Rental Review: 2012 Toyota Yaris

[sciphi]

While my Cruze is in the body shop getting deer-hit damage repaired, my insurance is paying for a rental. Enterprise served up a 2012 Yaris automatic with 23k miles on it.

Pros: Peppy off the line, sufficient power in-town to do things. Very simple controls. Tiny little turning circle, and decent outward visibility. The transmission will stay locked up when a little throttle is needed, and readily downshifts when more revs are wanted. For a 4-speed auto, it's pretty well-sorted. RPM's are 2500 at 60 mph. The seats are well-padded, and the seating position is high. The trunk is also huge for a subcompact. The ride is tuned to be cushy.

Cons: Gutless at highway speeds. There's more tire and wind noise than engine noise, thankfully. The steering is heavy, vague, and offers zero feedback. The cushy ride gets jittery over broken pavement, and the car exhibits pronounced body motions over bumps of any size. Handling is an afterthought, and the seats, while comfortable, offer no support to keep one in place around even a gentle turn. The interior is also low-rent, and pretty rattly. I know, it's a rental that's ridden hard and put away wet, but after 23k miles our personal cars didn't have any interior rattles.

In summary, it's a basic transportation appliance. It would make a good in-town car, or a car for somebody who views cars as appliances.

 

[Pajamarama]

Thanks for the review. I found it particularly interesting since you own a Honda Fit Sport, as do I. The Yaris is in the same class as the Fit and we test drove both back in 2009 before deciding on the Fit. To this day we feel we made the right choice.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: Pajamarama
Thanks for the review. I found it particularly interesting since you own a Honda Fit Sport, as do I. The Yaris is in the same class as the Fit and we test drove both back in 2009 before deciding on the Fit. To this day we feel we made the right choice.


I think you did too, BUT the new Yaris SE is quite a decent little drive. I test drove one and it is infinitely better than the older Yaris. also no more center gauge cluster. It is much better than it used to be.

 

[Donald]

I thought the Yaris was just a Yugo with a slightly different name?

 

[michaelluscher]

I see what you did there.

 

[JHZR2]

I enjoyed the yaris I had driven across CA a few years back. The seats were almost like memory foam. Not a driver's car, but a decent little ride all the same. Liked it much more than the civic I rented back to back to the yaris.

My review is on here someplace...

Thanks!

 

[oilmaven]

I bought a new 2008 Yaris when gas hit $4.11/gal. back in 2008...a 3 door hatchback automatic. The car was capable of 40 mpg, rode decently and was dead reliable. It also had abysmal seats for any drive over 2 hours, tons of road noise and the vaguest (if that's a word)electric steering in ANY car I've ever driven. It was impossible to drive at highway speeds without constant small corrections to keep it in the lane...not pleasant on long drives and really bad in any crosswind. From what I've read, the newer Yaris is considerably improved...haven't bothered to drive one to find out. I traded it in after one year for a 2008 Chevy Impala (which is another story).

 

[CharBaby]

A retired buddy of mine bought a used '08 Yaris in IIRC, 2010-'11 and he loves it! I've been in it and the Yaris is very roomy and seems to be decent local transportation. He has taken it on a 4 hour trip from Western NY to Centrial PA and said..."it's OK!"

Reasonably comfortable for the short trips which he does most of the time. Very good MPG and ride. Not my kind of car but, it really is perfect for my buddy's driving style, useage and limitations.

Perfect for shopping and doesn't take long to wash by hand although the Yaris sees mostly drive through car washes. It's all he needs!

 

[cptbarkey]

i have no doubts about the reliablity of this car, but death is inevitable in any major accident in this class size. do yourself a favor and get something bigger, physics always wins.

 

[supton]

I had thought about a Yaris, briefly, before getting the Jetta; and I thought about it a few times as I contemplated replacing the Jetta. Every time I asked around I was told it'd be too small and loud for my tastes--very likely, but my Jetta is no longer as quiet as it used to be (or my Toyota's are otherwise that much more quiet). If my Jetta were to die, and I were to try to replace it, I have to admit to being tempted to get a Yaris as something of a beater. Just go all Toyota.

Good info, thanks.

 

[sciphi]

I put more miles onto it today. My initial review still stands as written. Some more things I noticed:
1. The seats are comfy for trips up to 45 minutes. Much beyond that and my butt fell asleep.
2. The vague, heavy steering saps all the fun out of the car. I thought it would be the engine/transmission. Nope, those are willing enough. If Toyota made the steering a little lighter or more communicative, it would make driving this thing more engaging.
3. It gets blown around pretty well on the highway by the wind. Trucks don't affect it that much, but sudden wind gusts do. I imagine driving it on a windy day would be tiring after a prolonged period.
4. A quieter set of tires would go a long way to quieting the cabin down. Most of the noise heard under cruise is tire noise.

This isn't a driver's car by any stretch of the imagination. It does do a good job of transporting the driver, a few passengers, and their stuff from point A to B with little fuss.

 

[dishdude]

By all means this is a city car meant for short trips, but if a Soul, XB or Fit are the same price, I am not sure why you'd buy a Yaris. Soul, XB and Fit would give you a lot more versatility (and style).

 

[supton]

Interesting that it has "heavy" steering. Seems uncharacteristic on a Toyota. I'm not crazy about the light steering in my Camry, less so with it in the Tundra (but it sorta fits in both). Mostly I hate it when I look away for a moment and look back, and am not where I was before. Both vehicles like to do that to me.

 

[CharBaby]

Originally Posted By: supton
Interesting that it has "heavy" steering. Seems uncharacteristic on a Toyota. I'm not crazy about the light steering in my Camry, less so with it in the Tundra (but it sorta fits in both). Mostly I hate it when I look away for a moment and look back, and am not where I was before. Both vehicles like to do that to me.


Mentioning Toyota steering...I have never been a fan of TOYOTA/LEXUS steering feel in any of their cars that I've driven(which is many). In many of their vehicles, it's either too light with no feedback to the driver, or too firm/heavy(in their lesser vehicles-Corolla and lower) for parking lot situations. But, that same firmness is fine at hiwy speeds in a straight line.

Now, Toyota's new electric power steering isn't getting any rave reviews especially in the Corolla(2010-present).

Honda, mazda, NISSAN all offer a nicer steering feel in most of their vechicles so, it can be done!

 

[Hokiefyd]

One of the best "weighted" steering I've driven was in my 2007 Corolla. It didn't necessarily have a ton of feedback, but it was quick, it was direct, and it felt neither over-assisted or too heavy. It was very good.

Our CR-V's steering is also quite good. This car reminds me a lot of my old Corolla. It feels light, responds quick, and is very easy to enjoy.

Our MDX's steering is too heavy in my opinion. I've turkey-basted the fluid numerous times, and it's very smooth...just a bit too heavy. I would prefer a lighter steering feel in the Acura.

Nothing will be perfect for everyone.

 

[KitaCam]

Hokie...that's been my experience with Kitacam, my first Toyo...but the tires are OEM-type...next set will be performance tread to get more feel and feedback...

The suspension of my particular set of wheels is also nice and tight, much to my surprise as sooooo many people talk about the Camry being soft/proned to lean...but maybe that's because I don't drive it hard...

 

[rslifkin]

The Gen 5 Camry suspension is definitely very soft, although the TRD springs you can get for them are pretty stiff and convert the car from sucking to drive into actually being pretty fun (although the steering is still too light, brake pedal effort is too low and the throttle is very laggy).

I personally love the way my Jeep steering feels, especially with the caster cranked up. It has decent feedback, and it's fairly heavy, yet responsive and fairly quick-ratio (just under 3 tuns lock to lock).

 

[KitaCam]

Originally Posted By: rslifkin
The Gen 5 Camry suspension is definitely very soft...steering is still too light, brake pedal effort is too low and the throttle is very laggy...


I guess mine is special...'cause it ain't soft...kinda numb, but not soft...the braking is firm since I recently had the lines flushed...and with the manual tranny there's no acceleration lag at all..
...before going to a stiffer suspension, I'll get better tires and see....

 

[Tedtalker]

My Yaris is the 2007 sedan. When you put on a TRD rear anti-sway bar it handles like a whole different car. It's just the best 153 bucks you can spend on a Yaris period.

 

[regal55]

'09 Yaris. Steering feel is dangerous, couldn't keep it on the road. Added bigger Xd wheels and a TRD suspensons helped the ride but not the steering.

The 1.5L is bullet proof, many 500k mile examples, that plus the 35mpg makes it a for life 2nd car. I'd say it will outlast the fit if you can get used to the steering.

This car single handedly pushed me into going back to driving a real drivers car - FR-S