New 2012 Yaris L, 5 speed

[CanIHazYarisHatch?]

Originally Posted by roxy1

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

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 transmission, engine, and gearing choice more than its body shape.

Only 5 months, eh? Man. Glad you could sell high, I doubt many 500 owners will have such good fortune.

I like what the 500 represents, and I test-drove a Sport w/5-speed like 6 months ago. It was brilliant fun, if a bit too cute for me. That and they were demanding $18k for a stripper Pop model. Um, no thanks.

I know the dealers had to spend $1-3 million to design their snobby "studios", but I should not have to pay $3k over sticker for a stripper model. there are too many other cars, even 5-doors, reluctantly, that I would sooner chose than an $18k A-class car.

If Fiat really wanted success with the 500, they would sell a stripper w/5-speed for $15k. The Sport would be $16k, and the Lounge would be $17k. The real margin would be in accessories. Alloy wheels, Abarth parts, etc. But now they have half a year's supply collecting dust on lots, and they wonder why, with an unknown brand in the U.S.

Also, we need some TwinAir for the next fuel price spike.

I know this sounds contradictory to my earlier statements, but I would get in line if Ford brought their Ka over. I know it is basically a re-skinned 500, and built by Fiat, but if they gutted the Fiat engine and tranny and put in, say, the new 1.0 3-cylinder turbo EcoBoost and a manual, I would be in heaven.

I would have it all: fuel economy, quirkiness, the fun-to-drive factor that the 500 had (and it was great fun to drive!), but with Ford reliability and a huge dealer network. Plus the sweet jellybean styling without looking too cute.

Ah, if only...

Originally Posted by sushiic

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.

I agree. I love me some 3-door hatches. Even the old ones, like the Mazda 323, any number of Honda Civics/CRXs, Toyota Corollas, Pug 205, etc. 3-doors offer nearly as much utility as a 5-door, but without the whole humdrum, overly-utilitarian design that turns me off. Kind of like the Renault Espace, lots of utility, but I would be embarrassed driving one.

At least there is the superficial impression that 3-doors have sporting pretensions, versus 5-doors that don't often share the same sleek lines.

Also, the Mazda 2 is the best-driving, best-shifting car in the B-segment right now, and I've driven them all except the new Sonic.

Originally Posted by Hershey

The 2012 MAZDA 2 has been trimmed 220 lbs.. That should get better gas mileage as well . Test drove the 5 speed manual and the clutch is the easiest I've encountered so far . The shifting was smooth as silk .

Another reason I love Mazda. Don't forget the new SkyActiv engine for 2012, should boost their MPGs as well.

But if it's not offered as a 3-door (which it won't be, because Mazda NA hates us, apparently), it's off the table for me. Want to feel pain? Google "Mazda 2 3-door hatchback", and bask in the sadness that we are deprived of such a cleanly-styled little car.

I even loved the interior, and would gladly have bought the Touring in the bright metallic green (w/5-speed) for the $17k sticker with no haggling. But no 3-door for the U.S. market...

Mazda and Ford both broke my heart with their omission of 3-doors in this market. At least Toyota is staying faithful to those of us that desire more choice in body style.