Alas, my kingdom doesn’t extend beyond my front door, so we’ll continue to send our sons and daughters out in sensible cars with a senseless twist. This isn’t a Toyota-exclusive issue. It applies equally to all manufacturers in the entry-level segment.
That’s my rant, now on to the expected elements of an automotive road test.
Small is big
The compact exterior dimensions of the Yaris hatchback misrepresent what is found within. Simply put: there’s plenty of room. I was able to stretch-out quite comfortably in the tall if somewhat narrow cabin, and in doing so I wasn’t completely leaving those in the rear impoverished of legroom.
Dropping the rear seat back creates a rather commodious cargo hold despite a small step-up in floor height imposed by the folded seat. The rear hatch opens high enough to avert cranial goose eggs, which makes loading and unloading a straightforward chore.
Humble powerplant is a smooth operator
To the typical North American, an engine displacement of 1.5-litres is rather minute. To overseas motorists accustomed to fuel costing roughly twice that Canadian nectar, 1.5-litres is quite average. As our automotive expectations come into line with reality, small engines will gain further popularity here as well, and for good reason.
The DOHC 1.5-litre mill whirling away beneath the stunted hood of the Yaris utilizes Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence and Sequential Multiport Electronic Fuel Injection to conjure-up 106 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 103 pound-feet of torque @ 4,200 rpm.
Those ratings don’t make for startling performance but it’s certainly sufficient to effortlessly keep up with traffic and more. Hill climbing comes and goes without notice or the need to overwork one’s right arm manipulating the light shifting 5-speed manual gearbox.
Unless being pushed hard, the “little engine that could” is relatively quiet, refined and all around pleasing. For those not wishing any right-arm flailing, a 4-speed automatic transmission is optional.
That’s my rant, now on to the expected elements of an automotive road test.
 |
| I was able to stretch-out quite comfortably in the tall if somewhat narrow cabin. |
Small is big
The compact exterior dimensions of the Yaris hatchback misrepresent what is found within. Simply put: there’s plenty of room. I was able to stretch-out quite comfortably in the tall if somewhat narrow cabin, and in doing so I wasn’t completely leaving those in the rear impoverished of legroom.
Dropping the rear seat back creates a rather commodious cargo hold despite a small step-up in floor height imposed by the folded seat. The rear hatch opens high enough to avert cranial goose eggs, which makes loading and unloading a straightforward chore.
Humble powerplant is a smooth operator
To the typical North American, an engine displacement of 1.5-litres is rather minute. To overseas motorists accustomed to fuel costing roughly twice that Canadian nectar, 1.5-litres is quite average. As our automotive expectations come into line with reality, small engines will gain further popularity here as well, and for good reason.
The DOHC 1.5-litre mill whirling away beneath the stunted hood of the Yaris utilizes Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence and Sequential Multiport Electronic Fuel Injection to conjure-up 106 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm and 103 pound-feet of torque @ 4,200 rpm.
Those ratings don’t make for startling performance but it’s certainly sufficient to effortlessly keep up with traffic and more. Hill climbing comes and goes without notice or the need to overwork one’s right arm manipulating the light shifting 5-speed manual gearbox.
Unless being pushed hard, the “little engine that could” is relatively quiet, refined and all around pleasing. For those not wishing any right-arm flailing, a 4-speed automatic transmission is optional.
 |
| The DOHC 1.5-litre mill whirling away beneath the stunted hood of the Yaris utilizes Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence . |