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11-18-2011, 11:47 AM | #1 |
ULTIMATE
Drives: 09 5dr LB, 2x 08 3dr LB Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA, CT
Posts: 13,460
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Under the hood of a 2012 Yaris
This morning I was coming out of Home Depot and noticed that the Toyota dealer across the street had an Absolutely Red 2012 Yaris sitting out front, so I had to pop in and kick the tires (and take some pics).
I test drove it and it really feels and sounds just like the 2nd gen. I personally don't like having the cluster back under the steering wheel, but that's one of those changes that is completely a matter of personal preference. With the base L package, the car had manual widows, but it was interesting to see that it had power door locks. Here are some pics from the outside: Here's a close-up of the new giant front wiper. It looks huge from the outside, but driving it with the wiper going I didn't find any more distracting than with the 2 wipers: Here's the new antenna. I like it better than the mount and whip on the 2nd gen and might just have to order one: Here are some pics of the interior (this was a totally base L model with the light gray seats and a non-split rear seat): Here's the cluster and radio. Note that the Aux Jack is now located in the upper right corner of the inside of the glove box: And, here are some under the hood shots. Basically it seems pretty well identical under here, with the exception of a new ECM (with different connectors), and a larger right side secondary fuse/relay box. The air intake and manifold are identical, so aftermarket intakes that fit the 2nd gen should fit the 3rd gen. Also, it looks like there is still plenty of room to bolt a Blitz Supercharger on, in place of the intake manifold. After I test drove the red one and spoke with the sales person for a bit, he mentioned that two more had come in on a truck this morning, so I took a ride around back and found a Super White L and a Wave Line Pearl L sitting there:
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11-18-2011, 12:45 PM | #2 |
$10.25/hr frying chicken
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You are the bomb Scott!
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11-18-2011, 01:44 PM | #3 |
Drives: 2010 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: The Great Northwest
Posts: 273
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Way cool!!
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11-18-2011, 01:50 PM | #4 |
www.yarisclub.gr
Drives: yaris 1.3 2sz - 1.33 1nr Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: greece
Posts: 199
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may i?
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11-18-2011, 04:39 PM | #5 |
Banned
Drives: yaris Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: earth
Posts: 364
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WHY CAN'T USA HAVE NICE THINGS?
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11-18-2011, 04:56 PM | #6 |
Drives: 2012 Yaris 3-door w/5-speed! Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 273
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Because of politicians.
Waveline pearl actually doesn't look like a woman's color in those pics. I'll have to see it in person, but it appears that I now have four colors to chose from for my '12 Yaris when I buy it. Thanks for the photos all! |
11-18-2011, 06:31 PM | #7 |
ULTIMATE
Drives: 09 5dr LB, 2x 08 3dr LB Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: USA, CT
Posts: 13,460
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I'm on the fence on Wave Line, after seeing it in person. It kind of reminds me of the light blue color of my '78 Buick Skylark, that I inherited from my grandmother (which looked like a grandma car).
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11-18-2011, 08:05 PM | #8 |
Drives: 2014 yaris 5 speed Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: michigan
Posts: 642
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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. |
11-18-2011, 09:47 PM | #9 |
Drives: 2010 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: The Great Northwest
Posts: 273
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I'm even happier with my sedan after checking out the 2012's
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11-19-2011, 01:49 AM | #10 | ||
Drives: 2012 Yaris 3-door w/5-speed! Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 273
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Quote:
Nice to have so many cool colors, instead of just red, blue, white, black and silver. Different can indeed be good, vive la différence, and all that. Quote:
Is the '12 Yaris going to be the most advanced with direct injection, 40mpg highway, 6-speed transmissions, etc.? No, more in the middle of the pack, compared to most of the other new cars in it's class, such as the new Accent, Fiesta, Rio/Picanto, etc. I recognize the obvious, but still...there is just something special about this little car, which is why I am here...and why I cannot wait to buy one in a few months. The only thing I didn't like during my test drive was the heavy, vague steering, but no car is perfect, not even a Toyota. |
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11-19-2011, 05:21 AM | #11 | |
Drives: 2014 yaris 5 speed Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: michigan
Posts: 642
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Quote:
heavily refreshed?? theres the rub. nothing about it feels that way except the change in interior/exterior look. thing is, compared to the cars now in this class, i just cant say it in the middle of the pack. it falls short in most every way....maybe a little cheaper than some of those, but not by enough. if you go drive a base model accent hatch, you's be absolutely stunned that the yaris competes in the same class (and ive always been a toyota junkie, so i really dont like saying that). the only car that feels and looks as cheap is the new versa. what shocked me was the super cheap looking dash material. if you look at pic #9 above you can see the what im talking about a little bit (look just above the dash vent).....in person it is really sad looking. as hard as it is to believe, they actually cheapened the interior from the previous gen. it may appeal to more people because of the more conventional layout. i dont mind toyota offering a cheap looking product. we know it will get good mileage and be dependable. however, the interior screams at you that you bought a really cheap car, and to me it screams about $13k. i could see the SE being priced at $15,500, but not the base model stick. |
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11-19-2011, 12:52 PM | #12 | |
Drives: 2012 Yaris 3-door w/5-speed! Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 273
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Quote:
I respectfully feel differently. I think you are forgetting that this is a B-class car. It isn't going to have the interior of an Audi A8. If this were a Lexus LS you were reviewing, I would agree, but it isn't. What part of "B-segment car" do you not understand? It has ABS, ESC, 9 freaking airbags, etc...cost has to be cut somewhere, and I am frankly surprised Toyota can build (and import) it at this price. This car has "red ink" all over it, unlike, say a Fiesta built in Mexico. But, if you dare to select "automatic" on the options list, your PowerShift tranny goes south well before the warranty runs out. Such nonsense is highly unlikely with the proven "old" drivetrain in the Yaris. Having driven both the 2nd gen and now 3rd gen Yarii (?), I can say the interior gives off a sportier impression, which I like. Also, the interior panels have very even panel gaps, unlike the '09 base hatch I test drove a while ago. Is the car going to have "hard plastic" interior pieces? Um, yes...it's a $15,000 car. Why do so many people complain that the dash of a subcompact car doesn't feel like silk and feather pillows? Here's a hint: the interior is designed to be hard-wearing. I like simple. I like roll-up windows. There are fewer things to break, and the car is more affordable, and lighter. I don't want a "premium" compact (see Fiat 500). Where I live, the "cheap" Fiat 500 Pop model) is stickered at $18,000, and has an interior comparable to the Yaris when you look past all the shiny plastic bits pretending they are chrome. I'm not knocking the 500, but does anyone think it will last 100,000 miles before falling apart? Please. Just like VWs, fun to drive, nice-looking, but they don't last for the long haul, historically. We enthusiasts forget that this is the cheapest car Toyota has on offer in my country (the U.S.). I'll take you one step further: If Toyota offered the 3-cylinder Aygo in the U.S. (as a 3-door 5-speed, natch), I would gladly give one a go, but that will never happen. Americans hardly accept 1.5 four-bangers, much less 1.0 three-lungers. Just ask my '94 Geo Metro about that last part... With the currency issues, I can assure you that Toyota is probably breaking even on this car, perhaps even losing a couple hundred per unit (especially on the stripper L models that must have next to zero profit built-in). They are still building the Yaris for their CAFE fleet numbers, and to have something in this segment until the 4th gen Yaris is launched in a few years. Keep in mind, the Yaris is still built in Japan, not Mexico, like the aforementioned Versa. As I understand, Toyota has no factory there, so cannot lower costs through cheaper labor. Could the '12 Yaris be more competitive? Oh, certainly. I don't know about you, but the 1NZ-FE is a pretty solid little engine, smooth and still somewhat efficient, if a bit long-in-the-tooth. I have no illusions that the '12 Yaris is going to be the hugest hit in it's class. In fact, I am pretty sure it will have a lukewarm reception, and demand will cool and they will collect dust on dealer lots. I can't control that. What I can control is the decisions that I, as a consumer make about which car will be my first new car. For this choice, I will chose the '12 Yaris. Why do I chose the Yaris? I wanted Ford to bring the 3-door Fiesta to the U.S., and instead they brought the 5-door and a stupid little sedan. They lost my sale, as I loved the interior and test-drive of this car. I fell in love with the 3-door's elegant looks and it was my screen saver for the longest time. I wanted to buy American for once, but the marketing idiots threw away my sale with the body styles on offer. Exact story with Mazda and their awesome and "mechanically dated" 2 hatch. No 3-door, no sale Mazda. I also loved the "cheap", but simple and intuitive interior of the 2. Toyota offers a 3-door that has reliability, high resale value in it's class, "good enough" economy, is comfortable, has no stupid infotainment gimmicks, a proper manual gearbox, and is on offer as a 3-door (why is it only Toyota and Fiat that offer 3-doors here?! We want 3-door hatches!) that no longer looks like a puking guppy...guess what? They will have my money. It could be worse: I could get the Versa instead. Now that is a depressing car! I could also start listening to Lady Gaga and watching Jersey Shore. The Yaris isn't steak by any means, but it is Subway, and that's much better than McDonald's! |
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11-19-2011, 12:55 PM | #13 | |
Nothing beats a Toyota!
Drives: 2013 Yaris 5 dr liftback Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Posts: 564
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Quote:
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Big Dave Indianapolis, IN Synthetic Oil....its in my car.....for at least 10,000 miles! |
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11-19-2011, 01:07 PM | #14 | |
Drives: 2012 Yaris 3-door w/5-speed! Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 273
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Quote:
Perhaps not $100 million, but at least $50 million. New tooling for factories, all the new interior bits need to be re-engineered for NVH, etc. All that is carried over from the 2nd gen is the drivetrain and basic chassis/suspension/brake system. The exterior shell (including new glass), and interior are all new (with a few parts raided from the Scion parts bin, admittedly ). |
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11-19-2011, 04:22 PM | #15 |
Drives: 2014 yaris 5 speed Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: michigan
Posts: 642
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im not complaining about the use of hard plastics in this class. they all have to do this. im talking about the bizarre texture of th plastic used (in the base model) and the awful looking rubbery shifter.
i like the exterior look better and the interior layout better on the new yaris...just not that awful paper mache looking plastic. arguing that this is a b class car doesnt work because the fiesta, fit, and accent are all b class as well and those interior are WAY less cheap looking. i could even live with the interior if toyota would have done some aero mods and gearing changes and just owned the segment in mpg's. believe me, i get the whole minimalistic thing..its why i bought my 07 manual, roll up windows yaris in the first place. just dont try to price it in the same range of cars that offer more. |
11-19-2011, 07:32 PM | #16 |
The Blue Speedster
Drives: 2007 Toyota Vitz F - 1KR-FE Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Malta
Posts: 30
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I've been in the new Yaris, and test driven it. I still love my tiny 1Litre Vitz after driving it. - I do not like the fact that they removed almost all of the cubby holes that the 2nd Gen had, and also, to be honest, The sporty looks have ruined it's interior space in the rear. I'm 6" 1 and I fit with plenty of room in the back of my own Vitz. but in the new one, I always hit my head when entering, and my head touches the ceiling.
I'm a fan of the new seats though, Mine are great, but the New one's are slightly better feeling. I feel that Toyota went with sporty looks and less practicality when it came to this model. If I had to choose, I'd pick the 2nd Gen everytime. - it just looks much smarter on the inside, and if given a little Aftermarket love, or TRD Accessories, it looks good too. - I Like the standard look of the car too, so I'm not being biased. Toyota had to make up ground because of the PR damage that it had earlier this year, but they could have been a little more practical in terms of design. The new dashboard texture is coming out all over the European range, it started in the iQ, then the Avensis. it works best in the Avensis, as it has a huge swooping dash, but on the new yaris, it just looks like it can get easily damaged with time. and one more thing, the grey insert in the European model feels like a REALLY thin layer of Vinyl, which can get torn very easily. I'll be keeping my blue speedster for a long time to come. |
11-19-2011, 09:31 PM | #17 | |
Nothing beats a Toyota!
Drives: 2013 Yaris 5 dr liftback Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Posts: 564
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Quote:
I wish the would offer the smaller engines here so we could get better gas mileage.
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Big Dave Indianapolis, IN Synthetic Oil....its in my car.....for at least 10,000 miles! |
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11-19-2011, 10:40 PM | #18 | |||
Drives: 07 Yaris S Sedan 5-Speed Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 2,179
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Quote:
Quote:
Check out this article...http://translogic.aolautos.com/2010/...op-new-models/ Quote:
The primary advantage of the Japanese built Yaris and Fit? Unmatched reliability/dependability. Pretty good reason for me. |
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