07 yaris liftback and 06 xa test drive

[extenny]

Hi First post here.
I have already orderd a liftback from a local dealer here. Anyway I went to a local dealer yesterday to look and test drive both the 07 liftback and an 06 scion xa, and now am debating between the 2. I just wanted to post what I thought between the 2 and see if anyone who has seen or driven both had any opionons as well.
1. at least in my opinon i think the yaris is a better looking car.
2. during the test drive the yaris seemed to handle better and seemed like it had a little more pep and was a little smoother ride, but i was told by the dealer that the xa is supposdley a better ride.
3. I think the interior of the xa looks quite a bit better. but comfort wise they seemed to be the same except for the back seat of the yaris seemed to be more comfortable.
4. obviously the xa is a little bigger about 4 inches and therefore has more cargo space, which would be nice. Either way both have more cargo space then my 05 zx4 se ford focus which i will be trading in.
5. I also like the fact that the xa has 4 doors but this is not a deal breaker for me.

I am still leaning twords the yaris partly due to the fact that me and the wife share one car currently and i know when we move up to two cars we would probably buy a car with more cargo space than either of these.

Anyway just wanted to see if anyone else has any other opinons or experiances between the 06 xa and the 07 yaris liftback.
Thanks

[why?]

While the Scion might measure bigger, the Yaris hatch seems to be bigger to me.

The Yaris is safer.

I did like the xA, it was the reason I bought a Yaris.

[Thirty-Nine]

Why do you say the Yaris is safer? The xA comes with ABS, and side-curtain airbags are available. The Yaris can get the same features, too.

We test-drove an xA yesterday and really liked it.We also looked at a Yaris liftback (didn't test drive it because it was an auto). The wife wasn't as keen on the Yaris as she was the xA. Personal preference, though.

[extenny]

I guess I should also let it be known that the cost for the two cars will be pretty much the same. Consdiering the folowing options will be added to both

On the Yaris i will be getting the following options.
1. Power Package, with cold weather upgrade.
2. ABS
3. Side air bags
4. Keyless Entry
5. Fog Lights

On the XA i would be adding
1. side air bags
2. keyless entry.
3. fog lights

[corey415]

It's "safer" because the Yaris has a newer body structure than the xA.

[Thirty-Nine]

That does not mean it's automatically safer, though. That is an assumption.

[stuffy]

the yaris is the first toyota designed with what they call "minimal cabin intrusion system", probably just a fancy name for a more rigid body structure

[pennystocks]

Bah, liftbacks, hatch backs, get a sedan

[Thirty-Nine]

BTW, the xA has a double four-star crash rating from the NHTSA. The Yaris hasn't been tested yet. I'm not going to assume anything until Yaris has been tested.

[extenny]

I dont want a sedan just because i am trading a sedan for a hatchback.

[stuffy]

"BTW, the xA has a double four-star crash rating from the NHTSA. The Yaris hasn't been tested yet. I'm not going to assume anything until Yaris has been tested."

i guess the general assumption is that this car has been designed with specific improvements in safety so it is safer, but like you say, that doesn't automatically mean it is better,
hopefully it is

[vicpai]

Originally Posted by Thirty-Nine

BTW, the xA has a double four-star crash rating from the NHTSA. The Yaris hasn't been tested yet. I'm not going to assume anything until Yaris has been tested.

.....worthless NHTSA figures which crash cars head on at 35mph then you're just being fooled. A more stringent and demanding REAL WORLD crash test is the IIHS (insurance institue of highway safety) OFFSET 40mph frontal crash test which puts far more greater forces on the body structure. While neither cars have been tested by the IIHS, the Yaris has been tested by the EURO-NCAP (identical test to the IIHS), and received a 5 star front and side impact rating (the highest of any car in the sub-compact class)

http://www.euroncap.com/images/resul...asheet%202.pdf

http://www.euroncap.com/content/test...ont_impact.php

Besides this, the Yaris has Toyota's first MICS (Minimal Intrusion Cabin structure) body. This is a heavily reinforced body structure that is designed to withstand a frontal collision with a much heavier vehicle. I read in one of Toyota's publications that they have performed their own internal head-on crash tests with a 2-ton vehicle. I also read in a Toyota publication that the Yaris body structure is so advanced, that it is even safer than Toyota's own Corolla!!!

here are IIHS results for the Corolla:

http://www.iihs.org/ratings/rating.aspx?id=169

[why?]

Also, don't forget they used a new stronger steel in the Yaris.

It is an assumption, but from all the details it seems to be a safe one.