2013 Vios - Let's hope Toyota brings it to N. America

[Hershey]

The dash of the new YARII are very XD like . Center is better .

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Kal-El

Not sure why Toyota is stalling the advancement in engine and transmission tech in the low end of their cars including the current gen Corolla - 4 speed auto? Come on Toyota. Should of been a 5-speed 5 years ago. Should be a 6-speed in the 2014 model.

No doubt it's one of the reasons the 3rd gen Yaris hatch has slow sales. People expect a 40mpg EPA number in these cars and Toyota missed the chance.

Yeah, I have no clue what Toyota is thinking. 4-spd gear boxes are not good for performance or fuel efficiency, imo.

[fnkngrv]

Originally Posted by Hershey

The dash of the new YARII are very XD like . Center is better .

Personally I agree with you. I love having the center with exception to backseat speed police being able to be on top of your gauge all the time. Thing is that the bulk of the folks out there for one reason or another are scared of that type of change yet they don't mind having their eyeballs plastered to the 7" Nav screens in the center as well....

[Hershey]

Originally Posted by fnkngrv

Personally I agree with you. I love having the center with exception to backseat speed police being able to be on top of your gauge all the time. Thing is that the bulk of the folks out there for one reason or another are scared of that type of change yet they don't mind having their eyeballs plastered to the 7" Nav screens in the center as well....

, you're right about backseat police . When my mother goes with us she eyes it like a hawk and lets me know if over the speed limit . Drives me ers . Will have to throw a blanket over it . We were adapted to the center console in a day . Like things that are different . Nailed it with the NAV and all the doodads , just more distractions .

[Lippitt]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Yeah, I have no clue what Toyota is thinking. 4-spd gear boxes are not good for performance or fuel efficiency, imo.

They surely know what's what, but they still don't bother putting at least a 5-spd in? Any idea's why, it looks like they just don't care?

[redglare45]

I like it for the most part. The rear still looks like the last gen. Would be nice to see a bump in engine hp or perhaps offer a 1.8L in North America.

[fnkngrv]

Originally Posted by Lippitt

They surely know what's what, but they still don't bother putting at least a 5-spd in? Any idea's why, it looks like they just don't care?

There are actually some now that say having a stick instead of a slushbox offers more distraction. I actually attribute it to the perpetuation of laziness. I forced my daughter to learn stick and will also do so with my son. I personally feel that you are a better driver with a stick as you are more attuned to the vehicle.

[why?]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Yeah, I have no clue what Toyota is thinking. 4-spd gear boxes are not good for performance or fuel efficiency, imo.

Originally Posted by Lippitt

They surely know what's what, but they still don't bother putting at least a 5-spd in? Any idea's why, it looks like they just don't care?

It is cheaper to use old tech. Toyota earns very little selling these vehicles in the US. Almost no one would buy a $20k Yaris in the US, yet they can get that with all sorts of options overseas, because gas mileage is more important over there.

[Kal-El]

Originally Posted by why?

It is cheaper to use old tech. Toyota earns very little selling these vehicles in the US. Almost no one would buy a $20k Yaris in the US, yet they can get that with all sorts of options overseas, because gas mileage is more important over there.

Toyota is going to need to move production of the Yaris outside of Japan, at least for those sold in the west. There's too much cost cutting needed now just to offer the Yaris in the US. Building them in Mexico probably makes the most sense. Of course, that all depends on which existing plant could facilitate that. If they are going to invest billions in a new plant, that plant will have to build a lot more than just Yaris's.

[Hershey]

Build it at the old NUMMI plant along with the "C" .

[why?]

Originally Posted by Kal-El

Toyota is going to need to move production of the Yaris outside of Japan, at least for those sold in the west. There's too much cost cutting needed now just to offer the Yaris in the US. Building them in Mexico probably makes the most sense. Of course, that all depends on which existing plant could facilitate that. If they are going to invest billions in a new plant, that plant will have to build a lot more than just Yaris's.

I am almost positive they are moving US production to France, along with many other countries as well. Pretty sure we had a thread about that 6 months ago or so.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Hershey

Build it at the old NUMMI plant along with the "C" .

That's now the Tesla factory. I think the EV Rav4 is partly assembled there, not 100% on that.

[Hershey]

Oh , out of our price range . . How about the former SATURN plant ?

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by fnkngrv

with exception to backseat speed police being able to be on top of your gauge all the time.

I've read reviews on other sites (Edmunds and Yahoo IIRC) written by people who felt that was a real negative that they didn't think of before buying their cars. I guess it's all in what one experiences...has never come up for me...knock on wood.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

That's now the Tesla factory. I think the EV Rav4 is partly assembled there, not 100% on that.

Did they hire any of the old NUMMI workers? A guy I lost touch with has a little brother who was planning to become a LEO. While he was in school, he knocked up his girlfriend. Her father was an executive at the NUMMI plant. They married and her father got him a job at the NUMMI plant. The last time I saw the little brother, I asked him if he was still planning on becoming an LEO. He said no....that with overtime he was making more money than he would in law enforcement (and his wife was pregnant with their third child at the time). When the big changes started happening, I kept an eye on that news for quite a bit of time (mostly from out of state).

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Hershey

Oh , out of our price range . . How about the former SATURN plant ?

Wait, what's out of your price range? The EV Rav4? That things is EXPENSIVE! lol.

I have no clue where the Saturn factory is at.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

Did they hire any of the old NUMMI workers? A guy I lost touch with has a little brother who was planning to become a LEO. While he was in school, he knocked up his girlfriend. Her father was an executive at the NUMMI plant. They married and her father got him a job at the NUMMI plant. The last time I saw the little brother, I asked him if he was still planning on becoming an LEO. He said no....that with overtime he was making more money than he would in law enforcement (and his wife was pregnant with their third child at the time). When the big changes started happening, I kept an eye on that news for quite a bit of time (mostly from out of state).

afaik, some were rehired. I don't know how many were though. What position does he have at the Tesla factory now?

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

afaik, some were rehired. I don't know how many were though. What position does he have at the Tesla factory now?

No, I lost touch with them just before it closed as the NUMMI plant. I was wondering if they hired any of the NUMMI workers because I thought he might have gotten his job back, so to speak (sans UAW of course).