Karina Originally Built Its Reputation on Economical Reliable Small Cars; Toyota Hasn't Given Up

Toyota has built its reputation by making economical and reliable small cars, but it hasn't given up on this segment. In fact, the smallest car in Toyota's lineup is the Yaris, which comes in a sedan, two-door hatch, and four-door hatch body style. The article will take a closer look at how the Yaris performs in each of these body styles.

The Gauge Cluster: A Symmetrical Design

When getting into the RS model of the Yaris, one of the first things you notice is this huge gauge cluster right in the middle. It takes some getting used to actually looking in the middle instead of right in front of you to see how fast you're going. The car's design seems to have been influenced by an unbeatable urge for symmetry, with all these knobs positioned right here in the center. Another notable feature is that needle on the big speedometer, which moves real slowly - a testament to the car not being particularly fast.

Fuel Economy: A Bright Spot

While the Yaris may not be a speed demon, it makes up for it with great fuel economy. According to the article, the Yaris achieved 30 miles per gallon overall in its customers' tests. This is an impressive feat, especially considering the car's small size and engine power.

Braking Performance: Excellent

The article praises the Yaris' braking performance as excellent. The ABS brakes are now standard on all models, which was previously optional but proved to be a necessity after earlier testing showed that cars without them were terrible. This improved safety feature has made a significant difference in the car's overall performance.

Noise and Handling: Not Its Strong Suit

However, there are areas where the Yaris falls short. The noise level is not particularly quiet, with noticeable road noise and an engine that can get boomy at times. Additionally, on rough surfaces, the ride can be tossed around a bit, affecting the car's handling.

Interior Storage: A Silver Lining

Despite its shortcomings in other areas, the Yaris has one notable advantage: interior storage. The article praises the abundance of cubbies and compartments throughout the car, making it easy to find space for belongings. This is particularly impressive in the rear seats, which have a sliding feature that can be adjusted to provide more room.

Fit and Finish: Less Impressive

However, the fit and finish are not as impressive. The article notes that many of the cubbies seem to "crash" closed, lacking damps to prevent this from happening. Additionally, there is no chrome or padding on the car, giving it a cheap, utilitarian feel.

Driving Position: A Problem Area

The driving position is also an area where the Yaris falls short. There isn't much adjustment available in terms of seat height and steering wheel movement, which can make it difficult for some drivers to find a comfortable seating position. Furthermore, the pedals are positioned too far away from each other, making it challenging to reach them comfortably.

Getting In and Out: A Tall Roofline

The car's tall roofline also presents challenges when getting in and out. The article notes that it is not particularly difficult to get into or out of the car, but those with mobility issues may struggle due to its height.

Rear Seat Space: Limited Room

Finally, the rear seat space is limited unless one takes advantage of a trick feature: sliding the seats forward. This provides more room for passengers and belongings, making it a useful option for families or those who need extra space on occasion. However, this also means that legroom is compromised, as some parts of the rear seat fold up to make way for storage.

A Better Alternative: The Xin XD

In comparison to the Yaris, there is another Toyota model worth considering: the Xin XD. This car costs the same amount as the Yaris but offers even better performance and features. The article concludes by suggesting that those with limited budgets may want to consider other options rather than settling for the Yaris.

A Great Alternative: The Honda Fit

Finally, an alternative to both the Yaris and the Xin XD is the Honda Fit. This car has a lot of utility and is fun to drive, making it a great option for those who need a reliable vehicle without breaking the bank. In conclusion, while the Yaris may not be the best car in its class, there are alternatives available that offer better performance and features at similar price points.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enKarina originally built its reputation by making economical reliable small cars well it has a full line now of SUVs and large luxury cars it hasn't given up on the small car in fact the smallest car it has is the Toyota Yaris it's available as a sedan a two-door hatch and a four-door hatch that you see here let's see how it does first thing you notice when you get in the RS is this huge gauge cluster right in the middle it takes a little getting used to actually looking in the middle instead of right in front of you to see how fast you're going it seems like they designed this car with this unbeatable urge for symmetry all these knobs right here in the center another thing you'll notice though is that needle on that big speedometer it moves real slowly car just isn't that fast factious little engine strange most of the time so while you may not be going very fast you will be getting great fuel economy our Yaris got 30 miles per gallon overall in our customers braking performance it's excellent doesn't take much to stop this little car abs brakes well they're standard now in fact the first time we tested a Yaris ABS was optional and we tested one without it and it was absolutely terrible well those days are gone as for noise it's not particularly quiet there's notable road noise and the engine well could get boomy at times the ride it's okay but on rough surfaces it gets tossed around a bit and that's for handling don't expect something like a Honda Fit it's not particularly agile it's not bad as for emergency or handling when you go around a sharp corner you get off the throttle a bit the tail could slide out and that could be unnerving one nice thing about the Yaris is interior storage this is a little car but they make the most of the space everywhere you look there seems to be another cubby or compartment well normally you get a glove compartment here you get two on the right side you even get a compartment here right where the gauges normally go you also get cubbies here around the center stack plenty of places with your stuff what's less impressive is the fit and finish all these cubbies just kind of crashes closed they're not damped lots of hard plastics everywhere not everything really fits that well there's no frills here don't expect any chrome nothing padded this is a really cheap car also without frills is the driving position there isn't a lot of adjustment here the seat height doesn't adjust the steering wheel it doesn't telescope and that's a problem it's a little bit too far away and the pedals that are a little too close many of our testers didn't find it particularly comfortable with a fairly tall roofline getting in and out it's not too bad palm is once you're back here not a lot of room the rear seat though there's a couple of tricks one it slides forward that's kind of me if you want to have more stuff in the back does get rid of a lot of your leg room though also the seat reclines and while the hatchback design does give the air some versatility there's not a whole lot of room here unless you take the seats fold them forward and find some place to put the little cover so while the air certainly is cheap to own the problem is it's not that great of a car and there's a car called xin XD also made by Toyota and that's a much better car it cost the same amount of money and even better you can get a Honda Fit and that's a great car it's got lots of utility and it's fun to drive so just because you don't have a lot of money to spend you don't have to settle youKarina originally built its reputation by making economical reliable small cars well it has a full line now of SUVs and large luxury cars it hasn't given up on the small car in fact the smallest car it has is the Toyota Yaris it's available as a sedan a two-door hatch and a four-door hatch that you see here let's see how it does first thing you notice when you get in the RS is this huge gauge cluster right in the middle it takes a little getting used to actually looking in the middle instead of right in front of you to see how fast you're going it seems like they designed this car with this unbeatable urge for symmetry all these knobs right here in the center another thing you'll notice though is that needle on that big speedometer it moves real slowly car just isn't that fast factious little engine strange most of the time so while you may not be going very fast you will be getting great fuel economy our Yaris got 30 miles per gallon overall in our customers braking performance it's excellent doesn't take much to stop this little car abs brakes well they're standard now in fact the first time we tested a Yaris ABS was optional and we tested one without it and it was absolutely terrible well those days are gone as for noise it's not particularly quiet there's notable road noise and the engine well could get boomy at times the ride it's okay but on rough surfaces it gets tossed around a bit and that's for handling don't expect something like a Honda Fit it's not particularly agile it's not bad as for emergency or handling when you go around a sharp corner you get off the throttle a bit the tail could slide out and that could be unnerving one nice thing about the Yaris is interior storage this is a little car but they make the most of the space everywhere you look there seems to be another cubby or compartment well normally you get a glove compartment here you get two on the right side you even get a compartment here right where the gauges normally go you also get cubbies here around the center stack plenty of places with your stuff what's less impressive is the fit and finish all these cubbies just kind of crashes closed they're not damped lots of hard plastics everywhere not everything really fits that well there's no frills here don't expect any chrome nothing padded this is a really cheap car also without frills is the driving position there isn't a lot of adjustment here the seat height doesn't adjust the steering wheel it doesn't telescope and that's a problem it's a little bit too far away and the pedals that are a little too close many of our testers didn't find it particularly comfortable with a fairly tall roofline getting in and out it's not too bad palm is once you're back here not a lot of room the rear seat though there's a couple of tricks one it slides forward that's kind of me if you want to have more stuff in the back does get rid of a lot of your leg room though also the seat reclines and while the hatchback design does give the air some versatility there's not a whole lot of room here unless you take the seats fold them forward and find some place to put the little cover so while the air certainly is cheap to own the problem is it's not that great of a car and there's a car called xin XD also made by Toyota and that's a much better car it cost the same amount of money and even better you can get a Honda Fit and that's a great car it's got lots of utility and it's fun to drive so just because you don't have a lot of money to spend you don't have to settle you\n"