For years, the Yaris has been a symbol of cheap, reliable transportation, and that reputation will probably stick to it forever. On the other hand, Toyota’s subcompact is also known for being, well, rather unexciting.
I know, subcompact hatchbacks aren’t meant to be as thrilling as sports cars, but it doesn’t mean that we must endure years of mind-numbing dullness either. After all, rivals like the Honda Fit, the Ford Fiesta and the Kia Rio are far from being monotonous.
Virtually unchanged since its 2006 model-year intro, the Yaris was in desperate need of a refresh, as sales nosedived after the 2008 calendar year tally of 40,602 units. In 2011, less than 8,000 Yaris hatchback and sedans found homes in Canada.
The 2012 Toyota Yaris Hatchback is mostly new, although the extent of its overhaul is not that apparent at first glance. Despite all the improvements, though, the Yaris closed the gap between it and its rivals, but still falls short in terms of power, driving pleasure and equipment levels.
By the way, the Yaris Sedan soldiers on unchanged for 2012, waiting for Toyota to decide its fate. Redesign or retirement? We’ll go for eventual redesign.
Same powertrain
Under the tiny hood of the Yaris, the 1.5L inline-4 remains, still producing 106 hp and 103 lb-ft of torque. It’s enough to propel the Yaris to highway speeds with ease; on paper, however, the modest output pales in comparison to the Fiesta’s 120 hp, the Chevrolet Sonic’s 135 hp and the Hyundai Accent/Kia Rio twins’ 138 hp.
The Yaris also gets an optional 4-speed automatic transmission, which doesn’t sound very trendy when the competition’s boasting 6-speed gearboxes. Our Yaris LE 5-door was equipped with a 5-speed manual, which we were glad to sample.
Toyota claims the Yaris’ suspension has been retuned for “improved driving feel.” Truthfully, the front stabilizer bar has increased in thickness, but that’s it for the improvements. The Yaris still isn’t the most rewarding subcompact to drive; it’s just not as frisky as some of its competitors, such as the Fit.
Fuel economy is also improved for 2012, although the difference is nothing to get excited about. With the manual transmission, ratings drop from 6.9/5.4 L/100km city/highway to 6.6 and 5.2. Our average over the course of the week is a decent 7.2L/100km.
New interior
The first thing you’ll notice between the old Yaris and the new one is that the instrument panel has returned to where we usually look for it. The controversial pod mounted in the middle of the dash drew a lot of criticism, although it never really bothered me.
The heating and ventilation knobs are now aligned horizontally instead of being stacked on top of each other, and the overall look is more modern. On the other hand, the dash loses its practical flip-out cupholders and, obviously, the storage bin located behind the steering wheel. The door panels have also been redesigned.
The interior of our test Yaris boasts two-tone fabric seats to go along with the black and grey dashboard. We just wonder who thought of adding the samples of industrial-grade cloth on the sides of the seat cushions; not a good idea from an aesthetics standpoint. And I really like having a centre armrest, but the Yaris Hatchback doesn’t offer one.
One major improvement the Yaris benefits from this year is increased cargo space. The hatchback’s wheelbase has increased by 50 mm (or about 2 inches) while overall length is up by 75 mm (3 inches); cargo volume climbs from a ridiculous 260 litres to a more respectable 442 litres. Fold the rear seatback down, and you get 728 litres of space, or about as much as in the Fiesta.
More standard equipment
The base Yaris CE 3-door, priced at $13,990 before taxes, freight and delivery charges, now gets four speakers (instead of two), a new stereo with a USB port and Bluetooth connectivity, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seatback, power door locks, a rear window wiper and nine airbags (instead of six). Air conditioning is optional.
The Yaris LE 5-door lists for $14,890, and compared to the 2011 version, gains the CE’s upgrades as well as a $370 price drop. Our tester is also equipped with the $1,100 Convenience Package, which adds A/C, cruise control, keyless entry and power windows. Not bad, although a $15,595 Kia Rio LX+ costs less and also boasts fog lamps, heated front seats, wheel-mounted audio controls and a centre armrest.
The 2012 Toyota Yaris Hatchback is undeniably better than ever. A lot of improvements, marginal or significant, make this subcompact a more compelling choice. The problem is that the competition is just too good; some are more fun to drive, some are more fuel-efficient, some are better equipped and some are more practical.
In no aspect does the Toyota clearly upstage its rivals. The Yaris has the rest of the group within distance, but is still running behind, screaming “Hey, guys, wait up!”
I know, subcompact hatchbacks aren’t meant to be as thrilling as sports cars, but it doesn’t mean that we must endure years of mind-numbing dullness either. After all, rivals like the Honda Fit, the Ford Fiesta and the Kia Rio are far from being monotonous.
Virtually unchanged since its 2006 model-year intro, the Yaris was in desperate need of a refresh, as sales nosedived after the 2008 calendar year tally of 40,602 units. In 2011, less than 8,000 Yaris hatchback and sedans found homes in Canada.
The 2012 Toyota Yaris Hatchback is mostly new, although the extent of its overhaul is not that apparent at first glance. Despite all the improvements, though, the Yaris closed the gap between it and its rivals, but still falls short in terms of power, driving pleasure and equipment levels.
By the way, the Yaris Sedan soldiers on unchanged for 2012, waiting for Toyota to decide its fate. Redesign or retirement? We’ll go for eventual redesign.
Same powertrain
Under the tiny hood of the Yaris, the 1.5L inline-4 remains, still producing 106 hp and 103 lb-ft of torque. It’s enough to propel the Yaris to highway speeds with ease; on paper, however, the modest output pales in comparison to the Fiesta’s 120 hp, the Chevrolet Sonic’s 135 hp and the Hyundai Accent/Kia Rio twins’ 138 hp.
The Yaris also gets an optional 4-speed automatic transmission, which doesn’t sound very trendy when the competition’s boasting 6-speed gearboxes. Our Yaris LE 5-door was equipped with a 5-speed manual, which we were glad to sample.
Toyota claims the Yaris’ suspension has been retuned for “improved driving feel.” Truthfully, the front stabilizer bar has increased in thickness, but that’s it for the improvements. The Yaris still isn’t the most rewarding subcompact to drive; it’s just not as frisky as some of its competitors, such as the Fit.
Fuel economy is also improved for 2012, although the difference is nothing to get excited about. With the manual transmission, ratings drop from 6.9/5.4 L/100km city/highway to 6.6 and 5.2. Our average over the course of the week is a decent 7.2L/100km.
New interior
The first thing you’ll notice between the old Yaris and the new one is that the instrument panel has returned to where we usually look for it. The controversial pod mounted in the middle of the dash drew a lot of criticism, although it never really bothered me.
The heating and ventilation knobs are now aligned horizontally instead of being stacked on top of each other, and the overall look is more modern. On the other hand, the dash loses its practical flip-out cupholders and, obviously, the storage bin located behind the steering wheel. The door panels have also been redesigned.
The interior of our test Yaris boasts two-tone fabric seats to go along with the black and grey dashboard. We just wonder who thought of adding the samples of industrial-grade cloth on the sides of the seat cushions; not a good idea from an aesthetics standpoint. And I really like having a centre armrest, but the Yaris Hatchback doesn’t offer one.
One major improvement the Yaris benefits from this year is increased cargo space. The hatchback’s wheelbase has increased by 50 mm (or about 2 inches) while overall length is up by 75 mm (3 inches); cargo volume climbs from a ridiculous 260 litres to a more respectable 442 litres. Fold the rear seatback down, and you get 728 litres of space, or about as much as in the Fiesta.
More standard equipment
The base Yaris CE 3-door, priced at $13,990 before taxes, freight and delivery charges, now gets four speakers (instead of two), a new stereo with a USB port and Bluetooth connectivity, a height-adjustable driver’s seat, a 60/40-split folding rear seatback, power door locks, a rear window wiper and nine airbags (instead of six). Air conditioning is optional.
The Yaris LE 5-door lists for $14,890, and compared to the 2011 version, gains the CE’s upgrades as well as a $370 price drop. Our tester is also equipped with the $1,100 Convenience Package, which adds A/C, cruise control, keyless entry and power windows. Not bad, although a $15,595 Kia Rio LX+ costs less and also boasts fog lamps, heated front seats, wheel-mounted audio controls and a centre armrest.
The 2012 Toyota Yaris Hatchback is undeniably better than ever. A lot of improvements, marginal or significant, make this subcompact a more compelling choice. The problem is that the competition is just too good; some are more fun to drive, some are more fuel-efficient, some are better equipped and some are more practical.
In no aspect does the Toyota clearly upstage its rivals. The Yaris has the rest of the group within distance, but is still running behind, screaming “Hey, guys, wait up!”
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