Consumer Reports not too pleased with Yaris

[KittenRD]

I saw that too and was actually going to post this. I was pissed with their review. My dad says they seem to have a major thing with toyota or something. They rated the prius horrible as well.

[Driver]

I have subscribed to Consumer reports for years and agree with their assessments of many things except this one. I find the pedal cluster to be fine, the car comfortable and as stable as my last car a 2000 Saturn SL2. Other reviewers who deal in nothing but cars gave the Yaris good reviews. If the Yaris is so bad how is it that in 1999 it won car of the year on Europe.

[Chemware]

Originally Posted by Befuddled

Main gripes were no ABS

The AU versions all have ABS.

engine and road noise

are no worse than any other car in its class ...

driving position (and pedal placement)

are excellent - I can even toe-and-heel (though the engine response makes that tricky).

and sloppy handling at the limits.

Nonsense. Handling is better than the Honda Fit (Jazz over here), and far better than the Korean death traps. The Fit has excessive understeer and tyre scrub, and requires far greater steering input. The only cars with (slightly) better handling in its class are the Suzuki Swift and Mazda 2.

They feel it would benefit greatly from stability control.

Then they have not driven the car. While it has the usual FWD mild understeer, it tracks accurately and goes where you point it with no instability. Steering feedback is lacking - like most cars with electric power steering. Stability control would not improve its handling one bit.

What it really needs in the handling department are: rear anti-roll bar, stiffer front bar, greater negative camber on front wheels, quality (not stiffer) gas shocks, and maybe 195/55 tyres.

My guess is that they only looked at the spec sheet, and ticked the boxes.

[tomjasz]

Originally Posted by Chemware

The AU versions all have ABS.


My guess is that they only looked at the spec sheet, and ticked the boxes.

You guessed wrong....

[nsmitchell]

I am going to trade my Yaris in! On a new on in 2 or so years. Hopefully they will have brought the 5 door to the states by then, with Side Airbags, Traction control, stability control and ann that stuff! Like the Friggin Scions already have! I may change colors too, but I will still drive a Yaris, that's for sure... unless I win the lottery and buy an Aston Martin or something.

[tomjasz]

"The manual, two-door hatchback Yaris was the least-expensive car here. It tied the Honda Fit with an excellent 34 mpg overall. Both Yarises have a good ride, but when pushed to their handling limits, their tails tended to slide easily. Our Yaris sedan had many more amenities than the hatchback.

Predicted reliability "much better than average"

HIGHS | Fuel economy, hatchback storage, turning circle, reliability.
LOWS | Braking without ABS, engine and road noise, driving position, sloppy handling at the limits

The Yaris is available as a funky hatchback and a conventional sedan. Both deliver excellent fuel economy and a very good ride. Handling is sloppy and unforgiving at its limits. Acceleration is adequate, but the engine is noisy at high revs. Stopping distances for our non-ABS hatchback were extremely long, and ABS is hard to find. Many drivers found the driving position flawed. Options can quickly drive the price up from the spartan base car. First year reliability has been excellent for this new model, but the Yaris scored too low to be recommended.

For an inexpensive car the ride is compliant and absorbs bumps well, but quick body motions disrupt somewhat. Road noise is pronounced, and the engine note is boomy.


The Yaris feels responsive, but the steering is overly light at low speeds. It firms up appropriately at higher speeds but isn’t linear. Body lean is moderate. At its limits the Yaris is sloppy, with so-so grip. The rear end slid out too easily in our avoidance maneuver and around our track, especially in the hatchback. The Yaris would greatly benefit from stability control, but like on the other cars here it’s not available. The 106-hp, 1.5-liter four-cylinder returned an excellent 34 mpg overall when paired with the five-speed manual transmission. The smooth-shifting four-speed automatic gets 33 mpg overall, but acceleration is blunted.


Braking distances without ABS are extremely long, in both dry and wet conditions. Opt for ABS if you can find it. Low-beam headlights don’t illuminate far enough ahead.

The interior has lots of hard plastic, and there are exposed screws. The tilt-only steering wheel is too far forward, and there isn’t much room to rest your left foot. The pedals are very close together and are close to the driver, making it difficult to drive the manual smoothly. Wide roof pillars, rear head restraints, and the hatchback’s center safety-belt routing hurt rear visibility.


Some drivers wanted more lumbar support from the firm seats. The sedan’s manual height adjustment helps thigh support. The taller hatchback offers better head room. Rear access is better in the sedan.


The gauges, mounted at the dashboard center, are too far away and the sedan’s gauges are smaller and harder to read. The confusing climate fan switch drew complaints. The externally adjusted manual mirrors in the hatchback are a long reach.


The sedan holds more luggage than the hatchback. Oddly, the hatchback’s rear seat is not a 60/40-split, but a one-piece unit."

Best all around and for fuel economy:
Honda Fit
Honda Fit Sport

Mileage is impressive with 34 mpg with the manual and 32 with the automatic.

Most fun to drive:
Ford Focus ZX3

It has a more comfortable ride and handles better than the Fit.


Most cargo space:
Scion xB (automatic)
Scion xB (manual)

The xB has a tall, squared-off cargo area. Standard antilock brakes and electronic stability control are big pluses.

Most spacious:
Honda Fit
Honda Fit Sport
Scion xB (automatic)
Scion xB (manual)

Clever interior packaging maximizes space. The xB is almost like a delivery van.

[foober]

To be honest all comsumer reports cares about is add ons that make cars more expensive and air bags that injure people. Don't have much respect for consumer reports.

[Bretsuaz]

I didnt like the interior of the Fit. Appeard very cheap. And from the outside, it looke like a Suzuki Aerio. But the main reason I didnt buy a Fit was because of reliability concerns. I liked the styling of the Yaris, and this engine has a proven track record. I have heard the auto trans in the Fit has some problems. So far I love my car, and would recommend this vehicle to anyone. I would have expected them to receive similar scores though.

[tomjasz]

Originally Posted by foober

To be honest all comsumer reports cares about is add ons that make cars more expensive and air bags that injure people. Don't have much respect for consumer reports.

[hasher22]

Well, theres no such thing as a perfect car for the perfect price.

[tomjasz]

Originally Posted by Bretsuaz

I didnt like the interior of the Fit. Appeard very cheap. And from the outside, it looke like a Suzuki Aerio. But the main reason I didnt buy a Fit was because of reliability concerns. I liked the styling of the Yaris, and this engine has a proven track record. I have heard the auto trans in the Fit has some problems. So far I love my car, and would recommend this vehicle to anyone. I would have expected them to receive similar scores though.

A honda with reliability concerns?

[foober]

tomjasz, I get the feeling that you subscribe to that "fish wrap" consumer reports.

[tomjasz]

Originally Posted by foober

tomjasz, I get the feeling that you subscribe to that "fish wrap" consumer reports.

Care to stay on point and tell us about Honda and their reliability problems...
BTW
Fish wrap is what you call a local newspaper, only "cowsbell" has a "split the sheets" column....

[Pars]

Originally Posted by tomjasz

"The manual, two-door hatchback Yaris was the least-expensive car here. It tied the Honda Fit with an excellent 34 mpg overall. Both Yarises have a good ride, but when pushed to their handling limits, their tails tended to slide easily. Our Yaris sedan had many more amenities than the hatchback.

Predicted reliability "much better than average"

HIGHS | Fuel economy, hatchback storage, turning circle, reliability.
LOWS | Braking without ABS, engine and road noise, driving position, sloppy handling at the limits

The Yaris is available as a funky hatchback and a conventional sedan. Both deliver excellent fuel economy and a very good ride. Handling is sloppy and unforgiving at its limits. Acceleration is adequate, but the engine is noisy at high revs. Stopping distances for our non-ABS hatchback were extremely long, and ABS is hard to find. Many drivers found the driving position flawed. Options can quickly drive the price up from the spartan base car. First year reliability has been excellent for this new model, but the Yaris scored too low to be recommended.

For an inexpensive car the ride is compliant and absorbs bumps well, but quick body motions disrupt somewhat. Road noise is pronounced, and the engine note is boomy.


The Yaris feels responsive, but the steering is overly light at low speeds. It firms up appropriately at higher speeds but isn’t linear. Body lean is moderate. At its limits the Yaris is sloppy, with so-so grip. The rear end slid out too easily in our avoidance maneuver and around our track, especially in the hatchback. The Yaris would greatly benefit from stability control, but like on the other cars here it’s not available. The 106-hp, 1.5-liter four-cylinder returned an excellent 34 mpg overall when paired with the five-speed manual transmission. The smooth-shifting four-speed automatic gets 33 mpg overall, but acceleration is blunted.


Braking distances without ABS are extremely long, in both dry and wet conditions. Opt for ABS if you can find it. Low-beam headlights don’t illuminate far enough ahead.

The interior has lots of hard plastic, and there are exposed screws. The tilt-only steering wheel is too far forward, and there isn’t much room to rest your left foot. The pedals are very close together and are close to the driver, making it difficult to drive the manual smoothly. Wide roof pillars, rear head restraints, and the hatchback’s center safety-belt routing hurt rear visibility.


Some drivers wanted more lumbar support from the firm seats. The sedan’s manual height adjustment helps thigh support. The taller hatchback offers better head room. Rear access is better in the sedan.


The gauges, mounted at the dashboard center, are too far away and the sedan’s gauges are smaller and harder to read. The confusing climate fan switch drew complaints. The externally adjusted manual mirrors in the hatchback are a long reach.


The sedan holds more luggage than the hatchback. Oddly, the hatchback’s rear seat is not a 60/40-split, but a one-piece unit."

Best all around and for fuel economy:
Honda Fit
Honda Fit Sport

Mileage is impressive with 34 mpg with the manual and 32 with the automatic.

Cool, I finally get to read the consumer reports article. I sort of can see where the guy is coming from, but boy, talk about the glass being half full. I can follow how the rear end can washout on ya, if your charging the turn as fast as the Fit, which is packing 195/55/15 (or better) tires and expect the Yaris dinky 175/65/14 (or 185/60/15) tires to be as controllable at the same speed. The sledge hammer tactics will overload the tires and cause the car to spin out of control. It's not do to bad/sloppy handling, it's do to bad driving and not being able to explore the car's true limits. I've charged the turns many times in my Yaris to the point where the rear is about to rotate on me and I can hold it there forever, it's very controllable. Not to say the car is tail happy, but it has just the right amount of over-steer dialed into it.

What's with the steering being not sensitive and then too sensitive and then not linear? wtf, make up your mind. Personally, I found the Yaris steering spot-on. Steering sensitivity becomes quick at moderate speeds (which is great, unless you're an old man with titanic-like reaction), so slight turn-ins will return immediate response, which is normally a good thing. Like wise, slow and lighter steering response is preferable at low speeds.

One point I did get, is when spinning out of control, ABS with stability control would be a huge asset. My old Civic didn't have any fancy ABS system, but that car had a really good suspension system. In one extreme situation,I was sideways doing 120km/hr on the highway on a straight-away, in the wet and simply easying off on the gas and not panicking, was enough to bring the car back in line (but that particular car had $4500 of suspension/wheel upgrades and a double wishbone front & back). I wouldn't expect any of the short wheel base car in this segment to be as forgiving in the same situation, unless it was packing a good electronic stability control system. Toyota should make their abs system standard on the Yaris to compensate.

[foober]

Originally Posted by tomjasz

Care to stay on point and tell us about Honda and their reliability problems...
BTW
Fish wrap is what you call a local newspaper, only "cowsbell" has a "split the sheets" column....

I am on point. The point was is consumer reports seems to have an agenda. And I'm sure alot of it has to do with who greases their palms.

My advice to you is read other owners opinions of the product. Having used the product in normal situations and use they are very probably the best at explaining a product.

I myself like to look at reliability of a vehicle or product over the years. The yaris is an offshoot of the echo which is one of the most reliable vehicles ever built. Its why I bought my yaris.

[tomjasz]

Originally Posted by foober

I am on point. The point was is consumer reports all that reliable and thourgh how they judge things . I don't think they are. They as they say seem to have an agenda. And I'm sure alot of it has to do with who greases their palms.

My advice to you is read other owners opinions of the product. Having used the product in normal situations and use they are very probably the best at explaining a product.

I myself like to look at reliability of a vehicle or product over the years. The yaris is an offshoot of the echo which is one of the most reliable vehicles ever built. Its why I bought my yaris.

Consumer reports rates the Yaris as much better than average for reliability. Whats the problem with that? CR sends out polls and the ratings are based on the feedback. CR DOES NOT ACCEPT ADVERTISING AND BUYS THE PRODUCTS THEY TEST! So far you're long on opinion and short on facts. Please point out the unreliable Honda product? The Yaris is my 9th Toyota product, every model I've purchased has been top rated by CONSUMER FEEDBACK IN CR! So far I've not seen a single sensible review and point by point counterpoint of the CR review. All I've read so far are comments from kids wounded by a critical review of their bottom of the line Toyota....go ahead and shoot the messenger....

[palsan]

CR may not be convinced the Yaris is the best car in its class but Canadians seem to think otherwise ...
YARIS outselling the FUGLY by more than 3 to 1

Canadian auto sales for October 2006 (and year-to-date):
Toyota Yaris 2,834 (30,460)
Ford Focus 1,663 (23,795)
Hyundai Accent 1,340 (15,229)
Nissan Versa 1,260 (4,716 not available for whole year)
Honda Fit 895 (8,367)
Chevy Aveo 654 (9,156)
Kia Rio 523 (5,846)
Pontiac Wave 475 (7,006)

Full report available here: http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/...c,49281.0.html

I have no problem with CR in general, but in this case, I think they missed two very important factors:
1. intangilble: the cool look factor favours the Yaris by far!
(I already have a minivan in my driveway I didn't want two.)
2. tangible: an equally equiped Fit is more expensive than a Yaris (at least in my market).
(In my case, an equivalent Fit would have cost me somewhere between $1,500 & $2,000 more up front and double that after paying the higher interest rate over the 3 year financing period.)

[Katana]

Ηere in Greece, Yaris is the best selling car of the month!!!