Under the hood of a 2012 Yaris

[roxy1]

i took a good long test drive in a base model L with stick. yes, the acceleration and stick in the mud long rubbery shifter is identical to the previous yaris...as expected. (worst looking shifter in any car manufactured today)

i much prefer the dash layout. now, as cheap looking as the previous interior was, i think the plastic used for that dash should have been used here. i dont know where they got this plastic...it has a look like a cat lightly scratched it from the winshield and backward. it just doesnt look like something that belongs in a car....ultra chincy looking. in fact, of all the sub $20k cars ive test driven in the past 20 years the plastic used here is the most awful looking thing ive ever seen. maybe the le and se have a different looking plastic. at least the previous gen plastic had a texture of plastic that looked like it belonged in an automobile.

the old yaris has much better fold flat rear seats. these rear seats dont fold as flat or as flush. rpm's at 70 mph the same as previously..right at 3k. according to the avg mpg readout, this yaris will be even better on gas....27 mile test drive (and i was moderately gentle with half light suburban and half hwy returned 43.6 mpg's).

it didnt seem any quieter than the previous gen...same amount of engine and road noise, but still not as bad as a honda fit (yes even the 12 fit).

i could never get comfortable as the seats have little bolstering and the steering wheel does not telescope (same problem with my previous yaris. legs comfortable, wheel to far away. wheel just right, legs squished too much.)

cup holder position..quite awful...in front of the shifter is not where you want to keep reaching for your drink. they could have made room in the center of the seats for at least one cupholder.

for any 07-11 owners, i really dont see anything that will make you want to change unless you really dig the dash layout or exterior changes.

this car was $15,050. i think it should be priced around $13k and compete with the versa. for $15,500 one could get a subcompact with a fair amount more interior room, a way nicer interior, power windows, satellite radio, higher mileage, a noticeably quieter ride, alot more power.

if i had my 07 yaris hatch, no chance in h3ll this new one would tempt me at all....and i do think the dash layout and exterior looks are better, but the rest is either the same or worse than the previous gen.