Yaris and other Subcompacts of France (lots of pictures)

[CTScott]

I just returned from a week in France. One of the most exciting aspects of being in France was seeing the inverse ratio, versus here in the US, of subcompacts to large cars (and SUVs were a scarcity). During a week in Paris, Normandy and Versailles, I only saw about 30 Yaris on the road. The Renault subcompacts (Twingo and Clio) were by far the most common subs. The smaller Peugot cars (106, 206, 207, 307, and 308) Citroen cars (C1, C3, and C4), the Opel Corsa, the Fiat 500, the Smart ForTwo, the Cooper Mini, and the Toyota Aygo were all fairly common as well. I noticed very little modding of subcompacts, other than Smarts.

Toyota, Renault, and Citroen have exhibition store fronts on the Champs Elysees. The Yaris was displayed on the second floor of the Toyota Rendez-Vous, next to the Formula 1 simulator. In the Toyota exhibition, they had a complete Toyota IQ (no Scion brand in Europe) mounted to the wall.

I also visited a Toyota dealership in Vincennes, where I was able to hear a D-4D diesel first hand and was able to fondle the digital AC controls.


Here are some Yaris sighting pictures from the streets of Paris (about 1/2 that I saw were D-4D diesels):

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Yaris1.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Yaris10.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/YarisD-4D.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Yaris9.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Yaris6.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Yaris7.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Yaris3.jpg


Here's the Toyota Rendez-Vous Exhibition on the Champs Elysees
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Rendezvous-Yaris1.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Rendezvous-Yaris2.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Rendezvous-Yaris6.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Rendezvous-Yaris4.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Rendezvous-Yaris5.jpg


Here's a Toyota Yaris Verso:
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/YarisVerso2.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/YarisVerso1.jpg


Here are a couple shots of the Toyota IQ (Hanging on the wall in the exhibition and one on the street):

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Rendezvous-IQ1.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/ToyotaIQ1.jpg


Here are a couple of shots of the Toyota Aygo (available with 3 or 5 doors):

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Aygo1.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Rendezvous-Yaris7.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Rendezvous-Aygo1.jpg

Here's an Aygo with a BMW 120d in front of it:
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/ToyotaAygoandBMW120d.jpg


Here's the 2nd gen Renault Twingo:
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/RenaultTwingoandCitroenC3.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/RenaultTwingo3.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/RenaultTwingo1.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/RenaultTwingo2.jpg

Here's the 1st gen Renault Twingo:
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/RenaultTwingo1stGen.jpg

Renault Scenic:
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/RenaultScenic.jpg

Renault Clio:
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/RenaultClio1.jpg

1956 Renault 4CV:
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/1956Renault4CV5.jpg

Peugot 107:
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Peugot107.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Peugot1072.jpg

Peugot 206:
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Peugot206.jpg

Opel Corsa (These are really easy to mistake for a Yaris):
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/OpelCorsa.jpg

Mercedes A-Class (about the size of a Yaris):
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/MercedesAClass2.jpg

Fiat 500:
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Fiat5002.jpg


Leiger XToo
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/LiegerXTOO1.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/LiegerXTOO3.jpg

Aixam City (plug-in electric):
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/AixamCity1.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/AixamCity2.jpg

Aixam M-Go (plug-in electric, which does not require a driver's license in France):
http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/2008AixamM-Go1.jpg

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/2008AixamM-Go2.jpg

[mario98c]

http://i372.photobucket.com/albums/oo163/ctscott329/Subcompact%20Cars%20of%20France%202010/Rendezvous-Yaris4.jpg
I like that shift knob!

[YAR1S]

Neat! Those little electric cars are funny.

[RedHatch08]

That's a different world...

Seriously, think about any time you've seen video footage from Europe.

How many times have you ever seen a pickup truck?

[CTScott]

i love the little Aygo. did you have fun ? Did you get to drive any of them?

No. I could have test drove cars at the dealership, but they were far more accommodating than they needed to be, for someone who was obviously not there to purchase a vehicle, so I decided not to.

[kustom play]

i would love to get a 500 but it would have to be the abarth edition

[CTScott]

i would love to get a 500 but it would have to be the abarth edition

I saw a couple of a Abarth edition ones, but didn't have my camera ready to catch them. They are really sharp with the pearl white paint and red accents and red checkerboard roof.

[tomato]

:bow::bow::bow::drool:

Beautiful!!! Thank you for this thread!! :clap:

[Kioshi]

cool pictures CTScott. DId you travel mainly by foot & train or rented a car out there? Wondering if you rented a car, what you drove on those tiny streets.

[CTScott]

cool pictures CTScott. DId you travel mainly by foot & train or rented a car out there? Wondering if you rented a car, what you drove on those tiny streets.

Mainly by foot and Metro. We did tours to Normandy and Versailles by bus. Our next vacation to Europe will be a month long one, and for that we'll rent a car and hit more countries.

[tomato]

the 4CV is a rare sight. I can't imagine who would own it these days except a collector. Plus looks like it's in excellent shape, has been restored.

Did you by any chance see any 2CV? These are getting harder and harder to spot, even in France.

(the 2CV is one of my favorite cars for sentimental reasons, not because it's fast! hehe)

I learned how to drive mostly during a vacation in Brittany on an old beat up 4L aka Renault 4, also not exactly a speed demon ;)

http://www.forum-auto.com/uploads/200307/bratisla_boy_2503200301_4l.jpg

[Chuck G]

Very cool thread!!
Thank you

[coheed]

Did you by any chance see any 2CV? These are getting harder and harder to spot, even in France.


I was just about to ask that lol. As it so happens there is an old 2CV rolling around in the town next to mine. Weird huh? As there are so many rednecks with jacked up trucks and 80's Camaro's that someone would actually drive around a completely stock 2CV. I want to take a pic everytime I see it but its always going the oppisite direction in traffic and I dont have enough time to. :iono:

[CTScott]

the 4CV is a rare sight. I can't imagine who would own it these days except a collector. Plus looks like it's in excellent shape, has been restored.

Did you by any chance see any 2CV? These are getting harder and harder to spot, even in France.

(the 2CV is one of my favorite cars for sentimental reasons, not because it's fast! hehe)

I learned how to drive mostly during a vacation in Brittany on an old beat up 4L aka Renault 4, also not exactly a speed demon ;)

http://www.forum-auto.com/uploads/200307/bratisla_boy_2503200301_4l.jpg


I didn't specifically notice any, but I recall seeing quite a few older and boxier cars, so I may have. That 4CV was perfect inside and out. The owner had an info sheet in the widow.

35104

35105

[auxmike]

Looks like you had a great time!
Paris looks very congested and a bit grimey.
I went to Barcelona in '99 to see family and found it a lot like your Paris pics. They put huge dumpsters curbside for residential garbage. The whole area smelled like garbage!:barf:
Parallel parking; looks as though they wedge each other in. I expect a lot of scuffed bumpers over there...

[big lo]

Cool pics, CT glad your home safe.

[Altitude]

I like how prominently small cars are displayed at the dealership. Around here, the poor Yaris and cars like it are relegated to some obscure spot in the dealers lot. The show room is reserved for big ass trucks and bigger cars.

[Yaris Hilton]

I love the 4CV!

[tomato]

I like how prominently small cars are displayed at the dealership. Around here, the poor Yaris and cars like it are relegated to some obscure spot in the dealers lot. The show room is reserved for big ass trucks and bigger cars.

my impression is that the vast majority of cars are small, not only in Paris, but also in the rest of the country. There are many narrow streets. You can't tear down anything that classified "historical" in France, that's against the law, so a lot of the "old districts" stay as they are and the streets stay small.

In certain country villages and towns, if you go to the center of town, you'll find that a Yaris would barely make it through some of these streets, in some cases it just won't. I'm not sure I have a picture in my HD, I'll look.

The very narrow streets in Paris have been transformed to pedestrian-only areas.

[CTScott]

Looks like you had a great time!
Paris looks very congested and a bit grimey.
I went to Barcelona in '99 to see family and found it a lot like your Paris pics. They put huge dumpsters curbside for residential garbage. The whole area smelled like garbage!:barf:
Parallel parking; looks as though they wedge each other in. I expect a lot of scuffed bumpers over there...

It was actually far cleaner than our cities here. The only stink we encountered was the street cleaners on the Champs Elysees. They have these mini garbage trucks that scoot around the wide sidewalks sucking up trash. When they cruised by you, you'd get the dumpster smell. Other than that, I found the streets and Metros to be pretty clean. Very little of the human urine smell, so prevalent in the NY subways.

As for the parallel parking, I don't think I could park a car where they do. And, yes, just about every car on the street has a chewed up bumper as a result.

[tomato]

That's a different world...

Seriously, think about any time you've seen video footage from Europe.

How many times have you ever seen a pickup truck?

I have :laugh::laugh:

(sorry about the pic size)

Pic 1 : utility "truck" (for fun)

Pic 2: Narrow streets in the old parts of town still exist.
(this one photographed in the 4th Arrt. / The Marais)

[BluYrs]

I just returned from a week in France. One of the most exciting aspects of being in France was seeing the inverse ratio, versus here in the US, of subcompacts to large cars (and SUVs were a scarcity). --- I noticed very little modding of subcompacts, other than Smarts.

That's the thing about France (other EU countries too, but France in particular). Cars are mostly viewed only as a means of transportation. That's why you see so many people going to work in a 10-year old dark blue Clio, although they could easily afford a BMW.

Nice gallery too.

[2009BBPliftback]

thanks for all the pics! Its a whole other ballgame when in comes to cars in Europe.. my kind of ballgame:biggrin:

[Steveh27]

Thanks for the great post w pics. Next year we're supposed to get a few more subs; Ford KA, Chevy Beat (to be renamed Spark I think) & I think a Chrysler version of the Fiat 500. Wish we could get a subcompact SUV 4WD like my 95 Geo Tracker or the late 90's 2 door Rav4.

[RedHatch08]

^
Yup. Plus Ford Fiesta, Mazda 2, Honda CRZ...

[alby_yaris]

i would love to get a 500 but it would have to be the abarth edition
I'm Italian...truste me, fiat make bad cars...
Anyway I've been in France too, in Strasbourg (2 months ago) and I saw a lot of toyotas:smile:

I'll post some photos tomorrow:wink:

[tomato]

I'm Italian...truste me, fiat make bad cars...
Anyway I've been in France too, in Strasbourg (2 months ago) and I saw a lot of toyotas:smile:

I'll post some photos tomorrow:wink:


that's awesome, please do!! :thumbsup:
Where in Italy are you? :smile:

Rome definitely has some *really * small / narrow * streets!!!!

[alby_yaris]

that's awesome, please do!! :thumbsup:
Where in Italy are you? :smile:

Rome definitely has some *really * small / narrow * streets!!!!
I'm from Vicenza (near Venice):wink:

As promised: trip photos, click here (http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?p=492015)