Yaris review from the NY Daily news

[bobselectric]

I read the article in the DN two weeks ago and never got around to typing it out. I found this today online- Finally, someone who reviews cars likes the Yaris


The Toyota Yaris: A real gas-sipper

By Jenny White

Tuesday, February 17th 2009, 4:00 AM

I tried to use all the gas in the 2009 Toyota Yaris that I had for a week, but it was an exercise in futility. After two short road trips, a week of commuting and a weekend jaunt across the state line to visit my family, I still turned the car back in with gas in the tank.

The five-door delivers more cargo flexibility and was my favorite among the three models. The three-door was adequate, but difficult for those with more than one passenger.

Standard features in the basic Yaris are few. A tilting steering wheel and air conditioning come with the entry-level Yaris, but not much more. But, there are several option packages that make the Yaris more convenient and stylish.

The Convenience package, which adds a rear-window defogger, 15-inch wheels and an AM/FM/CD audio system, is one of those “must-have options,” and keyless entry is affordably added. The sportier S trim includes dressy trim bits and AM/FM/CD audio as standard equipment.

All Yaris models are equipped with a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 106 horsepower and 103 pound-feet of torque. Power is transmitted to the front wheels through a standard five-speed manual or an optional four-speed automatic transmission. You won’t win any takeoffs at stoplights, but people who drive the Yaris usually aren’t into that.

Both models I drove, (the five-door and the three-door) were equipped with automatic transmissions that were adequate. EPA-estimated fuel economy with the manual transmission checks in at 29 mpg city and 35 mpg highway. These figures are among the best found in the economy car segment.

I really liked my time in the Toyota Yaris and would strongly recommend anyone looking for a compact car to check it out. Base price for the five-door hatchback was $13,305. That jumps to $16,280 with the power package.
Cox News Service