Persuade me to buy a Yaris!

[TONIZZLE]

Hello everyone,

I'm interested in trading in my '99 4Runner Limited 4X4 w/ 92K miles for an '09 Yaris S 5dr Hatch. I posted this in the 4Runner forum and ppl were thinking I was crazy. Well now I would like some opinions from the Yaris side.

The Yaris S has 11K miles, iPod interface, remote start, sunroof, cruise.

Here's where I need help:

1) I would have to finance to get the Yaris, but that's money I can save since the 4Runner is all paid.
2) The 4Runner is a beast in heavy rain and snow, and was pretty good in the 23" blizzard that occurred last Feb. (I'm in the midwest).
3) I would save at the pump with the Yaris of course, to the tune of $800~ per yr if I drive 10K miles.
4) The 4Runner has a solid resale value, and it seems the Yaris doesn't hold value that well.
5) The interior of the Yaris didn't impress me with all that cloth and plastic, compared to the 4Runner's leather and wood trim.
6) When test driving the Yaris I liked how peppy it was going 0-40mph. With the 4Runner it seems like I'm standing on the pedal to get a response.
7) The 4Runner's msrp was around $38K, and the Yaris' msrp was $18K.

That's all I can think of now. Feel free to share your opinions or comments. Thanks YarisWorld ppl.

[vector9mm]

The Yaris has good resale and it doesn't matter anyway as you would be buying a used one and it is already devalued. I love my Yaris. I get about 35 mpg average. The only thing it needs is a rear sway bar to handle good if you drive the back roads.That's 150 bucks and 1/2 hour to install.

[DMZ]

You are comparing a 4Runner to a Yaris?

I have a Tundra DC 4X4 SR5, but I would never compare it to my Yaris. They are two completely different vehicles that I use for different things. They are both great vehicles.

Buy the Yaris for fuel economy and low maintenance cost. Keep the 4Runner for bad weather and more comfort on long trips. If you expect the Yaris to replace your 4Runner, you are going to be disappointed.

[SailDesign]

BUY THE YARIS...!!!!!!!

Did that work? :smile:

Srsly, though, it is a great little car.

[swidd]

For $400-$460 you can put a great leather interior in the Yaris.

[Kal-El]

Yaris gets twice the gas mileage and gas is $4/gal and rising, enough said.

May depend on how much you drive though. If you only drive 5 miles a day, then it depends more on what you need your vehicle to do.

You are comparing a 4Runner to a Yaris?

I have a Tundra DC 4X4 SR5, but I would never compare it to my Yaris. They are two completely different vehicles that I use for different things. They are both great vehicles.

Buy the Yaris for fuel economy and low maintenance cost. Keep the 4Runner for bad weather and more comfort on long trips. If you expect the Yaris to replace your 4Runner, you are going to be disappointed.

I wouldn't say he'd be disappointed. All things considered, I'd still choose to drive a Yaris over ANY truck or SUV. This is true even if you factor out gas mileage.

To the OP, you'll love the Yaris.

[BEEF]

most front wheel drive cars are pretty good in inclement weather. the yaris probably isn't an exception to that rule.

handling mods are pretty cheap if you want to go that route.

it will be hard to get a nonbiased opinion from either of those sites. they are both going to be biased in their direction. the 4runner guys are going to think you are crazy and the yaris guys are going to say go for it. that's just how it works.

I recently purchased a 3 door hatch. it is a 2008 with less than 18k on it. it was under $12k the payments really are small. given all the factors that went into my decision, it was a great deal. I will say I have no use for an SUV or a truck for that matter. if you actually use your 4runner for stuff and need the towing or cargo space, you can either keep it and get the yaris or not get the yaris.

the resale on these things are crazy (at least what I have seen) sometimes the used ones are almost as expensive as the new ones. granted I was looking at 1 or 2 years old. that was a big reason I bought one that was 3 years old. I still stayed with low mileage.

in the end, you have to live with it. if you don't like small cars, the yaris is not for you. if you like the good gas mileage and the fact that it is a toyota and will probably last a really long time, go for it. test drive it, scrutinize it, make sure it is the way you want to go. finance it for 6 years and pay it off in 2. make sure you are OK with the deal. nobody can tell you it is or isn't a good deal.

hopefully some of that made sense and it isn't just me rambling.

good luck my friend.

[brg88tx]

i sold my 03 tacoma doublecab for my 07 yaris sedan. doubled my mpg and save approx $1,000 per year in gas. i don't regret it, but then again we also have a suburban for hauling and long trips. just didn't need 2 gas hogs.

[TONIZZLE]

The Yaris has good resale and it doesn't matter anyway as you would be buying a used one and it is already devalued. I love my Yaris. I get about 35 mpg average. The only thing it needs is a rear sway bar to handle good if you drive the back roads.That's 150 bucks and 1/2 hour to install.

I'll keep that in mind. My first mod would probably be tints.

You are comparing a 4Runner to a Yaris?

I have a Tundra DC 4X4 SR5, but I would never compare it to my Yaris. They are two completely different vehicles that I use for different things. They are both great vehicles.

Buy the Yaris for fuel economy and low maintenance cost. Keep the 4Runner for bad weather and more comfort on long trips. If you expect the Yaris to replace your 4Runner, you are going to be disappointed.

Unfortunately can't afford two cars. I was actually getting disappointed when I looked inside the Yaris' interior. You can definitely see the difference in price between a T4R Limited to the Yaris. Which brings me to...

For $400-$460 you can put a great leather interior in the Yaris.

...this is true, now if there was something that can be done with the plastics. I do like how the Yaris has a sunroof. Seems rare w Yaris S hatches.

Yaris gets twice the gas mileage and gas is $4/gal and rising, enough said.

May depend on how much you drive though. If you only drive 5 miles a day, then it depends more on what you need your vehicle to do.

To the OP, you'll love the Yaris.

I probably drive less than 20 miles a day. I mainly go to the train station, and take that downtown. I definitely have the Yaris' gas mileage as one of its main points.

most front wheel drive cars are pretty good in inclement weather. the yaris probably isn't an exception to that rule.

handling mods are pretty cheap if you want to go that route.

it will be hard to get a nonbiased opinion from either of those sites. they are both going to be biased in their direction. the 4runner guys are going to think you are crazy and the yaris guys are going to say go for it. that's just how it works.

I recently purchased a 3 door hatch. it is a 2008 with less than 18k on it. it was under $12k the payments really are small. given all the factors that went into my decision, it was a great deal. I will say I have no use for an SUV or a truck for that matter. if you actually use your 4runner for stuff and need the towing or cargo space, you can either keep it and get the yaris or not get the yaris.

the resale on these things are crazy (at least what I have seen) sometimes the used ones are almost as expensive as the new ones. granted I was looking at 1 or 2 years old. that was a big reason I bought one that was 3 years old. I still stayed with low mileage.

in the end, you have to live with it. if you don't like small cars, the yaris is not for you. if you like the good gas mileage and the fact that it is a toyota and will probably last a really long time, go for it. test drive it, scrutinize it, make sure it is the way you want to go. finance it for 6 years and pay it off in 2. make sure you are OK with the deal. nobody can tell you it is or isn't a good deal.

hopefully some of that made sense and it isn't just me rambling.

good luck my friend.

Nice post. Biased opinions are what I have to work with. There was a guy on here that owned both a '99 4Runner and a Yaris. His sn is 120.0.0.1 i think. He's banned though, so couldn't get his opinion.

I checked KBB on the resale of a 2010 base yaris. Details here (http://www.kbb.com/new-cars/toyota/yaris/2010/resale-value?id=256284&category=hatchback). From year 1 to year 2 of ownership it lost 50%, then $1K each year after.

Don't really tow anything, but I do put my mountain bike in the back of the T4R with the rear seats folded down.

i sold my 03 tacoma doublecab for my 07 yaris sedan. doubled my mpg and save approx $1,000 per year in gas. i don't regret it, but then again we also have a suburban for hauling and long trips. just didn't need 2 gas hogs.

That's a lot of gas savings. What if you didn't have the suburban and only had the Yaris? That's where I'm at. One or the other.

[matthewai]

do it......

YOU WONT!!!

[cali yaris]

A yaris.... because you can do this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNuCuQxMG6k

:wink:

[SilverBack]

^Best selling point right there!

BTW I know it's kinda last-minute, but back to the same place on the 1st. Down for it?

[swidd]

Uhm if you're sure you're okay with the small-car lifestyle aspect, i.e. you can't haul firewood and large furniture, only small grocery purchases at a time; no large family or soccer practice hauls, and you will get no respect from Republicans (unless you fit up to ~40" of gun in the Yaris trunk), then check out the competition and see if spending more on Ford Focus/Fiesta, Mazda 2/3, Audi A3, or Mini Cooper would be worth it do you. There you'll have leather and wood and almost-as-good MPG. The Yaris is only the leader when considering what you get for your money; best fuel economy in economy class, lowest maintenance cost for the lowest initial purchase price.

For the plastic, search the microimage forums for great ideas with carbon fiber wrap, paint, dye, suede cover etc. Looks like <$300 in other parts will go a very long way modding the handling, brakes, gear throw etc. I've tried to buy parts for sale off this website to save cash.

[carnageehw]

1) I would have to finance to get the Yaris, but that's money I can save since the 4Runner is all paid.
I don't understand this. You can save money on financing the Yaris since the 4runner is paid off?

Lets say you get a 09 yaris for 11,000, and you finance it for 3 years. That's a 305 monthly payment over paying nothing per month for the 4 runner.

2) The 4Runner is a beast in heavy rain and snow, and was pretty good in the 23" blizzard that occurred last Feb. (I'm in the midwest).
With good tires (I'm in Canada) the Yaris works well in winter. With crappy tires, it's not so great. As long as you don't mind the annual "tire switch" form all seasons to winter, you'll be fine.

3) I would save at the pump with the Yaris of course, to the tune of $800~ per yr if I drive 10K miles.
If you drive 10,000k a year, you'll save 800 bucks? What about when you factor in the monthly cost of the Yaris, compared to a car that's paid off?

Might be worth it in the long run though.

4) The 4Runner has a solid resale value, and it seems the Yaris doesn't hold value that well. It's got decent "resale" value, it's just that the car doesn't cost much to begin with.


5) The interior of the Yaris didn't impress me with all that cloth and plastic, compared to the 4Runner's leather and wood trim.
The interior sucks. The quality is crappy, the seats are meh, the cupholders are in really annoying places and the dash in front of you collects dust quickly. If you get in your 4runner and love the look and feel of the cockpit when driving, you'll be disapointed in the Yaris.

6) When test driving the Yaris I liked how peppy it was going 0-40mph. With the 4Runner it seems like I'm standing on the pedal to get a response.
It's really peppy and quick, but if you're used to a heavier pedal, you might hate the Yaris' accelerator and brake. They are very sensitive. You'll get used to it eventually, but it can be annoying at times.



Other things to consider:
1)Your car obviously has more cargo room that the Yaris, especially a hatch. How important is that to you?

2)Are you selling your 4 runner? That should make a decent dent in the Yaris cost.

3)Test drive the car a bunch of times. It's seats don't adjust that much, and it's sensitive pedals are going to be really, really different than the car you are used to, especially if you have been driving it since 99.

[Kal-El]

Uhm if you're sure you're okay with the small-car lifestyle aspect, i.e. you can't haul firewood and large furniture, only small grocery purchases at a time; no large family or soccer practice hauls, and you will get no respect from Republicans (unless you fit up to ~40" of gun in the Yaris trunk), then check out the competition and see if spending more on Ford Focus/Fiesta, Mazda 2/3, Audi A3, or Mini Cooper would be worth it do you. There you'll have leather and wood and almost-as-good MPG. The Yaris is only the leader when considering what you get for your money; best fuel economy in economy class, lowest maintenance cost for the lowest initial purchase price.


I think unless the OP has more than 2 kids, he should be fine living with a sub-compact car. The Yaris, especially the liftback, can haul a crap load of stuff. More than enough space for most situations. People always bring up the part about hauling furniture or lumbar but on that rare occasion, you rent a truck or have it delivered (most stores deliver furniture, appliances, ect. for free). Why own a big truck for that rare occasion when you need to haul a huge load but commute everyday at 18 MPG with no load.

And yes, the Yaris is the lowest cost to own vehicle you can buy. This is factored when you combine purchase price, MPG, maintenance, reliability, parts, and insurance. The only cars that come close is a base Accent and Versa. They can't beat the Yaris mpg and reliability though. As my sig points out, I've got 105,000 miles and have not needed a repair yet. THAT'S cheap to own. :smile:

BTW Swidd, many conservatives own small cars including myself. That's a silly generalization. We own them for economical reasons not environmental reasons knowing that "global warming" is a massive hoax. :wink:

[Kal-El]

I don't understand this. You can save money on financing the Yaris since the 4runner is paid off?

Lets say you get a 09 yaris for 11,000, and you finance it for 3 years. That's a 305 monthly payment over paying nothing per month for the 4 runner.


If you drive 10,000k a year, you'll save 800 bucks? What about when you factor in the monthly cost of the Yaris, compared to a car that's paid off?
.

You're assuming that his 12 year old 4-Runner will not need costly repairs.
At 12 years old, even being a Toyota, expensive things are going to start needing replacing/fixing. But overall, yes, a car payment is almost always more than repairs over time. Often times though, a repair easily costs $1,000 being dumped into an old car. And this can happen a few times a year.

[carnageehw]

You're assuming that his 12 year old 4-Runner will not need costly repairs.
.

I'm not assuming, I just forgot to mention it ;)

[TONIZZLE]

A yaris.... because you can do this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNuCuQxMG6k

:wink:

Nice vid. I wonder what fitment that is.

Uhm if you're sure you're okay with the small-car lifestyle aspect, i.e. you can't haul firewood and large furniture, only small grocery purchases at a time; no large family or soccer practice hauls, and you will get no respect from Republicans (unless you fit up to ~40" of gun in the Yaris trunk), then check out the competition and see if spending more on Ford Focus/Fiesta, Mazda 2/3, Audi A3, or Mini Cooper would be worth it do you. There you'll have leather and wood and almost-as-good MPG. The Yaris is only the leader when considering what you get for your money; best fuel economy in economy class, lowest maintenance cost for the lowest initial purchase price.

I like what Ford has done with the Fiesta. Especially with the optional body kit and Euro spoiler. The Mazda 3 looks good too. But these are maybe an extra $5K above the Yaris.

I don't understand this. You can save money on financing the Yaris since the 4runner is paid off?

Lets say you get a 09 yaris for 11,000, and you finance it for 3 years. That's a 305 monthly payment over paying nothing per month for the 4 runner.

If you drive 10,000k a year, you'll save 800 bucks? What about when you factor in the monthly cost of the Yaris, compared to a car that's paid off?

Other things to consider:
1)Your car obviously has more cargo room that the Yaris, especially a hatch. How important is that to you?

2)Are you selling your 4 runner? That should make a decent dent in the Yaris cost.

3)Test drive the car a bunch of times. It's seats don't adjust that much, and it's sensitive pedals are going to be really, really different than the car you are used to, especially if you have been driving it since 99.

That's what I meant. I would be paying money to finance a Yaris vs. pocketing that by keeping the 4Runner. The 4Runner would be a trade-in. I did notice the seats when I was test driving. Seems like there's one adjustment missing.

I think unless the OP has more than 2 kids, he should be fine living with a sub-compact car.

No kids, but I plan to someday. Which makes me wonder if I do get the Yaris I may need to trade-in again for a more family friendly car.


Lots of knowledgeable ppl in this forum. This is going much better than my post in the 4Runner forum. By this time the 4Runner members were getting pretty hostile.

[carnageehw]

No kids, but I plan to someday. Which makes me wonder if I do get the Yaris I may need to trade-in again for a more family friendly car.




I had a sedan, not the 5 door hatch like you want, so I don't really know how different it will be, but I had a rear facing child seat in the back for a while, and I was decently comfortable. If you're a huge guy, or like the seat really far back, it would get annoying.

[Klink10]

I won't but the local dealer had 15 one day and the next 5 were left. Wonder why? One salesperson told me they had a run on them from Tundra owners.

[detroiter]

If not a Yaris, get a Mazda 2. You won't regret it.

[HYang]

Despite being an enthusiastic Yaris driver, I have to wonder if now is the most economically advantageous time to trade-in your SUV for a subcompact.

Afterall, gasoline prices are higher every day- demand for SUV's are tanking while prices for all subcompacts are ratcheting up. Throw in the Fukushima factor, which in the short term means the supply of Yari is uncertain (and even more excuse for sellers to raise prices), and you might wonder if you might not like to try holding your 4runner for a while longer- until prices at the pump stabilize a bit or the factories in Japan start running again.

It may not be the most advantageous time to trade-in your 4runner for that Yaris. YOu could lose more money than you normally would; ie. when fuel prices are more 'normal' and no Tsunami after-effects in Japan.

Sure enough, I just checked Yaris prices on truecar.com, and people are paying more than two-grand higher than they were back in January, when I bought mine.

Having said all that, go for it!
Yaris is a great little car, if Best Value For Your Money is what you are shooting for.
In addition to fuel cost savings, you might also save money on car insurance.

[daddyo]

If not a Yaris, get a Mazda 2. You won't regret it.

That's Pure Michigan.:biggrin:

[bigdoglover]

its a big adjustment from an suv to the yaris and i know because i did it almost 4 years ago. i do miss the suv, but not when i pull into the gas station and fill up. its not as comfy, i don't consider the yaris to be anything more than a great little car for running around. long trips, no-but you can rent a suv if you take a road trip. i have the 3 door liftback and have put lots of large items in it-i always leave the rear seat folded flat and my large labrador jumps right in and off we go! i still long for the comfort of an suv, but right now i am loving the great gas mileage. i do wish mine was the 5 door because the 3 door gets hot in the summer-it would have been nice to be able to crack the rear windows for some fresh air. sounds like a nice little car you are looking at-
my driving style has certainly changed with the yaris-i drive faster-i used to lumber down the road with my trailblazer, now i zip right along hugging curves. this is from a grey haired old senior woman.

[detroiter]

I could care less about michigan. Maybe the U.P but the lower area can burn in hell for all i care lol.

[Kal-El]

If not a Yaris, get a Mazda 2. You won't regret it.

Yeah he will. :tongue: j/k...well, not really. :wink:

The Mazda 2 has been out about a year+ and I have yet to see even one and I live in a very high population coastal area. It's a total failure.
- It's ugly
- Get's inferior mileage despite being smallest in class

- It does offer very good driving dynamics though - basically the only thing it wins in. That said, it's no more fun to drive than a Fit.


Despite being an enthusiastic Yaris driver, I have to wonder if now is the most economically advantageous time to trade-in your SUV for a subcompact.

Afterall, gasoline prices are higher every day- demand for SUV's are tanking while prices for all subcompacts are ratcheting up. Throw in the Fukushima factor, which in the short term means the supply of Yari is uncertain (and even more excuse for sellers to raise prices), and you might wonder if you might not like to try holding your 4runner for a while longer- until prices at the pump stabilize a bit or the factories in Japan start running again.

It may not be the most advantageous time to trade-in your 4runner for that Yaris. YOu could lose more money than you normally would; ie. when fuel prices are more 'normal' and no Tsunami after-effects in Japan.

Sure enough, I just checked Yaris prices on truecar.com, and people are paying more than two-grand higher than they were back in January, when I bought mine.

Having said all that, go for it!
Yaris is a great little car, if Best Value For Your Money is what you are shooting for.
In addition to fuel cost savings, you might also save money on car insurance.

Those are fair points. However, if he is ever going to buy a small car, might as well do it now (don't wait 'til summer). Gas is still climbing. It's $4 now, could be $5 in July. And the way it's going, many believe gas will never "level off" again (not to traditionally low prices). We may never see below $3 again. Some speculation even suggests $6+ a gallon in the near future. America's long history of cheap gas may be over and become more in line with the rest of the world who pays up to $10/gal.

[TONIZZLE]

Despite being an enthusiastic Yaris driver, I have to wonder if now is the most economically advantageous time to trade-in your SUV for a subcompact.

Afterall, gasoline prices are higher every day- demand for SUV's are tanking while prices for all subcompacts are ratcheting up. Throw in the Fukushima factor, which in the short term means the supply of Yari is uncertain (and even more excuse for sellers to raise prices), and you might wonder if you might not like to try holding your 4runner for a while longer- until prices at the pump stabilize a bit or the factories in Japan start running again.

It may not be the most advantageous time to trade-in your 4runner for that Yaris. YOu could lose more money than you normally would; ie. when fuel prices are more 'normal' and no Tsunami after-effects in Japan.

Sure enough, I just checked Yaris prices on truecar.com, and people are paying more than two-grand higher than they were back in January, when I bought mine.

Having said all that, go for it!
Yaris is a great little car, if Best Value For Your Money is what you are shooting for.
In addition to fuel cost savings, you might also save money on car insurance.

Don't think I'll save with insurance. I would need to get the $1000 deductible coverage since I'll be financing.

its a big adjustment from an suv to the yaris and i know because i did it almost 4 years ago. i do miss the suv, but not when i pull into the gas station and fill up. its not as comfy, i don't consider the yaris to be anything more than a great little car for running around. long trips, no-but you can rent a suv if you take a road trip. i have the 3 door liftback and have put lots of large items in it-i always leave the rear seat folded flat and my large labrador jumps right in and off we go! i still long for the comfort of an suv, but right now i am loving the great gas mileage. i do wish mine was the 5 door because the 3 door gets hot in the summer-it would have been nice to be able to crack the rear windows for some fresh air. sounds like a nice little car you are looking at-
my driving style has certainly changed with the yaris-i drive faster-i used to lumber down the road with my trailblazer, now i zip right along hugging curves. this is from a grey haired old senior woman.

Here we go! An SUV to Yaris owner. I noticed you didn't mention anything about winter driving with the Yaris. Do you miss the SUV in the winter? What would you consider a long trip? 1hr each way? I didn't feel any discomfort when test driving the Yaris. But that was only for 5 minutes.

[rick996]

I checked KBB on the resale of a 2010 base yaris. Details here (http://www.kbb.com/new-cars/toyota/yaris/2010/resale-value?id=256284&category=hatchback). From year 1 to year 2 of ownership it lost 50%, then $1K each year after.

I looked at that kbb page. :iono: I can't see how they can say there is a 50% loss on the Yaris in the first year.

I put my 2010 in as a base (not even a radio) 5-speed with 17K on it that I have owned/driven for 18 months for private party value and got Excellent $13,365, Good $12,515 and Fair $11,215. Not bad considering I bought it for $14,435 new (base $12,780 with $955 in added options and $700 transportation charges) with 0% financing for 3 years.

Value for suggested retail is $14,915 (excellent) and $12,225 for trade in.

I bought it retail at base $12,780 and it's still in excellent condition. If I compare it against retail value of $14,915 now, that's a 16.7% appreciation. If I add in transportion, which I think is fair for an apples to apples comparison, it's 10.6% appreciation.

Of course I can't sell it retail. The comparison for a private party sale at base + transportation ($13,480) to $13,365 current private party value is a depreciation of $115 or 0.85%. Even at trade in the depreciation is only 9.3%.

The kbb page for these calculations is here (http://www.kbb.com/used-cars/toyota/yaris/2010/private-party-value/pricing-report?id=260990&condition=excellent&mileage=17000)

If I could find any at $6,578.40 I would pick up a few to resell. :biggrin:

With the money I'm saving on gas and the fact that with 0% interest I'm paying for it with cheaper inflated money I would call it a pretty good investment. :thumbup:

And because I'm not sure if kbb meant value on the 2nd year (one year old) or after 2 years, here are the private party values for a 2009 5-dr hatch with 24,000 miles:

Condition Value
Excellent $13,075
Good $12,275
Fair $11,075

[Kal-El]

Here we go! An SUV to Yaris owner. I noticed you didn't mention anything about winter driving with the Yaris. Do you miss the SUV in the winter? What would you consider a long trip? 1hr each way? I didn't feel any discomfort when test driving the Yaris. But that was only for 5 minutes.

Winter driving in the Yaris is a blast - with winter tires. Winter tires should be used with all vehicles though, not just cars. Even trucks and SUV's benefit greatly from them.

My wife has a Jeep Wrangler which I often have to drive because her commute is longer and therefore takes the Yaris. For me there's no comparison, the Yaris is a way more enjoyable ride. I so badly want to get rid of the Wrangler but my wife loves 'em.

When it snows in the winter, guess which vehicle I take? Yaris of course. Wrangler stays in the driveway. :smile:

[Zaphod]

Hello everyone,

I'm interested in trading in my '99 4Runner Limited 4X4 w/ 92K miles for an '09 Yaris S 5dr Hatch. I posted this in the 4Runner forum and ppl were thinking I was crazy. Well now I would like some opinions from the Yaris side.

The Yaris S has 11K miles, iPod interface, remote start, sunroof, cruise.

Here's where I need help:

1) I would have to finance to get the Yaris, but that's money I can save since the 4Runner is all paid.
2) The 4Runner is a beast in heavy rain and snow, and was pretty good in the 23" blizzard that occurred last Feb. (I'm in the midwest).
3) I would save at the pump with the Yaris of course, to the tune of $800~ per yr if I drive 10K miles.
4) The 4Runner has a solid resale value, and it seems the Yaris doesn't hold value that well.
5) The interior of the Yaris didn't impress me with all that cloth and plastic, compared to the 4Runner's leather and wood trim.
6) When test driving the Yaris I liked how peppy it was going 0-40mph. With the 4Runner it seems like I'm standing on the pedal to get a response.
7) The 4Runner's msrp was around $38K, and the Yaris' msrp was $18K.

That's all I can think of now. Feel free to share your opinions or comments. Thanks YarisWorld ppl.

I used to have a Jeep TJ (wrangler or short wheel base) and I absolutely love my Yaris now, so I guess it's a similar comparison except that the TJ and Yaris shared the same sticker price.

I love the Yaris. I'm also in the midwest, and while I miss the Jeep for our snow and ice, I have to say that the Yaris is very capable. I just use the stock all terrain tires ... for now, and while I certainly have to be more cautious, it's still very doable. I find myself safely commuting while others are busy driving SUVs into ditches or wrapping themselves around poles or just staying at home :smile: What I honestly miss the most about the TJ is the clearance but that has less to do with snow and absolutely nothing to do with ice. (I know, right? Almost everyone else on this forum wants it lowered even more and I want lift, I guess old habits die hard.)

I'm sure that the 4runnner is very refined, but I find the suspension of the Yaris to be very comfortable by comparison to the Wrangler. And I agree with you regarding acceleration, the power to weight ratio of the Yaris is just superior to the heavier SUVs.

On the interior, you may find that you actually like it. It took me almost a month before I discovered all of the neat little storage compartments and the best use for them. It's similar to the Jeep interior, which is very utilitarian (which I like), just infinitely more useful.

I really don't care about resale value because I tend to drive cars into the ground. I had the Jeep for 12 years and it had so much rust through the floor boards that bondo and chicken wire weren't cutting it anymore and I had that special kind of air conditioning :wink: Who needs fart can exhausts when you can just have a hole in the floor :redface:

If you want my advice, I would keep the 4runner until the wheels are about to fall off. Save until you have the cash, and then when you want to make a deal for a Yaris, don't arrive in a Toyota and don't be afraid to get aggressive with your negotiations on your cash deal. Who knows, maybe that inability to hold resale value will work to your advantage and you can get a great deal on a used Yaris. Even though I'm only 2 years in on my Yaris, I love the reliability and I have a feeling that it will outlast the Jeep's 12 years easily (going with undercoating on this one).

Hope that helps.

[HYang]

Here we go! An SUV to Yaris owner. I noticed you didn't mention anything about winter driving with the Yaris. Do you miss the SUV in the winter? What would you consider a long trip? 1hr each way? I didn't feel any discomfort when test driving the Yaris. But that was only for 5 minutes.

Winter driving:
According to the Internet, ESC (electronic stability control) was not yet available for the Yaris (and most other subcompacts) in 2009. ESC is supposed to help prevent loss of vehicle control in snow/rain.

ESC became standard for 2010.
I got the '10 model for that reason and I don't regret it.

The 'slip' light (indicates that ESC has been activitated) came on quite often after the snowstorms this past winter, especially when turning corners- I never had any spin-outs, and I assume I have ESC to thank for that.

So yeah, you might consider ESC (or lack thereof) to be part of your decision on trading your 4runner for that '09 Yaris (unless of course your 4runner does not have ESC either).

As for longer trips:
I find the Yaris's firmer seats to be much more comfortable for longer trips than the cushy seats in my dad's Buick LeSabre or my brother's Oldsmobile Delta88.

Longer trips for me means 5-hour drive thru western NY.

Then again I've never really had issues with any car seat. I'm 5'7", 150lbs, maybe that's why.

[BLKHILLSGUY]

5'7 and a fat ass @ 260 and have made several long trips(longest being 14 hrs) and never had a back problem. I do step out every 4 hrs for a few mins or so to pee n smoke tho. I so love only spending $36.xx to fill the car up!! Nothing fancy but planning on adding a few Toyota parts for arm rest, bumper guard, blue lighting package, stainless steel shifter and perhaps the pedals. Def adding alloy wheels down the road and will buy separate winter wheels since I live in S Dakota. I keep Lil Dixie garaged :) Very VERY happy to be out of my 2009 Honda Fit/2011 Honda Element and back into the Toyota family of QUALITY cars.

[jambo101]

I noticed you didn't mention anything about winter driving with the Yaris. Do you miss the SUV in the winter?

Lots of Yaris up here in Quebec,with proper winter tires no one seems to have any problems in the winter, as for comfort i've done 3 trips to Florida and one trip to Vancouver with a family of 4 in an 08 sedan and no one complains about comfort issues.
Bigger cars/SUV's maybe more comfortable to drive in but the Yaris is all about being an economical and reliable daily driver that averages 35mpg with a light foot on the gas pedal.
heres my baby on the way back from a trip to Florida last week.Seems the flash catches the rain drops..=
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/jambo101/DSCF2109.jpg

[TONIZZLE]

If you want my advice, I would keep the 4runner until the wheels are about to fall off.

You're not the first one to say that. We shall see if your prophesy will come to fruition.

Winter driving:
According to the Internet, ESC (electronic stability control) was not yet available for the Yaris (and most other subcompacts) in 2009. ESC is supposed to help prevent loss of vehicle control in snow/rain.

ESC became standard for 2010.
I got the '10 model for that reason and I don't regret it.


I drive the family's VW Jetta from time to time, and the ESC light goes on when the roads aren't plowed. Usually with more than 2" of snow. I just drive slower when that happens. It's a nice feature, though this '09 has the iPod interface, and if I had to pick between the two I would choose the iPod.

[why?]

If your really have rough winter conditions you have to drive through, the Yaris as an only car is not the solution you are looking for.

I literally got my car stuck in maybe 6 inches of slush. I had to get out and push it a foot to get traction. I will admit the current tires are from down south, so probably were not made for dealing with snow. But my car got squirrely in any amount of snow.

No way should you go from a fully paid off vehicle to car payments if you only drive 20 miles a day. Do you fill your tank up more than once a week?

See if there is another subcompact that gets good gas mileage that you could afford to have both vehicles. Even 2007 model year Yaris can be had for 6 or 7 grand.

Echo's get great gas mileage as well and are even less expensive. Corrolla's the same.

[jambo101]

If your really have rough winter conditions you have to drive through, the Yaris as an only car is not the solution you are looking for.

I literally got my car stuck in maybe 6 inches of slush. I had to get out and push it a foot to get traction. I will admit the current tires are from down south, so probably were not made for dealing with snow.

I'd not blame the car for its lack of traction in the winter,i'd blame the southern probably summer tires for the problems.
I have no problems with my Yaris or Echo using proper winter tires.
Using southern tires in winter conditions is adding unnecessary risk and danger to you and those that could be involved in an accident you may cause .

[DMZ]

See if there is another subcompact that gets good gas mileage that you could afford to have both vehicles. Even 2007 model year Yaris can be had for 6 or 7 grand.

Echo's get great gas mileage as well and are even less expensive. Corrolla's the same.

In my area Echos are very hard to find. Used Corollas are selling at premium prices as are Yaris'. When I bought my Yaris there were two Corollas on the lot, a 2005 w/159k miles for $8,999 and a 2003 w/315k miles for $4,999 :eek:. Both were well maintained local trades, but jeez loueez.

[TONIZZLE]

If your really have rough winter conditions you have to drive through, the Yaris as an only car is not the solution you are looking for.

I literally got my car stuck in maybe 6 inches of slush. I had to get out and push it a foot to get traction. I will admit the current tires are from down south, so probably were not made for dealing with snow. But my car got squirrely in any amount of snow.

No way should you go from a fully paid off vehicle to car payments if you only drive 20 miles a day. Do you fill your tank up more than once a week?

Good point. With the 4Runner I only fill up once a week. If I get the Yaris I would need to get blizzaks.

I just remembered about inflation when comparing the price of my 4Runner back in '99 to today. So it's like trading in a $51K car for an $18K car. And I don't know if it really matters, but my 4Runner was assembled in Japan. Just like to throw that in. http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

[carnageehw]

Good point. With the 4Runner I only fill up once a week. If I get the Yaris I would need to get blizzaks.

I just remembered about inflation when comparing the price of my 4Runner back in '99 to today. So it's like trading in a $51K car for an $18K car. And I don't know if it really matters, but my 4Runner was assembled in Japan. Just like to throw that in. http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/

If you fill up once a week with a not-very-fuel-efficient 4runner, I won't even say a high MPG car is even something you should care about.

While the Yaris is pretty good with good winter tires, I'd only trade in your 4runner if it's on it's last legs.

[TONIZZLE]

If you fill up once a week with a not-very-fuel-efficient 4runner, I won't even say a high MPG car is even something you should care about.

While the Yaris is pretty good with good winter tires, I'd only trade in your 4runner if it's on it's last legs.

That's true. I can just use the loan money on repairs for the 4Runner. Though the repairs are adding.

Here's what I will need to do to the 4Runner in the next year:

Timing belt + water pump = $1200
Brakes + Rotors = $500
New Cat (maybe can wait since I passed emissions 2/11) = $500

The loan for the Yaris would be around $6K. Has 11K miles, S pkg w/ sunroof (seems rare). Other than oil changes, I don't expect any major service for a long time.

[CTScott]

Nice vid. I wonder what fitment that is.



I like what Ford has done with the Fiesta. Especially with the optional body kit and Euro spoiler. The Mazda 3 looks good too. But these are maybe an extra $5K above the Yaris.



That's what I meant. I would be paying money to finance a Yaris vs. pocketing that by keeping the 4Runner. The 4Runner would be a trade-in. I did notice the seats when I was test driving. Seems like there's one adjustment missing.



No kids, but I plan to someday. Which makes me wonder if I do get the Yaris I may need to trade-in again for a more family friendly car.


Lots of knowledgeable ppl in this forum. This is going much better than my post in the 4Runner forum. By this time the 4Runner members were getting pretty hostile.


I have an Xterra and my two Yaris. The Xterra is on moth balls until gas comes back down (or for the occasional lumber yard run). As others have said, it's hard to compare the two types of vehicles, other than by MPG comparison.

The Yaris can haul an amazing amount for its size. I have two kids, so the 5 door liftback is more practical than a 3 door would be. We find that the Yaris works out well for family trips and the kids' sports.

[Sandwash]

I have an '09 Yaris and a '99 4Runner; and, hence, the best of both worlds.

[TONIZZLE]

Just came back from driving in the city. I've seen a nice amount of Yaris'. No 5-door S pkg ones, but mostly 3-door hatches. I've also seen a handful of 4Runners too. Maybe my eyes are trained to look for these two vehicles.

I have an '09 Yaris and a '99 4Runner; and, hence, the best of both worlds.

If you could only keep one, which one would you choose?

[carnageehw]

Maybe my eyes are trained to look for these two vehicles.


The same thing happened with me when I was looking for cars. I was really looking into the Ford Fusion's (which I eventually bought) and I started seeing them everywhere.

Hell, after I applied for my current job, I started seeing ads for the company everywhere.

It's amazing what your eyes see when you're mind is open to it.

[Kal-El]

The same thing happened with me when I was looking for cars. I was really looking into the Ford Fusion's (which I eventually bought) and I started seeing them everywhere.

Hell, after I applied for my current job, I started seeing ads for the company everywhere.

It's amazing what your eyes see when you're mind is open to it.

The Ford Fusion is selling like crazy now. It runs neck and neck with the Camry, Accord, and Altima as the best selling cars in America.

It's an excellent car. Amazingly, it has surpassed the Camry in recent quality studies (least problems of almost any car).

[jambo101]

Persuade me to buy a Yaris!

$1.47 a liter here in Montreal today April 30
That would be getting close to $6gal.

[carnageehw]

The Ford Fusion is selling like crazy now. It runs neck and neck with the Camry, Accord, and Altima as the best selling cars in America.

It's an excellent car. Amazingly, it has surpassed the Camry in recent quality studies (least problems of almost any car).

The Hybrid I have is the best car I've ever driven. Really makes driving fuel efficient fun.

And as a driving instructor, while the Yaris was great on gas, the engine was constantly running, even doing all those slow maneuvers you did when learning to drive. The Fusion's gas engine shuts off at those speeds, so I've saved a ton on gas.

[B789]

Pros:Best mileage with any internal combustion engine type car. Very reliable car ?

Cons:Insurance is higher compared to the rest of cars (even Honda Fit). Not sure why ?

[CTScott]

Pros:Best mileage with any internal combustion engine type car. Very reliable car ?

Cons:Insurance is higher compared to the rest of cars (even Honda Fit). Not sure why ?

For me, the biggest selling point of the Yaris over the Fit, SX4, etc. was serviceability (as I do all of my own maintenance on my vehicles). I just bought a new Tacoma, and with it as well, my decision to buy Toyota was 92% based on serviceability of their products.