7-day Test
Model: 2005 Toyota Yaris YRS 3dr manual
RRP: $16,790
Price as tested: $16,790 (no options)
Distance covered: 310kms
Tester: Russell Williamson
Date: February 2006
It's almost inevitable these days that when a carmaker replaces its previous model with a new one, it will be bigger, safer, stronger and generally more powerful. For Toyota, the count is three to one in that order for the new Yaris hatch which means it is both a better car in many areas but alas carries with it some baggage.
Yaris may be a new nameplate in Australia, but the car is essentially a next-generation Echo. As Toyota's global light car, it was known by three names ('Vitz' in Japan, 'Yaris' in Europe and 'Echo' in Australia) but under a push for global naming, the pressure was on the local arm to follow suit.
Although, such is the difference in many regards to the preceding Echo, that Toyota may have actually been keen to follow orders from Tokyo.
Not that the Echo was a bad car, a fact backed up by its sales-leading position for much of its five-year life here in Australia. It is just that the new Yaris does feel more accomplished in many areas.
Despite being the baby in the Toyota range, there is a definite feeling of spaciousness as you slip into the driver's seat. Its multiple adjustments -- and the rake/reach of the steering wheel -- means you can quite easily find a good driving position and (like the Ford Focus) there is a feeling that you are sitting up higher than you might expect in a small car.
The big glass areas and forward sloping waistline help with this but one of the biggest factors is that you don't have an instrument panel in front of you. Gauges, in the form of a digital numerical speedo and bar tacho, are relegated to the centre of the dash.
While it certainly helps in opening up forward visibility and a general feeling of increased space, the large grey slabs of plastic don't do much for the aesthetic appeal.
There is more room in the rear too, with Toyota claiming an overall increase in interior length, width, height and luggage space. Behind a 60/40 split-fold rear seat, the Yaris now swallows 272 litres. All up, the new car is 110mm longer sitting on a wheelbase that has been stretched 90mm over the Echo.
The seats themselves are reasonably comfortable and supportive despite being a seamless moulded variety and although adults wouldn't want to cross the Nullabor in the rear, it is more than adequate for short trips around town.
As expected, Toyota claims a stiffer, stronger body for the new car and this too appears evident in the solid, tight as a drum feeling you get on the road. Around town, there is little in the way of noise or vibration noticeable inside the quiet cabin and even over harsh tarmac and dirt roads there was not a squeak to be heard -- although the rear speaker covers did at times start vibrating in sympathy with a particularly strong bass line from Death in Vegas.
The only noise that was evident was at highway speeds when a bit of road noise from coarse chip freeways penetrated the cabin. At a steady speed of 100km/h at 2800rpm, there was also a degree of engine noise, which although not harsh, did over time become more obvious.
And it is the engine that is the car's biggest let down. As a largely carryover unit from the Echo, the 1.5-litre VVT-i has the same 80kW of power and a slightly lower 141Nm of torque -- thanks to modifications to meet emission regs. And this in a car that is no doubt heavier...
That said, it is not the weight that is the issue but rather the characteristics of the engine. Plant the foot in first and it gets off the line in reasonably sharp fashion but you need to hold the gear through to at least 5500rpm before shifting up to second to maintain momentum. A look at the figures reveals peak power at 6000rpm and max torque at 4200rpm which in terms of driving, means it really does need to be revved to get the best out of it.
If you change up to second and find yourself with less than about 3000 revs on the tacho, there is discernible lack of enthusiasm, especially if you find yourself faced with an uphill gradient. Toyota has also gone to a drive-by-wire throttle and it is reluctant to drop revs when you lift off the pedal which takes some getting used to.
Once you get used to the engine characteristics, you can work the little car to its full and the five-speed manual offers good shift quality. We feel, however, the target market is probably not the sort of driver that is likely to rev hard and often.
What the bigger, stronger, wider body has is a very solid and tidy handling front-drive hatch. The steering is well weighted and direct with a superb small 9.4m turning circle, although it doesn't offer a lot of feedback.
Push into a corner and there is little in the way of body movement. Even with extreme provocation there's only slight and easily controlled understeer. At the same time the ride quality, although on the firm side, is comfortable over most surfaces. It was only slightly upset by less than perfect tarmac and even then it tended to get a bit jiggly, rather than unduly harsh or uncomfortable.
The Echo was among the best-selling light cars on the market and with the substantial improvements that the Yaris brings, it should ensure Toyota retains a leading position.
