New 2012 Yaris L, 5 speed

[KentSzabo]

Just filled up 30 minutes ago got 43.13 on this tankful.
The background of the picture is my house.
The Lagoon Blue Mica appears to be different shades depending on the amount of light that hits it.

I am quite happy and satisfied with this car, it lacks the acceleration of my Golf TDI, but corners really well giving the feeling it is on rails going around curves. I was going to get a Scion iQ, but because they are not offering the 6 Speed manual in this country and only the doggy CVT automatic, I had my dealer cancel my order and switch it to a Yaris back in September. I have been enticing those prospective iQ buyers that want a manual transmission to look at the Yaris. See url:
http://www.iq-forums.com/forums/scio...smissions.html

[roxy1]

Originally Posted by KentSzabo

Just filled up 30 minutes ago got 43.13 on this tankful.
The background of the picture is my house.
The Lagoon Blue Mica appears to be different shades depending on the amount of light that hits it.

I am quite happy and satisfied with this car, it lacks the acceleration of my Golf TDI, but corners really well giving the feeling it is on rails going around curves. I was going to get a Scion iQ, but because they are not offering the 6 Speed manual in this country and only the doggy CVT automatic, I had my dealer cancel my order and switch it to a Yaris back in September. I have been enticing those prospective iQ buyers that want a manual transmission to look at the Yaris. See url:
http://www.iq-forums.com/forums/scio...smissions.html

i had been excited about the IQ way back when.i had really hoped it would be offered with a manual and be rated somewhere aroung 36 city/48 hwy.

if im giving up utility i should get stellar mileage. id bet my left arm the '12 yaris (MT) will have a greater advantage over the iq in hwy mileage than the estimates indicate.

[CanIHazYarisHatch?]

Originally Posted by KentSzabo

Just filled up 30 minutes ago got 43.13 on this tankful.
The background of the picture is my house.
The Lagoon Blue Mica appears to be different shades depending on the amount of light that hits it.

Nice...

I am quite happy and satisfied with this car, it lacks the acceleration of my Golf TDI, but corners really well giving the feeling it is on rails going around curves. I was going to get a Scion iQ, but because they are not offering the 6 Speed manual in this country and only the doggy CVT automatic, I had my dealer cancel my order and switch it to a Yaris back in September. I have been enticing those prospective iQ buyers that want a manual transmission to look at the Yaris. See url:
http://www.iq-forums.com/forums/scio...smissions.html

Yes, the lack of a proper manual will bury this car. It won't sell as poorly as the dumb FourTwo, but it won't get big numbers (MPG or sales figures) with a freaking CVT.

Originally Posted by roxy1

i had been excited about the IQ way back when.i had really hoped it would be offered with a manual and be rated somewhere aroung 36 city/48 hwy.

if im giving up utility i should get stellar mileage. id bet my left arm the '12 yaris (MT) will have a greater advantage over the iq in hwy mileage than the estimates indicate.

Shorter length cars actually sacrifice highway MPG due to aerodynamics, just look at the Fiat 500, as an example. Tons of B-segment cars get equal to better mileage due to more streamlining in their designs (longer chassis/wheelbase/bodywork).

It's the same reason the dumb FourTwo also doesn't get the MPGs it "should" in the eyes of many consumers.

I'm just grateful that we live in times of so many choices when it comes to small cars. I'm not exactly living in Europe (Renault Twingo Sport, please), but the C, and especially the B-segment are really heating up here in the U.S., and I'm enjoying the show.

For the better part of 20 years here, many small cars were usually just the breadcrumbs of the manufacture's efforts, and it showed. It showed in sub-par handling, rubbery gear changes, shoddy interior fit-and-finish, inhuman ergonomics, and general poor refinement. These were the times of the Cavalier and Tempo, dark times indeed.

Now these companies have to fight to the death, designing great small cars for us in the U.S. Europeans take it for granted, they have dozens of choices in just the B-segment, as one example. Now, we are getting a taste of quality small cars and we are loving it. One time the consumer wins, so savor it while it lasts.

[roxy1]

Originally Posted by CanIHazYarisHatch?

Shorter length cars actually sacrifice highway MPG due to aerodynamics, just look at the Fiat 500, as an example. .

generally true vs a sedan counterpart, but small hatches can still be very fuel effiecient.

i had a 2012 fiat 500 for 5 months. unbelievably vault like and very refined on the highway. i had the manual which is rated the same as the yaris at 30/38. for the whole 4200 miles i had it my real mpg was 44.2. even the drivers on the fiat forum who dont try much are getting 40+ with the mt.

the auto on that car is another story..not efficient at all.

what killed it for me was the center shift pod, which keeps the drivers right knee from being able to splay out to the right at all. basically your knee is smashed against it all the time. i convinced myself id get used to it but i never did. (i got a ridiculous purchase price from carmax and they proceeded to try to sell it above msrp, dropping the price every few weeks until they finally sold it).

a secondary concern was that the studio that was supposed to open (which would have been the closest to me at 88 miles) decided to back out. sales have been tanking the last 2 months as well, which makes me wonder if they will be able to expand their already thin dealer network at all.

i feel like what keeps the iq from great numbers is the transmisiion, engine, and gearing choice more than its body shape.

[roxy1]

Originally Posted by CanIHazYarisHatch?

For the better part of 20 years here, many small cars were usually just the breadcrumbs of the manufacture's efforts, and it showed. It showed in sub-par handling, rubbery gear changes, shoddy interior fit-and-finish, inhuman ergonomics, and general poor refinement. These were the times of the Cavalier and Tempo, dark times indeed.

Now these companies have to fight to the death, designing great small cars for us in the U.S. Europeans take it for granted, they have dozens of choices in just the B-segment, as one example. Now, we are getting a taste of quality small cars and we are loving it. One time the consumer wins, so savor it while it lasts.

totally agree here. as a small hatchback lover, there have never been this many quality small cars in the market. all i ever considered worth anything were the old civc ahd corolla hatches.

now: (in no particular order)
ford fiesta
fit
accent
chevy sonic (yes, i think it will prove to be a decent car)
yaris
mazda 2
versa (not my thing but still a good car)
fiat 500
mini

i ended up with the veloster as my main car, and as much as i love it i dont want to spend $18-$19k on a second car.

[sushiic]

Originally Posted by roxy1

as a small hatchback lover, there have never been this many quality small cars in the market. all i ever considered worth anything were the old civc ahd corolla hatches.

Me too. The only cars I think are worth the expense are compact-yet-roomy hatchbacks & wagons (and smaller minivans)! My mom passed down an anti-sedan bias to me early on - and I still don't care for them.

3 Doors look the sharpest, and I think it's too bad that we don't have more 3 door choices here - like the Mazda2 or the Sonic (3D sold in other markets).

After the HB choices of the early 90's, they faded away, and it was danged hard to find a good HB in N. America. So glad now that we are given these new choices. I hope to see even more models, like the Renault Modus'es/Nissan Note, Mazda Verisa, Nissan Micra, VW Up, and all the small Japanese minivans like the Honda Freeds, Toy. Sienta, and Nissan NV200.