I guess you can call it cute if you’re so inclined but you certainly can’t call it inefficient, wasteful or indulgent.
Little changes for ‘09
Save for some minor nose restyling, the Toyota Yaris hasn’t undergone much revision for 2009. This entry-level subcompact economy car continues to offer tremendous value and frugality - air conditioning and power windows be damned.
Despite whether “cute” works as an adjective or not, the Yaris is visually inoffensive inside and outside, and it’s nicely put together and decently finished for a car occupying rung-one on the automotive ladder.
I’d like to say that its cabin is well thought-out but I’m not a fan of centrally positioned gauge pods; they require too much of a visual shift from the road ahead to be effectively read and interpreted. Lose the unconventionality Toyota, it doesn’t work.
Back to basics has its problems
You read that correctly. My tester was bereft of those many conveniences that we now assume to be standard equipment, such as keyless entry, air conditioning and power windows and mirrors along with an armrest and multiple cup holders.
The “back to basics” strategy is meant to produce an attractive price tag, and it does. My tester was stickered at $13,620, which nets a savvy purchaser all of the quality and reliability that Toyota is famous for.
Regrettably, to compete in the entry-level price war, other highly important installments get tossed like hard candy at Halloween. I’m talking about potential lifesavers such as antilock brakes, stability control and a full slate of airbags.
I realize that in business, one generally receives what one pays for - no more and no less. If I were king though, we’d all pay a little more and receive a lot more, specifically the benefits accompanying vehicle control technology and occupant protection systems.
Little changes for ‘09
Save for some minor nose restyling, the Toyota Yaris hasn’t undergone much revision for 2009. This entry-level subcompact economy car continues to offer tremendous value and frugality - air conditioning and power windows be damned.
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| Save for some minor nose restyling, the Toyota Yaris hasn’t undergone much revision for 2009. |
Despite whether “cute” works as an adjective or not, the Yaris is visually inoffensive inside and outside, and it’s nicely put together and decently finished for a car occupying rung-one on the automotive ladder.
I’d like to say that its cabin is well thought-out but I’m not a fan of centrally positioned gauge pods; they require too much of a visual shift from the road ahead to be effectively read and interpreted. Lose the unconventionality Toyota, it doesn’t work.
Back to basics has its problems
You read that correctly. My tester was bereft of those many conveniences that we now assume to be standard equipment, such as keyless entry, air conditioning and power windows and mirrors along with an armrest and multiple cup holders.
The “back to basics” strategy is meant to produce an attractive price tag, and it does. My tester was stickered at $13,620, which nets a savvy purchaser all of the quality and reliability that Toyota is famous for.
Regrettably, to compete in the entry-level price war, other highly important installments get tossed like hard candy at Halloween. I’m talking about potential lifesavers such as antilock brakes, stability control and a full slate of airbags.
I realize that in business, one generally receives what one pays for - no more and no less. If I were king though, we’d all pay a little more and receive a lot more, specifically the benefits accompanying vehicle control technology and occupant protection systems.
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| The compact exterior dimensions of the Yaris hatchback misrepresent what is found within. |