Toyota's nifty Yaris
2:10pm Monday 19th December 2011 in Car Reviews
I WAS a big fan of the original Yaris. Despite the dubious merits of being based on a concept car called the, er, Funtime, the Yaris was a great little car that offered just the right mix of perky practicality, good looks and Toyota's legendary reliability.
In its first year on sale it was awarded the prestigious European Car of the Year accolade and went on to become Toyota's best selling supermini of all time.
Since then, the MINI has redefined what people expect from a premium supermini and the Polo has set a new benchmark for quality among the bread 'n butter supermini pack.
Another thing that's changed since the Yaris is the size of the average supermini. To accommodate expanding Western waistlines cars in every class have grown up – a Polo today is very close to the size of the original VW Golf, a car supposedly in the next class up.
In recognition of this new paradigm, the Yaris has been stretched by 100mm and boasts even more rear legroom. However, careful design and the use of high tensile steels in key areas of the chassis means the new model is actually 20kg lighter than the car it replaces – and everyone knows that light weight means greater fuel economy and sprightlier performance.
The slightly blobby looks have been replaced by a sharp new suit of clothes enhanced by smart new headlights, a trendy sloping belt-line and complex surfaces all designed to give the Yaris a sportier profile. It's also 20mm lower than its predecessor (which had a mini-MPV vibe), although the suspension components remain the same as do the engines (two petrols and a single diesel, starting with the 1.0-litre VVTi and topping out with the test car's 1.3-litre VVTi).
My disappointment at not getting the diesel to test was ameliorated by the excellence of the 1.3 petrol which has 98bhp on tap for decent performance yet still manages diesel-like fuel consumption.
It's still no junior GTi, though. There's a chronic lack of low down torque (so much for the revised variable valve timing set up) and you have to drop a couple of gears (at least) if you want to get a move on. Steep hills sometimes required third or even second gear. You need at least 3,500 rpm for brisk progress, but at least the engine is smooth and it's happy revving right to the 6,000rpm red line. The midrange is actually pretty good, for a petrol engine, but that only accentuates the paucity of push below 3,000 rpm. The handling, too, is utterly conventional: light steering, early onset of understeer and decent stability in high winds. It makes bad drivers into good ones by flattering poor clutch/throttle co-ordination and always tracks straight and true – but the electro-mechanical power steering delivers no feel and the suspension is too soft for handling enjoyment. First and foremost, the Yaris is a car designed for city life.
Thrashing doesn't make a big dint in the fuel economy which seems to hover around the 45-55mpg mark however you drive. That's a good result and gives the Yaris a cruising range of about 350 miles between fill ups.
Toyota reckons two-thirds of the body is dedicated to the cabin and its certainly a roomy place to sit, especially in the back where kids have loads of legroom. Sculpted seat backs have liberated precious space for adult knees and, despite the lowered roof line, there's ample headroom. The original Yaris had a rather unconventional centrally positioned LCD instrument set. In a nod to with its added maturity, the new one has a conventional set of analogue clocks mounted ahead of the steering wheel. The soft feel plastic on the door tops and fascia has an odd grain which makes it look scratchier than it really is, and there's an impressive touch-screen infotainment unit which includes Bluetooth wireless for your phone and (on posher models) a 3-D sat nav system with speed camera alerts. Strangely, though, the test car had one or two very un-Toyota-like rattles I didn't expect to find.
The range is the same as before: four trim levels and two body styles (two door and four door) with a pleasingly high level of standard equipment. The TR model on test came with alloys, Bluetooth, six speaker stereo and a rear parking camera.
There's a five year warranty but, as it's a Toyota, I doubt you'll need to read the small print too closely.
Growing up is never easy and so it proves with the Yaris. The new one is bigger, lighter and quieter to drive than its predecessor. However, along the way to maturity it has lost of the original's cheeky charm and the interior's rattles came as a bit of a shock.
That said, it remains a solid investment prospect that's likely to give many years of faithful service.
SPEC CHECK:
Engine: 1,392cc, 4 cyls, petrol Max power: 98bhp @ 6,000rpm Max torque: 92 lb/ft @ 3,800rpm Top speed: 110mph 0-62mph: 11.6 seconds Fuel consumption on test: 53mpg CO2 emissions: 123g/km VED band: D.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Ford Fiesta: Sharper to look at and nicer to drive, but secondhand values won't be as strong.
VW Polo: Nicely made and a refined drive but lacks any sense of playfulness. A very German supermini.
