CONSUMER REPORTS : March issue : 2010 YARIS sedan

[talnlnky]

funny how there is a such a difference between different sources.. CR hates the Yaris... but Car & Driver thought it was a decent car.... C&D was the tipping force that caused me to get the Yaris (over anything else... but primarily the Smartcar).

[Lewis]

One of the things overlooked in my opinion is that the Yaris is primarily designed for the European market and sold in the USA and the new Fit is designed for the USA market. So European values- fuel economy and safety are paramount on the Yaris whereas on the Fit interior space, utility and safer handling (i.e. - understeer in the US is considered safer) got designed into the Fit.

The qualities like a wee bit of oversteer, and traction control, stability control etc. (even knee airbags- are virtually universal on Eurohatches and that's where the $ went for on our Yarises.

My wife is Dutch and her family members drive Yarises in Holland and they love them to death. So we Yaris owners here on Yaris World just have very sophisticated Euro taste and value what the Yaris has to offer. Consumers Reports doesn't. I seem to recollect an article some time back that made the point the Yaris hatchback was styled in France.

So maybe what we all need is a YARISWORLD beret!

[specialeducator]

Originally Posted by Lewis

One of the things overlooked in my opinion is that the Yaris is primarily designed for the European market and sold in the USA and the new Fit is designed for the USA market. So European values- fuel economy and safety are paramount on the Yaris whereas on the Fit interior space, utility and safer handling (i.e. - understeer in the US is considered safer) got designed into the Fit.

The qualities like a wee bit of oversteer, and traction control, stability control etc. (even knee airbags- are virtually universal on Eurohatches and that's where the $ went for on our Yarises.

My wife is Dutch and her family members drive Yarises in Holland and they love them to death. So we Yaris owners here on Yaris World just have very sophisticated Euro taste and value what the Yaris has to offer. Consumers Reports doesn't. I seem to recollect an article some time back that made the point the Yaris hatchback was styled in France.

So maybe what we all need is a YARISWORLD beret!

Sorry, but the Fit has been sold as the Jazz for several years before being brought to America.

[cali yaris]

One of the things overlooked in my opinion is that the Yaris is primarily designed for the European market

Except that it was in Japan first?

[birdman]

When I drive aggressively my stock Yaris gets a respectable 32 mpg on average. When I am careful and use the Ecometer I can get over 50 mpg on a flat highway. It seems odd that Consumer Reports says this car has poor road handling and acceleration. Mine handles really good. I did add the TRD sway bar. Once I got used to the automatic and the computer learned my driving habits it has plenty of power with little to no hesitation. That's why I still own it. Other than troubles with batteries going dead because of my first defective Ecometer, there have been Zero. The new Ecometer has been in the car for a good while now and so far the battery is good. I live in snow country and all I have is a good set of studded winter tires and it drives great. No ABS or any other traction devices either. I think this is a clever roomy well thought out unique little smile getter that I have no plan on selling any time soon. I shortened the gas pedal and removed the foot rest and have enough additional leg room to be quite good on long drives. Great fun.

[Astroman]

I think someone at CR got their ass handed to them by a stock yaris on the highway and they've held a grudge ever since.