Can Toyota Still Manage to Build an Awful Car? - LA Times Article

[St_G]

Well put. +1

Originally Posted by Pavel Olavich

And don't just pick on auto journalists....to be fair, even Yaris owners (some of them) are also irrational....actually calling the awesome Honda Fit trash, and such...this irrational stupidity is no better then the attitudes of some auto journalists.

I love my Yaris, but for the record, I think the Fit is a better car, but I didn't want to spend the more $$ to get it. No regrets having the 2007 LB for me however.

[ChinoCharles]

Dear Dan,

Yeah, we’re all going to e-mail you now.

We’re sick of reporters knocking our cars. The media has been one big Honda circle jerk since the Fit, Yaris and Versa hit showrooms.

The thing is Dan, I’m 21 and I am Toyota’s target market. I’m young and this is my first car purchase, and I needed the cheapest, most economical car I could get.

The fact that the Yaris is the cheapest car from any company I would trust as well as the best on gas for any 87 pump gas, non-hybrid car I know of made this an easy decision.

The media constantly tears it apart. It doesn’t have enough room, its too noisy, blah blah blah.

I would drive a dune buggy right now if it got 100 MPG. Have you been to a gas station lately Dan?

Yarisworld.com… 3000 owning members from all over the world with two generations of Yarii (yeah, they’re called Yarii) Ever heard of a Vitz? A Vios? A Belta?

All Yarii.

Dan, no offense, but you’re the one who is out of touch. This thing is a regular sensation... we prove it!

EVERYONE EMAIL
dan.neil@latimes.com
AND TELL THE MEDIA TO SHUT UP

[St_G]

That's an important point -- getting Toyota quality for Daewoo prices is a deal, imo, no matter which options get cut -- but I really think this just comes down to differences in perspective.

I'm not going to spam the dude's email because he's made judgements based on a different perspective than my own. I test drove the Fit and I understand why the press prefer it so much. If I were in their place, and not having to spend money, nor wake up every morning looking at either, I'd probably ignore the fact that a loaded Fit Sport is priced up in MINI territory and focus on the cool folding seats, the four doors and the more agile suspension. Those are things that are important in a review, even if they're not that important in the day-to-day commute of the average customer.

Originally Posted by ChinoCharles

The fact that the Yaris is the cheapest car from any company I would trust

[Terrorize]

I used to drive a Chevy...but it went to shit and i had to trade it after 3 years for a YARIS..and so far..i'm impressed....plus who cares if this car is cheap and feels that way to some? and doesn't drive well to some? I GET TO MOD THE SHIT OUTTA THIS CAR!!! It saves me gas..and the car was priced amazing..and doesn't have all the features that i don't use and would of paid for if i chose another car.

[Razr]

Originally Posted by St_G

I'd probably ignore the fact that a loaded Fit Sport is priced up in MINI territory and focus on the cool folding seats, the four doors and the more agile suspension. Those are things that are important in a review, even if they're not that important in the day-to-day commute of the average customer.

Well, the Thai models have both the cool split/flat folding/sliding seats and four door liftbacks. I can't comment on the "agile" suspension, as I put aftermarket wheels on mine from day one, and it goes around corners just fine. Although I only drove about 10 miles on the stock rubber, I do have to admit that it was nowhere near as behaved/controlled in OEM config.

IMHO the Yaris LB is hands-down better than the Honda Jazz/Fit in every way - otherwise I would've bought one of them instead, naturally

[St_G]

I meant how the Fit seats fold like four different ways. It's a cool thing, and would have to count in the Fit's favor if I were writing a review or comparison, but made no real difference to me as a consumer since 99% of the time, I'm just carrying myself to and from work.

Originally Posted by Razr

Well, the Thai models have both the cool split/flat folding/sliding seats and four door liftbacks.

[Razr]

Another thing worthy of pointing out is that the author states: "It has been stretched and widened a bit for the U.S. market" which is pure hogwash of course.

The only difference between USDM and foreign market versions of the car are the bumpers - heck even the interior fabrics are the same.

It seems the author is manufacturing outright lies in order to provide rigged evidence to support his obvious personal hatred (and I suspect downright fear) of Toyota's dominance in the US and Global markets.

[Violin]

I guess all the total strangers who come up and compliment me on my car are ignorant too.

I've owned some pretty cool cars over the years and I love my Yaris.

[stuffy]

i think a lot of journalist exhibit sheep mentality, especially auto journalists.
one guy starts loving a car and hating another one and they all jump on the bandwagon.

when this car first came out in canada in autumn 05, it got great reviews. then the reviews started to get worse as the car was released in the states, now you can't find a good review of this car.

the simple fact is that it is a great car for the price. the fit is marginally better than the yaris when it comes to handling, interior roominess, stock features. the yaris is marginally better than the fit in fuel economy, exterior styling (most would agree i think), and acceleration.
but for some reason, they trash the yaris.

i also want to mention that i've read a certain auto journalist that absolutley trashed the yaris for having the speedo in the centre, then in a review of the mini-cooper, this same journalist made a passing comment about the centre speedo.
apparently it's not as bad that the mini cooper has this feature.

[BailOut]

Originally Posted by Pavel Olavich

If you rarely tack over 2,000 RPM with your manual Yaris, you are often lugging the engine...not good, not good at all. That engine wants and needs to rev'd past 3,000 when shifting up...otherwise you will damage it over time. The Yari engine has shit torque at and below 2,000!

As Pars already said, the 1NZ-FE engine is just fine shifting between 1,400 and 2,000 RPM as long as you aren't pushing the car. If you ever lug the engine you'll be the first to know as you can both hear it and feel it through your control surfaces.

I did indeed lug it one time when I wasn't paying attention, so I know what it sounds and feels like.

Folks such as yourself often mention torque. I've been driving for 20 years and I have yet to discover what folks need all this torque for in their daily driving unless they climb a lot of steep hills or drive like a maniac. If you live in a mostly flat area the only time you'd ever need high torque might be for entering the highway and/or passing people on it, and even that doesn't require very much torque if you use a lighter, more efficient driving style and plan ahead.

Do you know what the difference is between accelerating from 0-45 MPH in 6 seconds vs. 12 seconds in an urban scenario is? Getting to the next stop light's line of traffic faster and then wasting fuel at 0 MPG while you idle and wait.

[Yaris]

Originally Posted by BailOut

Do you know what the difference is between accelerating from 0-45 MPH in 6 seconds vs. 12 seconds in an urban scenario is? Getting to the next stop light's line of traffic faster and then wasting fuel at 0 MPG while you idle and wait.

What's with the rush to be the first to hit the next red light? I haven't seen anyone handing out racing trophys to the idiot red light racers.

[redyaris]

"Klingon love poetry"?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[stuffy]

And don't just pick on auto journalists....to be fair, even Yaris owners (some of them) are also irrational....actually calling the awesome Honda Fit trash, and such...this irrational stupidity is no better then the attitudes of some auto journalists.

I love my Yaris, but for the record, I think the Fit is a better car, but I didn't want to spend the more $$ to get it. No regrets having the 2007 LB for me however.

i agree the fit is a great car, but it is no better than the yaris. like i noted, it has some features the yaris doesn't, but likewise the yaris has it's strong points as well, which most of these journalists ignore.

the way these reviews read, you would think the fit is twice the car the yaris is.

[St_G]

I will say this: anyone who acts like there is a qualitative diffence in the interiors of these two cars (I never bothered to go sit in a Versa, so I can't compare there) is nuts. There was nothing more upscale about the plastic dash and cloth seats in the Fit S I drove.

I never bothered to even go sit in a Versa, so I can't speak to that one.

[ChinoCharles]

HE DRIVES A VERSA

'Nuff said.

No, he actually said he got a Versa for the same sticker as a Yaris and prefers it more. I want to know what Versa he was looking at that cost under $12,500.

I think I am beginning to understand more and more why Toyota sold the liftbacks with power nothing. If you're looking for a hatch with amenities, maybe the Yaris isn't your car... unless you buy the base model and add them yourself as many of us have done. You can just pick up a Versa or a Fit... Honda and Nissan assumed their buyers would be looking for all the goodies, while Toyota seemingly didn't want to get into a three way battle. They wanted the best base value. For me, I can save big bucks putting power windows and locks on my car myself and waiting for someone to off their 60/40 seats, so base was fine.

Hmmmmm.

[Spades]

Originally Posted by acrbill

WTF!!! What kind of cars have you owned that make you think the Yaris handles well? It is the worst handling car I have ever owned. It feels like I am going to scrape the door handles on the ground when I take a corner at speed.

well, for a 11k dollar car the handling is pretty good. go drive a versa or aveo and get back to me.

besides, maybe you dont know how to drive it? I have lots of fun on twisty roads with it, and even on the skidpad results it is not half bad. I dont consider a hairpin corner taken at the appropriate speed unless at least 3 tires are spinning. but hey, if you have owned much better cars with much better handling, why oh why did you buy a 11k dollar gas miser car?

[Pavel Olavich]

Originally Posted by Spades

well, for a 11k dollar car the handling is pretty good. go drive a versa or aveo and get back to me.

besides, maybe you dont know how to drive it? I have lots of fun on twisty roads with it, and even on the skidpad results it is not half bad. I dont consider a hairpin corner taken at the appropriate speed unless at least 3 tires are spinning. but hey, if you have owned much better cars with much better handling, why oh why did you buy a 11k dollar gas miser car?

Forget about twisty roads and such....just on the freeway doing 70 mph, it is bouncy, the steering is a tad wandering, and the handling is NOT remarkable, not even when comparing like cars from any and all competitors. I'm not saying it is bad....just that the handling is not great, nor remarkable, just okay. I knew this before I bought the 2007 Yaris LB, but I was ok with it because my demands of this car are not sportcar handling...rather high MPG, high reliability, and low maint costs, so I don't complain.

As for twisties, canyon carving driving, it's handling is BS....and I know how to drive twisties by car and sport bike. The Yaris is a great car, perhaps the best in it's class, but lets not make it more then it is.

[Pars]

Originally Posted by Pavel Olavich

Forget about twisty roads and such....just on the freeway doing 70 mph, it is bouncy, the steering is a tad wandering, and the handling is NOT remarkable, not even when comparing like cars from any and all competitors. I'm not saying it is bad....just that the handling is not great, nor remarkable, just okay. I knew this before I bought the 2007 Yaris LB, but I was ok with it because my demands of this car are not sportcar handling...rather high MPG, high reliability, and low maint costs, so I don't complain.

As for twisties, canyon carving driving, it's handling is BS....and I know how to drive twisties by car and sport bike. The Yaris is a great car, perhaps the best in it's class, but lets not make it more then it is.

I tend to zip around at 100mph on the dinky 175/65/14 tire (I got 45,000km on them) and It's not bad. I've yet to encounter a situation where the steering got upset from bouncy roads. A similarly priced but much bigger Cobolt would feel more stable at 100mph, but you'd be handicapped by the Cobolt's dumbed down steering response when it comes time to toss the car around. That being said, I'm more used to the responsiveness that comes with low profile tires and good springs/shock and I'm looking forward to getting rid of the Yaris's mushy tires for low profile summers.

If you got a good set of knee pads and a sport Bike, any car (including most sport cars) would be BS in comparison.