Consumer Reports not too pleased with Yaris

[eTiMaGo]

Originally Posted by littlecarlove

I do agree that both the Accent and Rio are both safer than a Yaris because chances are those cars will not be running. I doubt you can hit anything if your car can’t move.

Hhahahahahah

[Jem_hadar]

Originally Posted by the_saint

Yeah, that sounds objective.


Actually, I think it was cabin noise

Ill give it this. There is a great deal of cabin noise (absolutely, and relatively).

(I'm not complaining though, I dont mind, but I'm just saying its a perfectly valid and real point to make/note.)

Jem

[mcdaddy]

strange!! the Yaris that came out here in Saudi Arabia has ABS on it.. well,.. no wonder.hahahaha. you know what I mean..
correct!! the handling & suspension will surely improve with aftermarket performance parts..

[Pars]

I just don't get it. Even with the dinky 175/65/14 tires, I wouldn't describe the handling a sloppy at the limits. I they said, 'dinky tires that wash-out too quickly', I'd understand...but sloppy handling, that's not accurate.

[palsan]

Originally Posted by littlecarlove

Lows: Braking without ABS, engine and road noise, driving position, sloppy handling at the limits.

Not bad, but our test engineers liked the Nissan Versa, Honda fit, Kia Rio, and Hyundai Accent better (in that order). The Fit is a CR recommended car.”

The Yaris placed FIFTH! Are you kidding me? It’s rated BELOW the Kia Rio?!?!??? The Killed-In-Action Ride-InOperable???? My faith in Consumer Reports has been shaken to the core.

Hays

I tested all the cars mentioned. Both the Accent and the Rio have far worse engine and cabin noise. So bad that I thought the engines were struggling to move the car. Only the Yaris and fit came close to a "quite ride".

I think the problem is that the journalists are giving Toyota a beating for leaving ABS out of the base model Yaris - note that in Canada the Echo came with ABS in the base model!!! Obviously if you test a base Yaris (without ABS) and a base Fit/Accent/Versa (with ABS) the latter will win out on breaking.

Toyota is paying in terms of publicity for forcing people to buy packages just to get the safety features (ABS and side air bags). They will learn and will likely change and include these as standard in the future.

For me the Fit and Yaris are the two supperior vehicles in this class. I leave the Versa out because of the crappy fuel economy. The Fit has supperior seating and I think the journalists are enchanted with the tricks the Fit's back seats can perform. For me though the trick seats are not worth $2000 price premium (the difference between the Yaris I bought and an equivalent Fit) AND 3% higher finance rate.

The only disapointing thing about the Yaris is the limited colour choices!

In closing ... I understand the Fit comming out ahead of the Yaris (maybe even the Versa). The Rio and Accent better than the Yaris?????? Yea, right!

[Katana]

Cme'on the Fit has awful handling and it is very sloggish.I like better the Yaris!

[tomjasz]

Originally Posted by Katana

Cme'on the Fit has awful handling and it is very sloggish.I like better the Yaris!

Comparing my LB to my Camry's, Tundra's, and a single Sienna, the Yaris has a lot of failings. I generally agree with the assessment by CR of the Yaris. I'd give it an adequate rating on performance, top shelf forreliability, but noisy as hell.

I'd buy one again given what I know today. It will be the most reliable of the group, but it's still a CHEAP car with plenty room for improvement. My Vespa scooter cost exactly half the price I paid for the Yaris LB! Look at what the drivers here have done and claimed improvement by tweaking the running gear and adding stabilizer bars!! It will never be the "peoples car" that the Beetle was, but it's as close as anyone has come to building a great subcompact.

Once again Toyota is ahead of the pack!

Yaris rules!!

IMNSHO

[ECHOKnight2000]

I just read well skimmed Motor Trend's assement of the Yaris, FIT and Versa and Yaris came in last. In there summary I guess the Yaris wasn't a car driven by "enthuisists." The Yaris doesn't fullfill the enthuisists needs so that didn't help it with the final results.. And of course the Fit was in first then Versa, then Yaris.
I'm no brain surgen but I thought these were ECONOMY cars not sports cars...oh well that's what the major magazines are concerned about more than anything else.

[littlecarlove]

Their opinions don’t matter to me. I haven’t received my Yaris yet and
could still back out of the deal if I wanted - of course I’m not going to.
What burns me up is that their opinions do affect the resale value of my
car. I don’t see myself selling it as I plan to drive it until it rusts
apart underneath me. On the other hand, who knows what will happen
in the future? I might find that I NEED to sell it for some reason and I’ll
get less because of these jerks.

Hum, I wonder what they all said about the Echo in it’s first year?

Hays

[tomjasz]

Originally Posted by littlecarlove

Their opinions don’t matter to me. I haven’t received my Yaris yet and
could still back out of the deal if I wanted - of course I’m not going to.
What burns me up is that their opinions do affect the resale value of my
car. I don’t see myself selling it as I plan to drive it until it rusts
apart underneath me. On the other hand, who knows what will happen
in the future? I might find that I NEED to sell it for some reason and I’ll
get less because of these jerks.

Hum, I wonder what they all said about the Echo in it’s first year?

Hays

The small Echo offers a commanding driving position and easy cabin access. With a manual transmission, the 1.5-liter engine provided spirited performance while returning 38 mpg in our testing. The shifter is a bit clunky, though. Handling is fairly responsive and secure, but body roll is pronounced when cornering. The ride is compliant. The roomy cabin has plenty of storage nooks, but the interior materials feel cheap. The speedometer is at the top center of the dashboard, which takes getting used to. Echos equipped with desirable antilock brakes can be hard to find. The Echo was replaced by the Yaris.

[tomjasz]

Originally Posted by tomjasz

The small Echo offers a commanding driving position and easy cabin access. With a manual transmission, the 1.5-liter engine provided spirited performance while returning 38 mpg in our testing. The shifter is a bit clunky, though. Handling is fairly responsive and secure, but body roll is pronounced when cornering. The ride is compliant. The roomy cabin has plenty of storage nooks, but the interior materials feel cheap. The speedometer is at the top center of the dashboard, which takes getting used to. Echos equipped with desirable antilock brakes can be hard to find. The Echo was replaced by the Yaris.

Highs: Roomy interior, easy access, fuel economy, interior storage, reliability.
Lows: Spartan interior look, ABS may be hard to find.

As a small commuter car, the Echo has much to recommend it. With its high roof and efficient interior packaging, it provides more interior room than some larger cars. Drivers sit high, making the car feel a little like a micro-minivan. A low price and good fuel economy help keep costs low.

THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE

The Echo's ride is compliant enough but jostles at times, particularly on the highway. A full load settles it down some. Wind and engine noise permeate the cabin at higher speeds. Pronounced body roll in corners feels disconcerting at first, but the car hangs on well and a driver soon realizes that the handling is actually quite good. The Echo negotiated our avoidance maneuver reasonably well. Though hardly a fire-breather, the 1.5-liter Four was fairly quick for its class, and we averaged 38 mpg on regular fuel. We estimate the range on one tank of fuel at almost 500 miles. The five-speed manual shifts satisfactorily but has long throws. Braking performance was good overall, although the car veered a bit to one side on our wet divided-pavement test, even equipped with ABS.

INSIDE THE CABIN

The roomy cockpit should allow practically anyone to get comfortable behind the controls. The rather rudimentary front seats are comfortable enough though the cushion is flat, and there's no height or lower-back adjustment, but all drivers found a good driving position. The rear seat is adequate for two adults but too narrow for three. The cabin lacks some of the amenities of the other cars, but offers numerous cubbies and bins. There's a sizable drawer under the passenger seat, map pockets in the front doors, and pouches behind the front seats. The center console offers a small tray and two cup holders for the front, one for the rear. The driver's side has a covered but non-illuminated vanity mirror. As in the Prius, the Echo's instrument panel is located in the center of the dash, but the small markings can be hard to read. The speedometer is positioned close to the windshield, requiring a rightward glance to see your speed. Most controls are intuitive, though the central door-lock switch and manual side-mirror controls are a bit hard to reach. The climate-control system offers plenty of heated or cooled air, but you have to fiddle with the dash vents to get everything adjusted right. The trunk holds up to four suitcases and an overnight case or a wheelchair, with room to spare. You can enlarge the trunk space by folding one or both halves of the rear seatback. A compact spare stores beneath the trunk floor. Trunk access is partly hampered by a very short, 7-inch front-to-rear opening. And the trunk-lid hinges can crush cargo packed beneath them.

SAFETY NOTES

The Toyota Echo has dual front air bags and three-point belts for all five seating positions. The front belts have adjustable upper anchors, in addition to pretensioners and force limiters to limit forward travel and undue belt force in the event of a crash. Side air bags are optional. Rear belt anchor positions do not adjust, and may pull uncomfortably on the shoulders of some passengers. Adjustable, locking head restraints protect for rearward head travel in all outboard seats. Daytime running lights are optional. Driving with Kids: Most child seats can be adequately secured in both front and rear passenger seating positions.

RELIABILITY

We expect reliability to be much better than average, according to our latest subscriber survey.

[littlecarlove]

Thanks tomjasz. Man it looks like they liked it right off the bat. I find
it puzzling that they don’t like the Yaris - now Motor Trend too? This
is nuts. Well, I don’t plan to sell it anyway and since it is a Toyota it
will last me longer than any of those other cars.

Hays

edited to make sense

[paultyler_82]

Originally Posted by the_saint

Yeah, that sounds objective.


Actually, I think it was cabin noise & bumpy ride.

They probably didn't like the Cobra R's lack of radio or air conditioning either

[tonywenzel]

I think the pedal placement is excellent. But I am 5'4". I think the Yaris was designed for smaller people. I've driven a Fit and was real close to buying one but the extra features and flashy items weren't worth the price. If the Fit was the same price as the Yaris then they might have had my business. I still think the Yaris looks better though.

[Yaris Dick]

Consumer Reports does a great job testing and reporting on toasters and fridges, but for cars, they suck. Some of my best and favorite cars were on their shit list. They should stick to things less subjective.

[stuffy]

when the yaris first came out in canada, ALL of the canadian press was positive, basically the gist was that the echo was a great little car and the yaris was an improvement on the echo.
but this was before the fit and versa were available here.
i think honda did the right thing by including side air bags, abs on all models even if it means the base price will be higher, then factor in the magic seat and and you can see why the critics love it so much.
and the fit does have decent handling, but it isn't head and shoulders above the yaris as some would have us believe.

i can understand the yaris playing second fiddle to the fit and versa,
but the versa is not in the same class and the fit (due to price difference) might not be either.

[tomjasz]

Originally Posted by Yaris Dick

Some of my best and favorite cars were on their shit list. .

Likely because on average they were shit....

[Yaris Revenge]

Originally Posted by the_saint

Yeah, that sounds objective.

Well, actually it was. The rest of the review was pretty balanced. He did have good things to say about it. I thought that part sounded like an objective remark because he was the first I'd seen that didn't just bowl over and claim it cute and sporty, when it's pretty obvious it's an econobox with ground effects.

~YR