Yaris and other Subcompacts of France (lots of pictures)

[CTScott]

I just returned from a week in France. One of the most exciting aspects of being in France was seeing the inverse ratio, versus here in the US, of subcompacts to large cars (and SUVs were a scarcity). During a week in Paris, Normandy and Versailles, I only saw about 30 Yaris on the road. The Renault subcompacts (Twingo and Clio) were by far the most common subs. The smaller Peugot cars (106, 206, 207, 307, and 308) Citroen cars (C1, C3, and C4), the Opel Corsa, the Fiat 500, the Smart ForTwo, the Cooper Mini, and the Toyota Aygo were all fairly common as well. I noticed very little modding of subcompacts, other than Smarts.

Toyota, Renault, and Citroen have exhibition store fronts on the Champs Elysees. The Yaris was displayed on the second floor of the Toyota Rendez-Vous, next to the Formula 1 simulator. In the Toyota exhibition, they had a complete Toyota IQ (no Scion brand in Europe) mounted to the wall.

I also visited a Toyota dealership in Vincennes, where I was able to hear a D-4D diesel first hand and was able to fondle the digital AC controls.


Here are some Yaris sighting pictures from the streets of Paris (about 1/2 that I saw were D-4D diesels):
















Here's the Toyota Rendez-Vous Exhibition on the Champs Elysees











Here's a Toyota Yaris Verso:





Here are a couple shots of the Toyota IQ (Hanging on the wall in the exhibition and one on the street):






Here are a couple of shots of the Toyota Aygo (available with 3 or 5 doors):







Here's an Aygo with a BMW 120d in front of it:



Here's the 2nd gen Renault Twingo:








Here's the 1st gen Renault Twingo:


Renault Scenic:


Renault Clio:


1956 Renault 4CV:


Peugot 107:




Peugot 206:


Opel Corsa (These are really easy to mistake for a Yaris):


Mercedes A-Class (about the size of a Yaris):


Fiat 500:



Leiger XToo




Aixam City (plug-in electric):




Aixam M-Go (plug-in electric, which does not require a driver's license in France):

[mario98c]

I like that shift knob!

[YAR1S]

Neat! Those little electric cars are funny.

[RedHatch08]

That's a different world...

Seriously, think about any time you've seen video footage from Europe.

How many times have you ever seen a pickup truck?

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by PK198105

i love the little Aygo. did you have fun ? Did you get to drive any of them?

No. I could have test drove cars at the dealership, but they were far more accommodating than they needed to be, for someone who was obviously not there to purchase a vehicle, so I decided not to.

[kustom play]

i would love to get a 500 but it would have to be the abarth edition

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by kustom play

i would love to get a 500 but it would have to be the abarth edition

I saw a couple of a Abarth edition ones, but didn't have my camera ready to catch them. They are really sharp with the pearl white paint and red accents and red checkerboard roof.

[tomato]

Beautiful!!! Thank you for this thread!!

[Kioshi]

cool pictures CTScott. DId you travel mainly by foot & train or rented a car out there? Wondering if you rented a car, what you drove on those tiny streets.

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by Kioshi

cool pictures CTScott. DId you travel mainly by foot & train or rented a car out there? Wondering if you rented a car, what you drove on those tiny streets.

Mainly by foot and Metro. We did tours to Normandy and Versailles by bus. Our next vacation to Europe will be a month long one, and for that we'll rent a car and hit more countries.

[tomato]

the 4CV is a rare sight. I can't imagine who would own it these days except a collector. Plus looks like it's in excellent shape, has been restored.

Did you by any chance see any 2CV? These are getting harder and harder to spot, even in France.

(the 2CV is one of my favorite cars for sentimental reasons, not because it's fast! hehe)

I learned how to drive mostly during a vacation in Brittany on an old beat up 4L aka Renault 4, also not exactly a speed demon ;)

[Chuck G]

Very cool thread!!
Thank you

[coheed]

Originally Posted by tomato

Did you by any chance see any 2CV? These are getting harder and harder to spot, even in France.

I was just about to ask that lol. As it so happens there is an old 2CV rolling around in the town next to mine. Weird huh? As there are so many rednecks with jacked up trucks and 80's Camaro's that someone would actually drive around a completely stock 2CV. I want to take a pic everytime I see it but its always going the oppisite direction in traffic and I dont have enough time to.

[CTScott]

Originally Posted by tomato

the 4CV is a rare sight. I can't imagine who would own it these days except a collector. Plus looks like it's in excellent shape, has been restored.

Did you by any chance see any 2CV? These are getting harder and harder to spot, even in France.

(the 2CV is one of my favorite cars for sentimental reasons, not because it's fast! hehe)

I learned how to drive mostly during a vacation in Brittany on an old beat up 4L aka Renault 4, also not exactly a speed demon ;)

I didn't specifically notice any, but I recall seeing quite a few older and boxier cars, so I may have. That 4CV was perfect inside and out. The owner had an info sheet in the widow.

[auxmike]

Looks like you had a great time!
Paris looks very congested and a bit grimey.
I went to Barcelona in '99 to see family and found it a lot like your Paris pics. They put huge dumpsters curbside for residential garbage. The whole area smelled like garbage!
Parallel parking; looks as though they wedge each other in. I expect a lot of scuffed bumpers over there...

[big lo]

Cool pics, CT glad your home safe.

[Altitude]

I like how prominently small cars are displayed at the dealership. Around here, the poor Yaris and cars like it are relegated to some obscure spot in the dealers lot. The show room is reserved for big ass trucks and bigger cars.

[Yaris Hilton]

I love the 4CV!