've been driving it quite a bit since a few days that I am back here, and can make some comparisons.

First of all, the manual shifter in the Honda is so much better than the Yaris. The throw is quite short, it moves from gear to gear easily and with a very positive feel, you can just flick it, basically, no need to really push the stick into gear. I'm sure when I install my TWM short shifter I'll have a similar experience in my Yaris, but this I consider a very big difference, if you are into manual cars, it's a joy to change gears.

The clutch is also very light, and much more intuitive than the Yaris. Driving slow and shifting smoothly is not a problem.

I can't really compare the engines since this City has the non-VTEC engine (rated at only 88hp!), but this motor has a lot of low end torque (peak at 2,700rpm!) so you don't need to be shifting around all so much, even going up hills. I'm sure the 110hp VTEC engine has a similar response to our engines, though.

The car's handling is difficult to compare as I have basically never driven a stock Yaris, nor have I driven a Yaris on a mountain road as I have driven this City. But, the ride is firm but comfortable, though on fast turns you do lose traction pretty easily. Which is fun in its own way, nothing like sliding that tail out :biggrin: The steering wheel (and the whole feel of the car) is light, but not twitchy as ours can be on rough roads or at high speed.

I really wish I could have taken my car down here and see how it behaves in the hills, that would have been so much fun :frown: Maybe I'll rent one, but it's pretty sure to be an automatic...

Interior wise, it is a lot more traditional than the Yaris, and the high center console does give it more of a big car feel. But, you can easily feel the difference in storage space, the main passenger side glove compartment is full of manuals and documents, and apart from that, there isn't a lot of space to keep stuff.

I'm not sure if the USDM Fits would come similarly equipped, but I am constantly pleasantly surprised at the stock sound system. This car came with a single-DIN Sony cassette player, but the stock speakers are more than adequate and can handle a pretty good amount of bass. All we did was to add a 10-disc changer in the trunk, but it could also do with a couple of tweeters to bring up the sharps.

All in all, from a driving experience point of view, if the USDM Fit can be compared to this City, it's really not that bad. Standard and optional equipment, pricing, safety features, and so on, I really cannot comment on as it would be very different between US and Thai spec cars.

[Havana]

When shopping, I compared the 09 Fit to the 09 Yaris. I know Honda and Toyota both make outstanding cars. The Fit was awesome and very fun to drive. It came with more standard features. It was also about $3000 more. Fits are in short supply in my area and manual tranny Fits are virtual blue diamonds. The Honda dealers were not very flexible at all on price. The Yaris is a more simple car but of equal quaility in my opinion. Six airbags and ABS are standard on 09's. There was also a $500 rebate at that time and the Toyota dealers seemed more interested in making a sale. In the end, I got a great car for several thousand less than a Fit. I'm happy with that.

[twowheels]

When shopping, I compared the 09 Fit to the 09 Yaris. I know Honda and Toyota both make outstanding cars. The Fit was awesome and very fun to drive. It came with more standard features. It was also about $3000 more. Fits are in short supply in my area and manual tranny Fits are virtual blue diamonds. The Honda dealers were not very flexible at all on price. The Yaris is a more simple car but of equal quaility in my opinion. Six airbags and ABS are standard on 09's. There was also a $500 rebate at that time and the Toyota dealers seemed more interested in making a sale. In the end, I got a great car for several thousand less than a Fit. I'm happy with that.

Interesting reviving an old dead thread... :-)

I also compared the 09 Fit to the 09 Yaris. A few years ago (07) we were looking at cars but decided to wait put another 50k on the Camry first. At the time I drove a Yaris but wasn't impressed, mostly because of the lack of safety features. I had completely removed it from consideration. I had settled on the Fit and for two years kept saying I'd buy a Fit when the time came. The thing is, both the 07 and the 09 Fit felt 'off' to me. Not sure why, but they did. The handling wasn't anywhere near as impressive as I'd heard. This year I put the Yaris back in consideration due to the standard safety features and as you can probably guess we bought the Yaris.

During the test drive I did feel that the Fit had a slightly more comfortable driver's seat, though my kids said that the back seat was better in the Yaris. The Fit seemed to bounce MORE on big bumps than the Yaris did and though might have been slightly quieter the noise that it did make was more annoying to me. I actually felt like the Yaris was quieter. The lack of cruise on the base Fit meant that I'd have to upgrade to a Fit sport which dropped the MPG rating and raised the price quite a bit. Overall the Yaris ended up being significantly cheaper (about $4000) with the options that we wanted and the rebate from Toyota. We're very happy with it and I *LOVE* how tightly it can turn -- I can't get over how easy it is to park and do U-turns! :-)

[PaidTimeOff]

Yup, if there's one thing that all reviewers can agree on (whether they like the car or not), it's that the Yaris' turning radius can't be beat.

[rningonfumes]

I got a chance to browse April's Buyer guide from CR.... even with the new safety features, the Yaris does not have a "Recommended" check mark. It listed the last test rive as the 07 model.

Better than average reliability.

[Havana]

It's funny. I don't think I've read a single overall positive review by any professional automotive tester/critic. Yet, actual Yaris owners seem to universally love and recommend the car.

[MadMax]

It's funny. I don't think I've read a single overall positive review by any professional automotive tester/critic. Yet, actual Yaris owners seem to universally love and recommend the car.

Y'know, when I was doing my research on the car I was hard-pressed to find a good review on it; but I read 130+ owner's reviews and they were universally positive of it. I learned a long time ago that professional auto critics are a snobby bunch with little connection to the real world.

Cheers! M2

[twowheels]

Yup, if there's one thing that all reviewers can agree on (whether they like the car or not), it's that the Yaris' turning radius can't be beat.

After buying the car and noting how tightly it turns I did some research using edmunds.com's car compare feature. The only car that I found that could beat the Yaris on turning diameter was the Smart ForTwo, and by only two feet!

[ddongbap]

Dude, I pull 360s in two parking spots.

[gid]

It's funny. I don't think I've read a single overall positive review by any professional automotive tester/critic. Yet, actual Yaris owners seem to universally love and recommend the car. here's a few positive reviews for the YARIS . http://newcartestdrive.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehicle=2007_Toyota_Yaris&ReviewID=3270 and http://newcartestdrive.com/review-intro.cfm?Vehicle=2008_Toyota_Yaris&ReviewID=4335 . Hoping they'll be doing new test drive of 2009 4 door Liftback soon . :burnrubber:

[gid]

I got a chance to browse April's Buyer guide from CR.... even with the new safety features, the Yaris does not have a "Recommended" check mark. It listed the last test rive as the 07 model.

Better than average reliability. we should be getting the new monthly issue for C.R. that reviews the '09 by the end of next week . Let yeh know the results soon as it gets here . Patience my :moon: . The waiting is killin' us both :drool: .

[JetfireK]

Just got the new Consumer Reports. They were assessing budget cars this month. In the auto transmission category the Yaris came in 6th out of 9 and in the HB, manual category it came in next to last, just ahead of the Aveo. :iono: In the manual category the Honda Fit came in first with overall score of 75 (Yaris was 36) :eyebulge:

Everything I read mostly...does not credit Yaris with good anything...but then...We have to make ourselves happy and when they tout chrysler that tells me I made the right choice....Never driven a Honda...and don't intend to. Remember Toyota is number 1....so why settle for anything less?

[fnkngrv]

wow...way to dust off an old thread. Consumer Reports is corrupt and the people that work there have bad crusties around their mouths from all of the reviewing of the constituent's areas a few inches below their belt line rather than truly checkin out the vehicles.

[ChilliwackGuy]

I gotta admit that the one car I am always checking is the Honda Fit - not sure why - but it just looks cool.

Yet - I'm positive my Yaris is way cheaper on gas and more reliable.

Also, I subscribe to Consumer Reports Canada Magazine - and they are not slamming Toyota - instead they are suggesting that they will not recommend the company - simple because of the numerous recalls.

[c-dub]

granted i dont drive the yaris much if at all, but i can't listen to anyone that talks about a "turning circle" are they writting for 2nd graders or something?

[fnkngrv]

I gotta admit that the one car I am always checking is the Honda Fit - not sure why - but it just looks cool.

Yet - I'm positive my Yaris is way cheaper on gas and more reliable.

Also, I subscribe to Consumer Reports Canada Magazine - and they are not slamming Toyota - instead they are suggesting that they will not recommend the company - simple because of the numerous recalls.


Fit = micro minivan

As for the recalls they are like no other company. The difference now is that their recalls are more in the spotlight. If anything Chrysler and Ford on many models in the last 20 years should have had to literally recall the entire vehicle and provide full refunds. Mostly in the 80's, but depending on your age you might not be aware...and oh yeah...how about those totally awesome Chevy Cavaliers of the 90s...ish.

[2007yariz]

Honda Fit looks fugly, like a minivan imo. I heard its gas mileage is not so great on the highway, because it's not aerodynamic.

[krolos]

I don't know about the current Honda Fit model, but i did test drive the
1st gen. several times, I got to say I did like the looks and the practical
side to it, but the driver seating was plain awkward, the engine was not very
smooth at acceleration or at highway speed.
When I first test drove the Yaris sedan I was impressed the driver seating
was right on and it had nice firm seats, the engine was smooth on acceleration and at highway speed
and it was noticeable more peppier, it just had an overall good comfortable feel to it
that the Fit simply did not have.
I test drove Some other makes also, but Yaris won for comfort and performance and price.
Consumer Reports at least when it comes to auto reviews they are
not to trust worthy, something weird about them:confused:

[fnkngrv]

After much fanfare and anticipation CR has its latest test vehicle:

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n138/krwada/general/steamingpileofpoo.jpg

Wonder how they will rate the built in air freshener?

[chrisj]

As far as getting in and out of a vehicle, since I got my Yaris things have been a dream. Looking at the outside, you'd never realize how much room there is, of course. But I noticed a HUGE difference in getting in and out over our Avalon. That's a big thing to me, so if Consumer Reports bases anything on comfort and calls me, then the Yaris gets high marks from me for that.

[bB2NER]

Consumers Reports has out lasted their usefulness. I'm surprised they can stay in business.