Autoblog Drives a '15 Yaris ...

[Thirty-Nine]

... and doesn't hate it.

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/08/06/2...is-quick-spin/

I appreciate the objective review on this. This author seems to "get" the Yaris. It's simple, basic, and drives well. It isn't a "smart phone on wheels." He didn't pontificate about the four-speed auto, he didn't slam it for having under 110 hp, and he actually said it was his favorite Toyota at the moment.

[bronsin]

No hate but geez...it never ceases to amaze me the moronic standards the buying public has for cars!

What do these people think they are buying? Its a CAR for cripes sake! It takes you to work it takes you to the store. Who CARES what it looks like or what materials the interior is made of? Or if theyre "high quality"? Or what it says about your status in society? People who judge you by the car you drive are ASSHOLES!

It cant imagine why he says sitting in the seats will make you squirm in a short while. Really! I have a torn muscle in my lower back, a repaired ruptured disc in my neck and arthritis on my spine. But I drove my Yaris 10,400miles from NJ to AK and back in 16 days in perfect comfort.

What is WRONG with these people?

[Kar98]

Originally Posted by bronsin

I have a torn muscle in my lower back, a repaired ruptured disc in my neck and arthritis on my spine.

Was that before or after driving 10,000 km in your Yaris

[Kalispel]

Originally Posted by bronsin

No hate but geez...it never ceases to amaze me the moronic standards the buying public has for cars!

I'm really tired of the Honda Fit being touted as some sort of class-leading, absolute Yaris-killer - and most people seem to buy into the hype.

Sure, the Honda Fit is great if you want the hauling capacity of a mini-van in a shrunken, elongated, ugly subcompact form, and a flashier/gaudy interior, but that is about it.

I drove a 2015 Honda Fit EX (which costs more than a Yaris SE) for a few weeks and wasn't impressed by anything beyond its cargo capacity/versatility (which is pretty awesome). It certainly didn't feel any faster than the Yaris, thanks to its extra weight offsetting its higher horsepower. It handled sluggishly compared the the 2015 Yaris SE, with noticeably heavier body roll. The braking didn't feel nearly as tight as the SE. The interior was sort of annoying/distracting in its cheesy attempt to look futuristic and high-tech. The CVT automatic didn't feel any better than the old-school Yaris 4-speed automatic in real-world driving, even if it did squeeze a few extra MPG out - though I'm sure the manual would be nice in the Fit, since Honda does make some of the sweetest manual-transmission vehicles in the world. Bottom line for me is that I find the Yaris SE simply more fun to drive than I did the Fit, as well as having better long-term reliability thanks to well-established technologies being employed, even if they aren't "bleeding edge".

Don't get me wrong - I like Honda (every car I have ever owned before this has been a Honda/Acura), but they seem to have reoccurring core mechanical problems with their brakes, transmissions, and even engines in some models (all of which I have managed to dodge, luckily). It's like they try to redesign everything from scratch with each new generation model release, instead of carrying over what actually works from previous experience (almost the direct opposite of what Toyota seems to do @ almost extreme levels, especially in the case of the Yaris).

[Thirty-Nine]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Who CARES what it looks like or what materials the interior is made of? Or if theyre "high quality"?

Because low-quality materials feel like, look like, and sound like junk. Hard plastic materials tend to scratch easier (ask me how I know). They also tend to rattle more than soft materials.

The same could be said about the inside of a house. I mean, it's just shelter, right?

[Thirty-Nine]

Originally Posted by Kalispel

I'm really tired of the Honda Fit being touted as some sort of class-leading, absolute Yaris-killer - and most people seem to buy into the hype.

Sure, the Honda Fit is great if you want the hauling capacity of a mini-van in a shrunken, elongated, ugly subcompact form, and a flashier/gaudy interior, but that is about it.

I drove a 2015 Honda Fit EX (which costs more than a Yaris SE) for a few weeks and wasn't impressed by anything beyond its cargo capacity/versatility (which is pretty awesome). It certainly didn't feel any faster than the Yaris, thanks to its extra weight offsetting its higher horsepower. It handled sluggishly compared the the 2015 Yaris SE, with noticeably heavier body roll. The braking didn't feel nearly as tight as the SE. The interior was annoying/distracting in its cheesy attempt to look upscale, futuristic and high-tech. The CVT automatic didn't feel any better than the old-school Yaris 4-speed automatic in real-world driving, even if it did squeeze a few extra MPG out - though I'm sure the manual would be nice in the Fit, since Honda does make some of the sweetest manual-transmission vehicles in the world. Bottom line for me is that I find the Yaris SE simply more fun to drive than I did the Fit, as well as having better long-term reliability.

Don't get me wrong - I like Honda (every car I have ever owned before this has been a Honda/Acura), but they seem to have reoccurring core mechanical problems with their brakes, transmissions, and even engines in some models (all of which I have managed to dodge, luckily). It's like they try to redesign everything from scratch with each new generation model release, instead of carrying over what actually works (almost the opposite of what Toyota seems to do).

I agree 100%. The latest fit has a buzzy engine, too. The interior versatility is second to none, but overall I just have never loved the Fit.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Kar98

Was that before or after driving 10,000 km in your Yaris

[edmscan]

Originally Posted by bronsin

People who judge you by the car you drive are ASSHOLES!

BMW drivers know that people DO and always will judge.

I know I will drive my Yaris until I literally have to push it down the street. I do not care what people think about my car.

[fnkngrv]

nice to see at least a somewhat nonabrasive review.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by Kar98

Was that before or after driving 10,000 km in your Yaris

Torn muscle - spilting wood and pushing in the stiff clutch of a 78 Chevy C10.

Arthritis - from riding ten speed bicycles with dropped handlebars.

Ruptured disk in neck - from splitting wood.

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by edmscan

BMW drivers know that people DO and always will judge.

I know I will drive my Yaris until I literally have to push it down the street. I do not care what people think about my car.

I don't have that problem either!

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

Arthritis - from riding ten speed bicycles with dropped handlebars.

I have a lightweight one with more gears, but I find that I often don't ride it....because I don't like the riding position caused by the dropped handlebars.
.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by bronsin

I don't have that problem either!

Me neither .

[bronsin]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

I have a lightweight one with more gears, but I find that I often don't ride it....because I don't like the riding position caused by the dropped handlebars.
.

Mountain bikes modified for street use are much more ergo friendly. I ran my 1980 Motobecane $500 21 pound 10 speed into the back of a car at 5 mph in 94 and bent the frame. I bought a mountain bike and went from riding 45 miles a week to 200.

[matti]

That is a refreshing review.

It seems that many reviews of the Yaris state things like they wish it had a telescopic steering wheel, 6-speed manual, more soft-touch material, heated seats, yada yada yada. Sure, that would be great, but the car wouldn't be such a $$ bargain at that point!

[Kar98]

Well, the base Jetta is only $1,685 more expensive than the base Yaris and you get a whole lot more car, both in quality and quantity.

[Kalispel]

Originally Posted by Kar98

Well, the base Jetta is only $1,685 more expensive than the base Yaris and you get a whole lot more car, both in quality and quantity.

VW makes some nice looking cars, but their core mechanical reliability sucks, and you are playing Russian Roulette as soon as the various warranties expire.

[why?]

Originally Posted by Kar98

Well, the base Jetta is only $1,685 more expensive than the base Yaris and you get a whole lot more car, both in quality and quantity.

Do you? Sure the interior is nicer, and german cars drive well. But german cars also cost boatloads of money to insure and repair, which is something every german car needs a lot of.

This is a perfect review of the Yaris in my opinion. It drives exactly like a lightweight small car should, and it does its job without stupid drama. Just wish they mentioned the insane reliability, most of them are tanks that don't ever break. Definitely the best Toyota, since those imbeciles in charge are still trying to keep scion around.

And now they are threatening lexus with the,"you're too stupid to negotiate," pricing. What are they trying to destroy everything?