Just went from Echo RS to Yaris RS, Not really an upgrade....

[Thor_e]

Hey Guys.

Welcome to my first post and thanks for reading.

I Just today purchase a 2008 Yaris RS and am going to be selling my old Echo RS. I went for the RS because I know there's some upgrades in terms of handling and responsiveness and enjoyed that in the Echo.

When I test drove the Yaris It felt pretty darn good. Seemed peppy and lots of amenities I was not used to, unbelievably even MORE cubbies and the price was right. Did seem a bit laggy on the test but figures this was just me getting used to it.

But now having driven it around for the day my good feelings are sinking..... And it's really only because of a couple of things but all related to the driving feel as I am quite an aggressive performance type driver (though considerate :))

The very first thing I realize is the change over from cable driven accelerator to drive by wire. The "one...And" timing of the gas pedal makes shifting difficult without over prompting the accelerator when I was used to Just a "one" timing with the echo.... It's my first time with a DBW system and I feel like I just took a mouth full of wasabi thinking it was guacamole... Which is to say, I'm not liking it...

The other less serious issue is the distance of the accelerator from the brake which makes blip shifting uncomfortable. But I assume this would be easily remedied via new pedals or some type of apparatus.

I plan on doing some minor upgrades to help the control and feel via tires, springs, strut bars, short throw etc.. but this throttle lag really has me bugged. It seemed like Toyota kind of wandered away from the driving experience with this change. Hopefully they've solved it with the most recent Yaris.

I have done a bit of searching and all people seem to talk about is this sprint booster but seems like a bit of an artificial fix.

Has anyone determined the best most true affordable fix for this issue?

I'm really looking to get those good feelings back I has with my echo in my new ride and would appreciate suggestions and thoughts.

Looking forward to frequenting this site with all the other yaris fans of the world...

Cheers.

[Bluevitz-rs]

The only differences between the RS and non RS model are mostly interior. The mechanicals between the two are identical. The Echo is the better handling car stock for stock. I was working at Toyota Canada at the time the Yaris was launched and drove them back to back. The reason the throttle is so laggy is to make it more fuel efficient.

IMO (and I'm not hatin' here) is that the Yaris is a trade down for performance oriented driving compared directly to the car it's replacing. Sure it's more refined and has more gadgets and bells and whistles, but the driving "feel" is not the same.

[jeeper5usa]

Yaris isn't a sports car. I think it's great as my daily driver as it was designed to be. It gets great mpg and is pretty peppy for me. Bought mine new in 2011with 60,000 so far. There seen to bee many performers moods available for it including a turbo and supercharger. Maybe Yaris will grow on you out maybe you need something alittle more sporty instead of a commuter?

[Thor_e]

Well if you guys can recommend the best way to deal witht he lag of the accelerator that would be the main issue I have right now.

I like the car overall just that main issue.

Is there an ECU flash? is there a company out there that does that for the Yaris?

Or is the booster really the only option?

Thanks in advance...

[enviri]

getting a sprint throttle controller helps heaps. also go for a pedal set, i got a set from RAZO and it will enable you to get the heal-toe you need.

[cali yaris]

The very first thing I realize is the change over from cable driven accelerator to drive by wire.

I was kind of waiting for that part.

Sprint isn't the only brand of throttle controller. I have at least two others on the shelf, and they do help.

You can also take off the rubber cover of any of the pedals and replace with grip tape to adjust pedal height for almost no cost.

[Thor_e]

Really? What other similar devices are there other than sprint booster? Any more effective than others? Or better bang for the buck?

Thanks for the suggestion on the pedals. I'll take a look at them.

[3cyltrbo]

IMO (and I'm not hatin' here) is that the Yaris is a trade down for performance oriented driving compared directly to the car it's replacing. Sure it's more refined and has more gadgets and bells and whistles, but the driving "feel" is not the same.

+1

My old Echo just felt alot better than my Yaris. I still love the Yaris, but it doesn't compare.

That and my old car (Echo) (maybe because it was lighter) was significantly faster.

[marcus]

echo's lighter than the yaris..

[Thor_e]

It's similar with the civics. I live the simple fun light 1992-96 civics. Now they're just heavy commuter mobiles. It's like honda and Toyota have largely forgotten about the true driver experience. Maybe one day soon they'll get back there. For now I'll enjoy the yaris but pick away at it till I can get it to my linking. Won't have to be anything too drastic. Just some stiffening up and maybe a touch more power.