Center dash instruments

[birdman]

I have been watching online video reviews for the Yaris and have come across something that really annoys a number of reviewers and that's the location of the center dash instrumentation.
Funny thing is the same reviewers never mention it being an issue on the Mini. Until the most recent redesign the Minis speedometer was lower than the Yaris. The new speedometer is just where the Yaris has had it all along.
So why the double standard?

[ryota]

from what i have read, the problem people have with the yaris speedometer is because you have to tilt your head to the right to be able to see your speed.

personally, i prefer it because of how i drive. i was driving my friends cougar the other day and noticed i didn't know how fast i was going because my hand was in front of the speedometer.i think it is easier to just glance right and see my speed then to move my hand and look through the steering wheel.

as far as the mini goes... it's probably because those things are gigantic!!! you could see those things from the drivers seat of a car 3 miles away. although, i'm pretty sure a few lexus' have them too and i never heard any complaints about those (i could have just missed them though, i don't look too far in to a lexus being a broke college student and all)

[yaris-me]

If I'm not mistaken, the Mini has a tach in front of the steering wheel. That seems to give the Mini an advantage.

[birdman]

That's tachy

[BluYrs]

Agreed, the position is unusual (although getting more popular now), but I would never call it annoying. It takes a bit of getting used to but it's really convenient (more true for the LCD speedo) and actually less distracting than the usual placement (especially at night).

I guess the test drivers just don't have enough time to get used to and appreciate the placement.

[elmo]

i like the panel in the center however i wish it was tilted like the panel in my wife's Echo, it is much easier to read

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by BluYrs

Agreed, the position is unusual (although getting more popular now), but I would never call it annoying. It takes a bit of getting used to but it's really convenient (more true for the LCD speedo) and actually less distracting than the usual placement (especially at night).

I guess the test drivers just don't have enough time to get used to and appreciate the placement.

+1. Once you get used to it (very quickly) you realize its the way to go!

R2

[MUSKOKA800]

Originally Posted by R2D2

+1. Once you get used to it (very quickly) you realize its the way to go!

R2

Yes, after a short period it becomes quite normal. And the clean view straight ahead is fantastic!
Besides, I've been driving enough years to know how fast I'm going without reading a gauge. Of course, driving a standard helps keep you aware.

[Yaris Hilton]

I like it. The unobstructed view close ahead is something i like. It's no more diversion of the line of sight to look at the cluster than the rear view mirror, and less than looking at the driver's side mirror. A reviewer instantly loses credibility with me when (s)he squawks about the center cluster. Or when they "explain" it as a cheap measure allowing Toyota to use the same setup for left or right hand drive, without noticing that all of the dash panels are quite obviously asymmetrical, and as noted above, that the Echo had the cluster tilted toward the driver.

I think some people don't like that the front passenger can read the speedometer as easily as the driver can. Not an issue to me.

[why?]

I agree. I mounted a tach directly in front of me, and with that the speedo placement is fine. It doesn't take very long to get use to at all.

[birdman]

My point was how odd it was that some reviewers that dislike the Yaris center dash design never mention the Minis central speedometer as being a negative. Some high end European cars have center dash displays too. So it's not done because it's cheap.

[tomato]

Originally Posted by elmo

i like the panel in the center however i wish it was tilted like the panel in my wife's Echo, it is much easier to read

+1 on the tilt

Yeah, the center console is one of the easiest things to get used to on the Yaris.

[MadMax]

Concur with all the above, it doesn't take long to get used to it and once you do, it's a better location.

About the only time it has caught me off guard was with the Yaris rental I had in Tampa (the first I drove). I was going onto MacDill AFB at night, and you always turn your lights off when you go through the gate; and when I passed through and turned the lights back on, the dark area where the dash usually is caught me by surprised for a second. Then I realized the instruments were mounted in the center, and now it is natural for me to look there. And, as stated, it is nice to be able to actually see the instruments instead of having to move my hands and tilt my head...

[gokartride]

Having read more than my fair share, I find myself increasingly disregarding anything written in an car review. Unless they agree with me...then they are brilliant!!!

I've had two MINIs so the center cluster on the Yaris was a no brainer. Even better that it allows for that gloriously clean, uncluttered driving position...the MINI didn't even have that!!

[127.0.0.1]

ha i still catch myself driving at night... and then WHOA !??!!? I wonder
why my combo meter lights went dead. then I realize I am in
the Yaris

[AmyV]

Yeah so after like 2 days of driving my Yaris, I discovered that putting the cluster in the center is completely and utterly ingenious. It doesn't block any of the road in front of me (which some clusters do), and when turning, stretching, or just driving, my arm isn't in the way!!! LOVE IT!!!

The hardest thing to get used to: haha when my left-hand blinker is on, it still blinks on my right side in the panel. It occasionally distracted me in the beginning (haha me sitting in my car thinking 'did I really just turn on the wrong blinker?'). But again, got used to that so quickly!

Those poor reviews are just because they are not used to it. A lot of people inherently don't like change.