How Well does the Yaris handle on dirt roads?

[JacobFL]

I am thinking about getting a Yaris because I drive many miles a day and the Yaris seems affordable but nice for a small hatchback car and I am looking for something with great MPG. There is one road I often drive on that is a dirt/clay road and when it rains hard, the road turns to mush in places for about a mile. People with small 2 wheel drive cars (Corollas, etc.) usually get through the road without being stuck but it can be difficult. I have driven down that road when it is muddy in a small car like an old Ford Escourt and when the road was really bad I remember just getting by without getting stuck. When the road was only sort of muddy I could get by in the Escourt whthout too much trouble. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with the Yaris on such a bad, muddy road. I figure with the skinny tires it might be easy to get stuck. I don't expect it to get through mud like a Jeep, obviously!

[Betrivent]

If you're worried, just get wide wheels.. it handles snow very well so presumably, equipped properly, it could do quite well.

I haven't drive in mud before though.

[CTScott]

It's definitely all about the tires. The Yaris actually does extremely well traction-wise. Me plowing snow and pulling neighbors' cars out of snow banks with one is a great testament to that.

[CrankyOldMan]

I did a dirt road last week that was slush/mud/water/ice, on stock tires that need replacing. It was pretty sketchy, but I imagine that some decent all weathers or even snow tires could help. Then again, there's always rally tires...

[bronsin]

Here my Yaris on the Daulton Highway in Alaska.

A lot of its dirt.

[Still Learning]

Nice shots of Alaska country!

[UTVitz]

19 miles of wash board sandy/small gravel in both directions-never again. the car shakes horribly over wash boards-barely able to go 10 mph. amazing the car held together the shaking got so bad before I slowed enough. short wheel base and front wheel drive did not like the gravel road in my situation.

[ROCKLAND TOYOTA]

mudguards might help with the kick up of rocks/mud....

[Altitude]

Originally Posted by UTVitz

19 miles of wash board sandy/small gravel in both directions-never again. the car shakes horribly over wash boards-barely able to go 10 mph. amazing the car held together the shaking got so bad before I slowed enough. short wheel base and front wheel drive did not like the gravel road in my situation.

I'm with UTVitz and wouldn't dare take the Yaris on dirt/gravel roads (at least not the ones in the West/Southwest.) Not because of traction issues, but because of the potential for damage to the suspension.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by UTVitz

19 miles of wash board sandy/small gravel in both directions-never again. the car shakes horribly over wash boards-barely able to go 10 mph. amazing the car held together the shaking got so bad before I slowed enough. short wheel base and front wheel drive did not like the gravel road in my situation.

Not my experience in BC/Yukon /AK at all. I drove prolly a thousand miles on gravel and dirt without a problem. On the Cassiar Highway I kept it at 60 mph on the chipseal and slowed (at first) for the gravel sections. After a while the car did so well on the gravel I just kept going 60.

Put my Yaris in with 20 other Yaris and pick out the one driven to AK and back.

You wont be able to tell.

[Yury]

they have something called "rough road package" for Yaris..always wondered what that was.
The suspension is kinda firm, but other than that I imagine it should be as well as other cars. With the advantage of being easier to push out when you get stuck due to low weight.

[CrankyOldMan]

Ironically, there is less amplitude in the vibrations at higher speeds, despite the increase in frequency. I have always preferred to drive 40+ on dirt/gravel in any vehicle, unless there are big ruts or washouts.

[why?]

Originally Posted by CTScott

It's definitely all about the tires. The Yaris actually does extremely well traction-wise. Me plowing snow and pulling neighbors' cars out of snow banks with one is a great testament to that.

Couldn't agree more, the tires are what matters. Driven on tons of dirt/ gravel roads and it is wicked fun, drove in slush of about3-6" and the car couldn't handle it at all, because I was on so called ''all weather tires" I bought in florida, where snow doesn't happen so all weather becomes all sun and rain tires.

Then I had a Saab with good bad road tires where I could drive in any amount of dirt or snow or crap and I would never get stuck.

So just buy tires that can handle the muck and the Yaris will do great.

[caineroad]

i can tell you once you get stuck even the slightest you won't be able to pull yourself out, this is the only thing i don't like about the yaris. i was stuck in sand once and snow once, but only one wheel from the front spins when i give it gas, the other wheel just stays motionless! if both wheels spin together I'm sure the yari would be able to pull himself out

[Idahotom]

I live on a dirt road that gets mushy, icey etc. The Yaris is no better or worse then any other rig I've had. I certainly don't baby it, hell, it's a Toyota! Tires are the key, though nothing special, just good as I would have any other rig I drive on the same road. The low ground clearance, in deep snow, is an obvious problem, but that's why I have the '89 All-Trac!

The only negative is the back window gets really dirty quick, due to the aerodynamics. I don't care about that, that why I have side mirrors. Call it privacy glass.......

[joe keeney]

Originally Posted by caineroad

i can tell you once you get stuck even the slightest you won't be able to pull yourself out, this is the only thing i don't like about the yaris. i was stuck in sand once and snow once, but only one wheel from the front spins when i give it gas, the other wheel just stays motionless! if both wheels spin together I'm sure the yari would be able to pull himself out

try family dollar 7 pound bag of cat litter only a dollar makes for great traction.

[nemelek]

It does ok, however, I don't drive much in the dirt.

[why?]

Originally Posted by joe keeney

try family dollar 7 pound bag of cat litter only a dollar makes for great traction.

that won't help. The Yaris has an open diff, buying a LSD would help that, but those are expensive.