2nd vs 3rd gen ride quality + durability

[chocolab]

Hey guys, been looking for a used Yaris for a long time now. Insisting on a manual transmission eliminates a ton of candidates so it's been hard to locate one!

I'd pretty much decided I would wait and find a 3rd gen because I was so impressed with the one I rented for a few days last year. The 2nd gens I've test driven were fine -- definitely better than the competition -- but the 3rd gen just seemed quieter, smoother, and a little more refined. Is that still the consensus? Because right now there's a 2nd gen within driving distance that's the right color and has the right features, and the price isn't too bad either.

Like most of you, I assume, I mainly want the car for its great MPG and reliability. But I'd mainly be putting highway miles on the car, so a quiet ride that tracks well at highway speed is important. Is the 3rd gen really much better or was that just my impression?

Also, how are you guys with 3rd gens finding the durability of the interior? I've looked at a couple of 2nd gens with around 100k and both times was really impressed with how great the interior still looked. Haven't seen a 3rd gen with higher miles.

Thanks!