Yaris vs Celica

[jesh462]

Hey bros and girls. I'm getting my wife a new (to her) vehicle. Right now she is considering the Yaris and Celica GTS (7th gen).
Eventually she would like to compete together with me in road race or autox. We won't be super competitive and it's more important for us to be able to do what we want with our cars rather than be class competitive.
I know the chassis design on the GTS is beast and they have some pretty impressive cornering ability when set up. From reading on here I can see that the Yaris is no slouch either. I don't know how they directly compare. We are having trouble finding a GTS for her to test drive that is somewhat local, so I don't know what her impressions will be in comparison to the Yaris. That's what I'm asking you all for.

As far as performance, I can see that she would be able to fit more rubber under the Celica pretty easily. I can also see that there is a few hundred pounds weight advantage to the Yaris, although the Yaris will also have a higher center of gravity.
As far as engine goes, I think it's a toss up. With the GTS, she would probably keep the car NA for a while with a good I/H/E setup and still see 14s. With the Yaris, a turbo would be first priority and we would go with forged internals. It would cost more money, but I can also get a low mileage Yaris in great condition cheaper than a GTS.
I don't know how well the 2zz takes to boost, but realistically, we wouldn't want 300hp+, ever. After all, both are fwd cars that will be daily driven.

As far as other stuff:
Storage space is not an issue. The Yaris has tons and the Celica has enough for her as well. Seating is not an issue either. She is coming from a Camry and has realized that she really does not need those 2 seats in the back as much as she thought.
MPG: The Yaris holds the clear advantage hear, but the GTS does well enough that this is not a deal breaker either.

Anyways, any of your thoughts on the matter I would greatly appreciate. I have tried searching for all sorts of stuff online, but sadly most references to Yarii in general are in offhand remarks to "go buy a Yaris" if they hate cars, want gas mileage, or want something cheap. Ouch. It's obvious most people have never thought of modifying one. We have looked at a ton of other cars and ruled them out for one reason for another. I'll list a bunch below, but if you can think of a worthy competitor to either car, then I'd be glad to hear it.
I'd also like input on the top two cars listed below as she has some interest in them. I'm hoping that some of you Yaris lovers out there have also driven these other vehicles and can help me out a little.
Thanks for your time guys.


integra dc2: she has expressed some interest and this could be an option, mostly worried about theft here -.-
rsx base model: can't afford the type S, so this could be an option, though I know it can't keep up with a Celica in the twisties.. it would be up to her if she likes the feel and interior amenities over the other cars

sentra: doesn't like any of the body styles
integra da9 and older: doesn't like body style
fit: not as fun to her as the Yaris
300zx: she doesn't like the body style
dsms: I've been down this road and don't feel like putting up with one for the wife. She also just doesn't like most body styles besides the 3000gt, and then there's gas mileage to consider.
rx7: she does not dig the body style (flip up lights, overall shape, rear lights)
6th gen Celica: loves the appearance but limited performance from engine
eg hatch: she needs power steering, the Si that does have PS does not have enough torque for her taste.. also very hard to find one with a body in decent shape
ek and all later hatches/coupes: body style does not appeal to her
s13/14/15: body style does not appeal to her
Mazda 2: too new and over our price range (probably around 10k max I want to spend)
mini cooper s: dependability, while good for an English car, doesn't really compare to Toyota
miata: does not like older body styles, newer ones are too much $$
accord/prelude: again, body style
corolla xrs/vibe/matrix: likes the GTS body better
mazda speed protege/3: I don't want to deal with tranny and other misc issues
older wrx/srt4: I don't want to deal with a car that's probably been beat to shit
domestics: she refuses to drive them
anything in the 80s or older: she doesn't like older body styles
impreza rs: too low of mpg
mr2: doesn't want to copy me, snap oversteer is a bit much for her
vw anything: I don't want to deal with the maintenance
BMW anything, Porsche anything, Mercedes: she doesn't like the body styles

p.s.: As you can see, my wife is somewhat picky about aesthetics.
p.p.s: I promise this is a 100% legit post, and I'm not trying to troll or flame anyone.