So how are you liking your 2012 & 2013 Yaris SE?

[The Squirrel Mafia]

Been looking for a new commuter. I have been looking at the Hyundai Accent SE with a 6-speed manual , the uber rare Kia Rio SX with a 6-speed manual (only 400 units made), & the Toyota Yaris SE with a 5-speed manual. As far as bang for the buck goes, it looks like the Accent & Rio win, but as far as proven reliability goes, the Yaris wins & the other 2 have yet to prove themselves. All 3 of these cars have what I want: manual transmissions & 4-wheel disc brakes.

I drove a 2007 Toyota Yaris hatch with a 5-speed for a few months. I was surprised at how well it handled. My only gripe was the lack of instant throttle response. It seemed to take forever to get the engine to go whenever I would press the gas pedal. Outside of that, I actually kind of enjoyed the car.

So owners of 2012 & 2013 Yaris SE cars with 5-speed manuals, how are you liking your Yaris so far? Do you enjoy it? Do you wish you would have gotten another car instead?

One final question. For anyone that has driven the 2nd generation Yaris & the new 3rd generation, how does the throttle lag compare? Does the 3rd gen Yaris have better instant throttle response or is it just as bad as the 2nd gen?

I'd appreciate your feedback. Thanks!

[Amdkt7]

I have the L. I have not noticed any kind of throttle lag. I did find a Yaris SE, but finally picked the L mostly due to cost.

I love my Yaris, and I am convinced that I made the correct choice (for me). Mostly, total cost of ownership had a huge role in my choice, and reliability has a lot to do with that.
There are throttle control modules that can improve the throttle response (which I don't notice). I drove a Kia Rio 5SX before that. The Yaris clearly has less power, but I wanted far better than 28-32 MPG. I also had a bad transmission in the Rio, went out at 30K miles, replaced under warranty with a POS that had problems with the synchronizers in 2nd gear for as long as I had it. Very hard to shift when cold....
If you want performance you will probably want the Rio (I have never driven the Hyundai). For cost it would be the Yaris, no question.

[Septembersrain]

I have a (retired) 2004 Kia Rio. I can tell you these little cars are great at first but they do not hold up well. They don't seem to carry miles reliably. I can definitely tell you to go test drive a slightly used Rio so you can see for yourself what I experienced. As for the 2013 Accent, I don't know much about it. I do know that they are supposedly a higher class Kia (Technically same brand), So possibly more dependable. I'd suggest going to forums and reading what the owners are saying. There will be good and bad but weed through it a little bit. Do what feels right to you. After test driving over 10 cars, I found mine.

I didn't own an older generation Yaris but I can tell you that these engines become shockingly perky if you use premium gas. After the initial first fill, I started using premium. I could tell that the slight lag was turning into her climbing for 4th gear unintentionally.
It was quite a fun revelation for me. A dangerous one too maybe (Woohoo). =P

Any new car you get will ride great at first. I bought this car because I want it to continue to do that long after the break-in period. I did rent a Yaris while my Kia was in the shop. Even being a rental with miles wracking up, It drove like a new car! ^_^



http://www.edmunds.com/kia/rio/2013/consumer-discussions.html
http://www.cars.com/hyundai/accent/2013/consumer-reviews/
www.Kia-forums.com
http://www.hyundai-forums.com/index.php

[nookandcrannycar]

Even being a rental with miles wracking up, It drove like a new car! ^_^

Even after 6 years 7 1/2 months and 245,000 + miles, I still feel that way. I'm amazed re how solid it still feels....and squeak free (knock on wood)! Other than 'the basics' that wear out (Tires, Battery, Oil, Filters, bulbs, etc) I've only had to replace the front wheel bearings at about 110,000 miles and the alternator at about 159,000 miles....otherwise original (all engine, radiator, water pump, brakes, A/C, clutch, etc)..... (all of my maintenance (except the mileage intervals for my first 14 oil changes = on pages 9, 11, and 12 of Kal-El's mileage thread).

[etherdude]

I have a 2012 Yaris SE 5 speed in Silver. I now have almost 18,000 miles. The only mod is a TRD rear sway bar. The car handles great, stops great, and drives smoother with better responsiveness than it did when new. Throttle response is very linear. It lacks the quick "tip-in" response that seems typical of other Japanese cars (like my sons Mazda). However, I have no complaints.

After a bit over a year of driving (14 months), I can say that I have consistently gotten better than EPA rated combined mileage. EPA on the 2012 manual is 30/38/35 (CTY/HWY/Combined). I get 35-37 in winter and 37.5 - 39.5 in summer in my mixed HWY/suburban driving.

This car reminds me so much of my 1st generation VW GTI. Very quick and direct handling, revvy but not overly powerful, a bit buzzy after long runs, and just a lot of fun to drive.

Doug

[nookandcrannycar]

This car reminds me so much of my 1st generation VW GTI.

It's hard to imagine a better compliment (I too had a like GTI for just under 200k miles). I just hope that when I want to get an SE (likely sometime during the 2016 Model Year) that I will be able to find a 5-speed (a requirement), and that the quality hasn't taken a nosedive re French assembly and parts sourcing.

[veewonwon]

Very happy '12 SE 5-spd owner. 10 months, 12,000 kms. It does not have a super sharp (or touchy & artificial) throttle response like the Civic, but like others mentioned, it is very linear, and snappy enough in stop-and-go traffic. Brakes are very good on those skinny low-resistance tires. And I do prefer the quicker steering ratio on the SE, and the nice thick leather wrapped steering wheel

Coming from the G37s 6mt coupe (previous DR) and RX-8 6mt, I don't find I miss much as a city daily driver. It has all the essential amenities I need. Due to its light weight and compact size, it is a big advantage in terms of maneuvering thru traffic in rush hours. I can stay clutch-in as low as 700 rpm in 1st and 2nd without jerks, and the pick up from such low rpm is still very good.

To me, the most funny thing is, this 3rd gen SE is more rare in our city than any of my previously owned sports cars, German or Japanese. I've only seen another SE once, and don't even know if it is a 5-spd.

I did test drive the Veloster, Accent, and Elantra GT last summer before the Yaris, none of them were good. To me, the suspension setup need more work as they all handled very sloppy over turns with dip. Their steerings also felt weird, felt like a huge dead zone in the center, suspect excessive free-play, but they're all new demos with very little mileage??? We tried all 3 cars one after the other, and they all behaved the same.

We also tested the Mazda 3 skyactiv, was our top choice till we found the ride unacceptably harsh, much more so than the G37s. And a bunch of other small compacts from various brands, in fact, the Yaris was started at the bottom of our list. Yet, it came through as the most logical choice, and indeed we like it even more after we owned it.

So, the quick answer is, "no, I wouldn't want to pick another car".

[Septembersrain]

Very happy '12 SE 5-spd owner. 10 months, 12,000 kms. It does not have a super sharp (or touchy & artificial) throttle response like the Civic, but like others mentioned, it is very linear, and snappy enough in stop-and-go traffic. Brakes are very good on those skinny low-resistance tires. And I do prefer the quicker steering ratio on the SE, and the nice thick leather wrapped steering wheel

Coming from the G37s 6mt coupe (previous DR) and RX-8 6mt, I don't find I miss much as a city daily driver. It has all the essential amenities I need. Due to its light weight and compact size, it is a big advantage in terms of maneuvering thru traffic in rush hours. I can stay clutch-in as low as 700 rpm in 1st and 2nd without jerks, and the pick up from such low rpm is still very good.

To me, the most funny thing is, this 3rd gen SE is more rare in our city than any of my previously owned sports cars, German or Japanese. I've only seen another SE once, and don't even know if it is a 5-spd.

I did test drive the Veloster, Accent, and Elantra GT last summer before the Yaris, none of them were good. To me, the suspension setup need more work as they all handled very sloppy over turns with dip. Their steerings also felt weird, felt like a huge dead zone in the center, suspect excessive free-play, but they're all new demos with very little mileage??? We tried all 3 cars one after the other, and they all behaved the same.

We also tested the Mazda 3 skyactiv, was our top choice till we found the ride unacceptably harsh, much more so than the G37s. And a bunch of other small compacts from various brands, in fact, the Yaris was started at the bottom of our list. Yet, it came through as the most logical choice, and indeed we like it even more after we owned it.

So, the quick answer is, "no, I wouldn't want to pick another car".

Question for you, What size tires do you have on your Yaris?
I test drove a ton of different cars too and hadn't considered the Yaris at all.
That was until I got it as a rental while my car was in the shop that is... :w00t:

[veewonwon]

Question for you, What size tires do you have on your Yaris?
I test drove a ton of different cars too and hadn't considered the Yaris at all.
That was until I got it as a rental while my car was in the shop that is... :w00t:

For summer, I'm using stock 195/50-16 Bridgestone Turanza tires. Winter's with 185/60-15 X-Ice 3.

[jcboy]

In the local forums of car enthusiasts, one owner posted his brandnew 2012 Rio with 1.4L engine getting only 6-7km/L, even after break in period. with receipts and logs of what kind of gas he filled it up with.

and my friend has a 20010 Rio, the steering is numb. the ride is ok, the gear ratios are, say, weird in my opinion.

[The Squirrel Mafia]

Very interesting responses. I do need to test drive a 2013 SE with a 5-speed, but they seem to be as rare as a hen's tooth.

Just read up that Toyota is planning to move their Yaris productoin from Japan to France. I wonder if that's gong to impace the quality. Hmmmm....



@ veewonwon: Funny. I've been wanting to get a 2004 Infiniti G35 sedan with a 6-speed manual to play around with. That of a slighty newer 2007 or 2008 G35 sedan with a 6-speed manual. Do not want 2005 to 2006 G35 revups. Too many issues.

[veewonwon]

@ veewonwon: Funny. I've been wanting to get a 2004 Infiniti G35 sedan with a 6-speed manual to play around with. That of a slighty newer 2007 or 2008 G35 sedan with a 6-speed manual. Do not want 2005 to 2006 G35 revups. Too many issues.

I'd a 3-yr leased '04 G35 6MT Coupe before, it was more raw (and more fun) than the G37s, didn't had much issues with it for about 48,000km, except for one warranty work on re-torque the rear suspension members as they're making some clicking sound during acceleration. Maintenance was on the high side, those Brembo pads goes down fast, and I used as little brakes as I normally would, glad they're very easy to replace; the engine ran rough on high rev (5k+), not better than the 1NZ-FE; the HID headlights are one of the worst I came across; factory tires worn down very quickly; interior plastic was no better than the Yaris. Other than the few things mentioned above, the car ran fine, and performed well. Overall, a pretty good GT car.

[The Squirrel Mafia]

^ Good to know. I test drove a 2013 G37 6MT sedan. Very nice & decently fast, but I don't think it's worth its $42,000 asking price. Seems a bit pricey for what you get, but then again, inflation & all that takes a toll on everything. That or maybe I'm expecting too much.

I'm still looking to test drive the 2013 Yaris SE with a 5-speed. I'm going to try this weekend.

[b20vteg]

i get good gas mileage (41.5mpg). that's all i'm gonna say lol.

[tooter]

Very interesting responses. I do need to test drive a 2013 SE with a 5-speed, but they seem to be as rare as a hen's tooth.

SE5's aren't the only rare Yaris'...
At the time I was looking for a new 2012 L base model 5 speed. There were only three in the whole state of California. It was less than 17 hours between the time one of them was located and when I bought it.The sales manager said that only 1.5% of the 2012's come with manual transmissions. I read that percentage has gone up this year due to the more frugal people demanding better fuel economy.

[mr_miles]

When I got my base model 5 spd they had to haul it from the midwest. It landed here in Portland, was put on a truck, stayed at a dealer for 1 day, then got back on the truck and returned to Portland for me :D Took them almost 3 months to find it, too! I felt special.

[nookandcrannycar]

Very interesting responses. I do need to test drive a 2013 SE with a 5-speed, but they seem to be as rare as a hen's tooth.

Tooter is right, and that scenario existed even 5 years before that. I was in Chicopee, Massachusetts when I made the decision to buy right away (I already knew I would get a Yaris). I searched the inventory of every Toyota dealer in the Northeastern U.S. (given my location at that moment) and California (in case buying a car in the state I lived in was going to be much easier than buying one in another state). There were only five 5-speed manual Liftbacks in the entire Northeast and four (might have been five) in the entire state of California.

I finished my search (hundreds of dealerships), ranked the 5 in the Northeast in terms of desirability, and left immediately to head to #1 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I arrived in Cambridge and found the dealership had lied re their listing. That particular car/vin# was still out on the boat with no definite arrival date! I immediately headed toward choice #2 in Rhode Island, and a few hours later made that purchase.

[b20vteg]

yup, at the time i was buying my 3dr L, there was only ONE that came in stick in the entire STATE of AZ... they have to drive it back to my dealership 100m away.

[Scubaru Steve]

i am still loving my 2012 SE 5spd
ordered it Nov 2011, unseen what the SE looks like.
picked it up early January 2012, been loving it since.
38,000km, afe intake, dc headers, 17's and trailer hitch.

[joshthorsc]

It's a great little car, but I hate how the interior scratches so easily and no telescoping steering wheel.

I do love the reliability, ease and cheap maintenance, gas mileage, fun driving factor of the SE model and surprisingly the stereo on SE trims. It sounds better than my 2013 Tundra Rock Warrior. However, the Yaris' competition has a lot to offer for about the same price.

If I could do it over, I'd probably take a look at the veloster or cruze even though they may be a few grand extra.

[b20vteg]

However, the Yaris' competition has a lot to offer for about the same price.

If I could do it over, I'd probably take a look at the veloster or cruze even though they may be a few grand extra.
i dunno... the only major contender for me was the honda fit - and the only reason i didn't go with it was the price.

[Septembersrain]

i dunno... the only major contender for me was the honda fit - and the only reason i didn't go with it was the price.

I was looking at the Fit too.
My issue was the cupholder about breaking my knee as I got out.
I also felt it was longer than I'd wanted too (Front end especially).

Only other one I'd seriously considered was the xD.
On the model I wanted, you couldn't adjust the seat height.
Considering that and what seemed like a bigger blind spot, I passed. [

Ever since putting in premium gas, I've found my Pearl to be a blast.

[mirapatec]

My 2012 Yaris L has been an excellent road companion. It has been an absolutely flawless daily driver.

[D-Flo]

I know this is a little late (looks like everyone posted in May 2013). But I wanted to chime in with my 2cents re the Yaris SE 2012 5d I'm now leasing. Maybe just to make a Yaris owner feel better?
I test drove the Ford Fiesta and the Nissan Fit, and Yaris was the clear winner on performance and looks, although it was slightly higher on price because I went with top trim. I tested the normal Yaris 2012 sedan and the 5d liftback SE dominated it in cornering, overall looks (especially the dash), and a few other things. The Fiesta looks fairly cool on the outside but the interior is not nearly as nice as the Yaris SE 5d liftback.

[juicyjosh]

The Yaris is small, slow, unresponsive, and cheap, the latter being the main reason I'm *leasing* it. The Honda Fit is superior in every way, except that it's 4" longer, and, like all Hondas, has 3 feet of front overhang, and is overpriced. The Yaris is overpriced, too, just cheaper than the Fit, and poorer in all areas, except, in my opinion the exterior look.

According to a prior post in this thread, someone said they drove a Nissan Fit. Another said his friend has a 20010 Rio. I bet those cars are pretty rare.

Someone earlier said he likes the faster SE steering response. In fact, the Yaris' cheap electronic assist steering has a delay, particularly on the SE, where the steering response is actually slower compared to the L and LE models. The SE's "sport" steering ratio is geared to be 20% slower, which means you will always have to turn the SE wheel 20% more to get the car to turn by the same degree. The SE "sport" steering also provides less assist; Drive an L or LE, then go back to driving the SE, and you'll wonder what's with the pointless heavy steering. As a bonus the "sport" steering gives you a larger turning circle, so the little Yaris SE ends up with the turning radius of a Camry. You notice this as you're driving; Little corrections require more steering angle than you're probably used to; U-turns are always just-barely-made-it endeavors; Every time you horizontal park; No matter how perfectly you position the Yaris SE to fit in the spot, most of the time, it's a 3-point parking maneuver. The difference is that Toyota gave the Camry a quicker steering ratio, so at equivalent steering angles, a 2012 Camry will actually turn itself more than a 2012 Yaris, which, underneath the cosmetics, is basically still a 2005 Yaris.

Regarding "high octane" gas, unless you are increasing your engine's compression ratio, higher octane gasoline contains fewer high energy bond molecules compared to regular gas, and therefore, at equal volumes, produces less power than regular gasoline. So putting premium into a stock Yaris results in the car producing less power, requiring you to push harder on the accelerator to get the same output as a Yaris with regular fuel in it. Plus it costs more. But some people feel good spending more money to go slower with less fuel economy, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. :thumbsup:

But the car's still cheap, and that's the purpose it's serving. It doesn't have any issues (except the check engine light that came on within a few weeks of my installing a homemade CAI, excessive body roll, even with TEIN coil-overs, thanks to cost-cutting measures such as a 19th-century-technology transverse rear trailing arm without an anti-roll bar, mushy brakes, terribly-designed windshield washer/wiper, the dinner-with-your-in-laws strict upright seating position yet with a high dash, lack of legroom with a non-telescoping steering wheel, an A/C odor that has been described as moist months-unwashed elephant genitalia festering under a hot Texas sun, uncomfortable non-supportive seats, nonsensical dash layout, Bridgestone Potenzas which have no grip whatsoever under any conditions known to man or beast that also wear out faster than the Yaris depreciates, clunky shifter, 4th and 5th gears being essentially the same gear, clutch judder after only a few thousand mostly freeway miles, bargain basement sale stereo, door lock and steering wheel buttons that not do anything unless you press, hold and wait, generally soulless mass-produced narrow and tall turtle body shape and simply pathetic lack of power) and starts almost every time, except the times where it just cranks. But it has always started on the second attempt.

Aside from that, hands down best car I've ever leased. Then again, it's also the only car I've ever leased.

[The Squirrel Mafia]

^ Hahaha! Thanks for the review. I still haven't bought one yet. I have actually been concentrating on getting out of debt & my current beater has been reliable so far, making the need for a commuter almost non-existent. I'm pretty close to being debt free at the moment.

I'm thinking of skipping the commuter idea & just stepping up to something more "powerful" that can serve as both a commuter & semi-fun car that will be somewhat decent on gas. I do need 4-doors, though. Something like a Civic Si sedan, Ford Fiesta ST, Ford Focus ST, Subaru WRX (somewhat of a gas chugger), or something along those lines.

I'd be unloading my Miata if I did this. I can tell you one thing. Although all those cars are way more powerful & newer, they still wouldn't be as fun as my 1995 Miata beater.

[nookandcrannycar]

According to a prior post in this thread, someone said they drove a Nissan Fit. Another said his friend has a 20010 Rio. I bet those cars are pretty rare.

:bellyroll:

an A/C odor that has been described as moist months-unwashed elephant genitalia festering under a hot Texas sun

:bellyroll:

How many miles have you put on the SE?

[juicyjosh]

^ Hahaha! Thanks for the review. I still haven't bought one yet. I have actually been concentrating on getting out of debt & my current beater has been reliable so far, making the need for a commuter almost non-existent. I'm pretty close to being debt free at the moment.

I'm thinking of skipping the commuter idea & just stepping up to something more "powerful" that can serve as both a commuter & semi-fun car that will be somewhat decent on gas. I do need 4-doors, though. Something like a Civic Si sedan, Ford Fiesta ST, Ford Focus ST, Subaru WRX (somewhat of a gas chugger), or something along those lines.

I'd be unloading my Miata if I did this. I can tell you one thing. Although all those cars are way more powerful & newer, they still wouldn't be as fun as my 1995 Miata beater.

My brother has an NB Miata. I can see the appeal; the car does take corners better than almost anything out there. I'm not into Civics, but my friend has a black 2008 Civic Si, and that car is really, really fun. Honda really got it right with that model. If I had one as a daily, I might actually consider keeping it stock - even the ride height. My cousin has a WRX. Not really my style, and to me it feels tall and small inside. However, the Yaris is a money-saver. I'm rough on the Yaris because I'm calibrated to something completely different. This is what I was driving for the last 7 years. I sold it to my friend, and when my Yaris lease is up, I'm getting another.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg161/juicyjosh701/doesntbelong.jpg (http://s248.photobucket.com/user/juicyjosh701/media/doesntbelong.jpg.html)

:bellyroll:



:bellyroll:

How many miles have you put on the SE?

Clutch judder started at around 4000 miles. The putrid A/C stench started after 1000. There's no excuse for that. Yes, there's a fix, but there shouldn't be a problem in the first place.

I've had the car for 1 year, and the car right now has 8500 miles.

[YodaBird]

Honda fit is an DAMN, that's ugly car.

My only other option was the Scion. Overall I'm happy, the insurance is a little too high is my only complaint.

[marcar72]

I have a 2012 Yaris SE 5 speed in Silver....

This car reminds me so much of my 1st generation VW GTI. Very quick and direct handling, revvy but not overly powerful, a bit buzzy after long runs, and just a lot of fun to drive.

Doug

OMG I was thinking the same thing! I had a 1983 VW GTI and it was super fun to drive. I almost bought a Yaris a couple days ago but I"m still on the fence. One thing I did though before checking it out in person was compare it's specs with the GTI's. They're both pretty damn close with the Yaris gettting 16 more horses...:thumbsup:

[ron3]

juicyjosh whines like my wifes I year old Poodle, and for the same reasons.

[nookandcrannycar]

OMG I was thinking the same thing! I had a 1983 VW GTI and it was super fun to drive. I almost bought a Yaris a couple days ago but I"m still on the fence. One thing I did though before checking it out in person was compare it's specs with the GTI's. They're both pretty damn close with the Yaris gettting 16 more horses...:thumbsup:

:thumbsup: (see post #6)

[nookandcrannycar]

juicyjosh whines like my wifes I year old Poodle, and for the same reasons.

:bellyroll: