Toyota to Debut 2018 Yaris At New York; No Mention of Yaris GRMN

[kimona]

Originally Posted by Kalispel

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/201...-and-info-news

According to Car & Driver:

"Our 2018 Yaris soldiers on with the 1.5-liter four-cylinder, which makes a wimpy 106 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 103 lb-ft of torque at 4200 rpm. It’s connected to a five-speed manual transmission in the two-door L and a four-speed automatic transmission—yes, a four-speed—on every other trim."

As far as I'm concerned, that's great news! I hope they don't put ANY tech stuff in the car. Power windows/locks/mirrors and FM stereo is all I want/need.

[Dabuu]

I think its cool that the L and LE models will be getting the SE's instrument cluster.

[scratchpaddy]

Originally Posted by David C

A lower price tag would.

The price is never going to be lower than a used Yaris, which, again, isn't much different from a new Yaris, going back many years.

I'm still happy with their decision to keep things the same, but sales will continue to fall as long as gas is cheap, and there's nothing new to get people excited about it.

[scratchpaddy]

Originally Posted by kimona

As far as I'm concerned, that's great news! I hope they don't put ANY tech stuff in the car. Power windows/locks/mirrors and FM stereo is all I want/need.

All I want is cruise and power mirrors. I don't mind crank windows on a two-door, I don't use the radio much, and really don't even care about power steering.

[Kalispel]

I'm happy with the features/equipment of the 2015 SE. I could actually do without the power windows, power mirrors, and obsolete CD player. I would have liked the side mirror turn-signals though and upgraded climate controls (both of which were available in other markets in 2015). The new added 'safety tech features' for distracted idiot drivers (or certain really old drivers who shouldn't be driving anyway) is a huge turn-off for me when it comes to considering a newer car now. I would have to be able to turn all that crap OFF and be able to ignore its presence in my vehicle 100%. Plus, you just know all those extra sensors/electronics will malfunction and need costly repairs at some point.

[David C]

Originally Posted by scratchpaddy

The price is never going to be lower than a used Yaris, which, again, isn't much different from a new Yaris, going back many years.

I'm still happy with their decision to keep things the same, but sales will continue to fall as long as gas is cheap, and there's nothing new to get people excited about it.

At $19k CAD for a base Yaris hatch, it's kinda costly, that's what I meant. Used ones in like new conditions are selling for much less.

If they go back to the interior styling of the 2nd gen, I'm sure they would sell more. I see a lot of newer Micra, Versa, Fit, Spark, etc and very few 3rd gen Yaris. Most Yaris on the roads here at 2nd gen and Echo. Gotta mean something, right ? You even see more Prius C than newer Yaris.

[Dabuu]

Originally Posted by Kalispel

The new added 'safety tech features' for distracted idiot drivers (or certain really old drivers who shouldn't be driving anyway) is a huge turn-off for me when it comes to considering a newer car now. I would have to be able to turn all that crap OFF and be able to ignore its presence in my vehicle 100%. Plus, you just know all those extra sensors/electronics will malfunction and need costly repairs at some point.

I have it on my '17, and have it turned off. No stupid lights on the cluster letting you know it's off.

[invader166]

Originally Posted by David C

At $19k CAD for a base Yaris hatch, it's kinda costly, that's what I meant. Used ones in like new conditions are selling for much less.

If they go back to the interior styling of the 2nd gen, I'm sure they would sell more. I see a lot of newer Micra, Versa, Fit, Spark, etc and very few 3rd gen Yaris. Most Yaris on the roads here at 2nd gen and Echo. Gotta mean something, right ? You even see more Prius C than newer Yaris.

I think you nailed it on the price point. 19k is a little much for a bare-bones car with little features. Really not that easy to keep up in the market when others offer better equipt vehicles for less than a base Yaris hatch. Reliability and fuel economy are really the only things left that are going for the Yaris, but the copetition is actually starting to catch up.

Ultimatly, in this day and age, people are more likely to buy cars because of the tech-features and power it has.

As for the 2nd gen. being more common? I can definitly see why. It actually has a central cabin light. Unlike the 3rd gen.

[scratchpaddy]

OK, I see your point now. That's a big sticking point. It's not cost competitive until maybe you look at total ownership costs over many years, and no one does that. The Versa is the best-selling subcompact here by a long shot. It's also the cheapest, which isn't a coincidence.

The Yaris has changed so little, the simple fact that I like the 2nd gen interior layout better is enough that I have no interest in a new one. If they were to add a telescoping steering wheel, though... hell, even a Spark has a telescoping wheel.

[Kalispel]

New Toyota commercial/promo for the 2018 design Yaris - though not something you would ever see in the USA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIrtkcAWqn0

[scratchpaddy]

Originally Posted by Kalispel

not something you would ever see in the USA.

I thought you meant it had girls without enough clothes for American TV.

[David C]

That video was pretty funny, as in ridiculously swaggedish rainbow power

[Dodge Aries K]

I wonder if Toyota has a massive stockpile of the 1nz-fe that they're trying to use up or something haha. Either that or they just want to make it as cheap as possible for all the rental fleets they sell to. I don't understand the unwillingness to offer a more modern power train since they do in pretty much any other country on the planet. I mean, maybe have the old power train standard or something but offer an option of something more fun.

Being said, I also like that it's basically a 20 year old new car because the reliability is rediculously good and it's a platform that works. However, how much longer will they pull this off before nobody buys it anymore except as an ex rental car?

[David C]

My only beef is the automatic transmission not being upgraded to at least a 5 speed. Cruising the highway at 3000rpm isn't ideal for gas mileage. I don't think the engine needs any change, as far as power and reliability goes, it's already almost a 1:1 kg/hp ratio and doesn't show its age.

Removing the central cabin light and canceling all the storage in the dash was a huge fail IMO.

Power mirrors, doors and windows are a must nowadays, at least if you live in the city.

[Nu18F]

Originally Posted by NYC-SE

I say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". That tried and true combo is one of the main reasons I bought my Yaris.

Same here on the powertrain. Toyota has the programing about perfect between the 1NZFE and U340E transmission. I see magazine articles ragging on that transmission and wonder if they ever spent anytime at all driving the car.

Also, the 1NZFE it'self is such a great engine. No oil burning, fuel dillution of the engine oil or coked deposits on the valves and pistons from poorly tuned Gas Direct Fuel Injection, too light piston ring tension ,ect.

In fact, i wish Toyota would add two cylinders to the 1NZFE and place the 2200cc inline 6 in the Toyota S-FR. Never going to happen though.

http://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/9790082

[NYC-SE]

Originally Posted by Nu18F

In fact, i wish Toyota would add two cylinders to the 1NZFE and place the 2200cc inline 6 in the Toyota S-FR. Never going to happen though.

Straight six. The best engine design IMHO.

[NYC-SE]

So I finally saw a few of the 2018 models in person during my recent trip to Europe. I can't decide if the front is uglier than the 2015-2017 design or just displays the same level of ugliness in a different combination. The Fu Manchuishness is still there but I think it is tamed a little, but the foglight area looks horrible with those stupid chrome accents. Looks even worse with those stupid chrome accents and no foglights.

Rear view is good though. Although my personal preference is for tail lights to be separate from the hatch/trunk area they look good here. LED tail lights over there. The one thing I don't like about the rear is the rear reflectors being placed in those black surrounds. That seems to be another unwelcome design trend I'm seeing more and more elsewhere as well.

[Kalispel]

Originally Posted by NYC-SE

So I finally saw a few of the 2018 models in person during my recent trip to Europe. I can't decide if the front is uglier than the 2015-2017 design or just displays the same level of ugliness in a different combination. The Fu Manchuishness is still there but I think it is tamed a little, but the foglight area looks horrible with those stupid chrome accents. Looks even worse with those stupid chrome accents and no foglights.

Rear view is good though. Although my personal preference is for tail lights to be separate from the hatch/trunk area they look good here. LED tail lights over there. The one thing I don't like about the rear is the rear reflectors being placed in those black surrounds. That seems to be another unwelcome design trend I'm seeing more and more elsewhere as well.

I like the look of the 2015-2017 Yaris in SE trim, but I'm not feeling it on the 2018 refresh for a variety of reasons. It looks less-tamed to me and more like a fish/frog now in front-grill styling, and the upside down chrome trim fang near foglight housings doesn't help in that regard. The new projector headlights + LED DRL also look really cheesy to me versus the current SE ones. Unless the next Yaris after the 2018-2020(?) version is better styled to my tastes, I don't see myself buying another Yaris at this point when 2020-2021 rolls around.