Toyota Yaris Feedback and Advice

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NewEnglander

NewEnglander

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Breaking this out from the subcompact thread as I've noticed there are quite a few current or former Yaris drivers here at BITOG. We are thinking about a Yaris for our secondary/back up car to use for around town a few times a week but probably not a DD, and typically short drives.

Wanted to survey the crowd for any particular advice on what to watch for among the Yaris models from 2007-2011 or thereabouts. I understand the 2009 had a few safety upgrades and the 2010+ sounds like, on paper, a better car but I'm curious if there is really that big of a difference.

So what is the verdict? Solid, dependable, reliable sure...but anything in particular to keep in mind or known issues to watch for? What did you love about it or hate about it? Yaris drivers sound off! Thanks in advance.
cheers3.gif
 
Every single Yaris built is basically a bulletproof vehicle. They are one of, if not, THE most reliable subcompact out there.

Toyota has basically been 'tinkering with' and updating the original Tercel since it was introduced.

Only possible issue is the 1.5L engine sometimes burns oil, although this is more prevalent in older versions of the Echo and Tercel.

You really can't go wrong with one.
 
I never owned a Yaris but this is my take on them-
Every single Toyota Yaris I have ever gotten into have been extremely gross. Trash every where, smells like someone took a dump in the back seat, and just got done running a 5 mile run. And usually missing hub caps.
 
The engine and transmission might be very reliable I suppose, but the rest of the car is built cheap and not up to Corolla or Camry
build quality. Body integrity and the supplemental restraint system is below average in reliability if you can believe Consumers Reports, which typically ranks other Toyotas as being among the most reliable vehicles you can buy. Every Yaris I see that is 5 years old or older
appears to be falling apart.
 
They are a reliable little penalty box. I got raked over the coals for posting a negative review of one on here years ago. They are built to the quality and complexity standards of a margarine dish. If that'll work for your application, I doubt it would let you down. I personally would not spend time in one unless I was paid to.
 
Those whom I know that own 1st & 2nd gen Yaris' love them. Most of these folks are older and retired and mostly do running around town type driving. They'll even do some drives on the highway but not road trips or out of town.

They love the parking ease(a BIG +) and the overall interior room for a small car with good enough fuel economy though not steller MPG's. They're just a small reliable car for it's intended purpose.
 
As indicated in his previous thread, they are great cars for the OP's situation. I've only had mine for about 5 months but I anticipate it to be like my previous car, an echo.

People buying these cars aren't under any illusions of what they are getting; a frugal reliable vehicle to get you around town.

The Yaris, Echo, and Mirage all attract the same comments from people who never owned one, holding them to standards the car was never intended to meet; some people can't get by that.
 
They are reliable and inexpensive to own/run.

Otherwise I cannot at one positive thing about the car both my nieces drive in sedan and hatchback form. A Corolla is like a luxury car compared to a Yaris.
 
Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
Can xB owners chime in since it's the same drivetrain?


Please do. XA, XB, and XD all welcome!
 
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
As indicated in his previous thread, they are great cars for the OP's situation. I've only had mine for about 5 months but I anticipate it to be like my previous car, an echo.

People buying these cars aren't under any illusions of what they are getting; a frugal reliable vehicle to get you around town.

The Yaris, Echo, and Mirage all attract the same comments from people who never owned one, holding them to standards the car was never intended to meet; some people can't get by that.





Well said and I agree. If its a good fit for your needs, id get one and not look back. Yaris is cheaper/has even less repairs than a Corolla. Better on gas and they go forever. A local rotisserie chicken resto has been using them for years and they are literally running all the time. Cost of ownership is very low on them.

PS. A friend who works at the Toyota dealer actually drives an old Echo and loves it. Simple, reliable, great on gas and barely any repairs, so he tells me.
 
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I drove an echo for several years. In a way I am sorry it's gone, but no one else in the family wanted to drive it. At 16 years old it still has no rust. Amazing. The interior is spotless and no bad smells.
 
yuck.
I have owned a 2012 since my wife bought hers new before we got married.
HORRIBLE.
The engine was reliable and never burned any oil in 5k miles.
The belt was tensioned by the alternator and always squealing no matter what.
The engine sounded horrible. It had a sound that was best described as unrefined? It just sounded bad.
The engine had no power at all. That translated into a transmission that didn't know what gear to be in. It was always shifting.
at 5 years and 100k miles, it rattled all over and sounded like my 1995 f150 on the inside.
The sheetmetal on the exterior was so thin, anyone opens a door and hits the yaris door and you have a rip in the metal, not a ding.
The carpet had worn out where the drivers feet go in less than three years.
There was no center console like in a lot of cars separating the two seats. things get lost very easy under the seats.
The cup holders were positioned under the dash, so if you are like me and have a big gulp, its a challenge. Top it off, the power plug is above the cup holder so cup and phone plugged in was not a choice.
It had close to no sound deadening, so it was a loud ride.
The steering wheel felt bad, Like gripping trash can plastic.
the good things were it didn't need much more than oil changes and gasoline. I replaced the coolant at 100k and it was really clean.
Luckily my wife ended up hitting an F150 with a hitch and ending our tenure with the yaris just before our baby was born. I really felt it an unsafe car to cart my baby around in. I guess if you hate driving, this is the car for you.
 
You know what you're getting into and I guess it's safer than a motorcycle LOL. I would look at one from the South as Beantown gets a lot of salt on the roads. I lived in Boston when I was in the service in 1978 into 1979 and I really liked it.
 
So I guess it has been well established with all of these comments that it is not a high end car. Shocking!

Rented one for a week or two by the shore once, was very impressed at the amount of room inside (I am very tall) for me as well as all of the beach toys. Sipped gas and got us where we needed to go at a cheap price. It did all that I could have expected, and much more at that price point.
 
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
simple_gifts said:
PS. A friend who works at the Toyota dealer actually drives an old Echo and loves it. Simple, reliable, great on gas and barely any repairs, so he tells me.



The only bragging rights of a Yaris/Echo are reputation of barely any repairs. Most people like to justify their purchases or basically brag, that is Yaris/Echo one which based on my nieces experience mostly true. Both of them favorite thing about cars, free to them nothing else. One of them actually got a free recent Monte Carlo that is so tacky but reliable but likes the car considerably better as the comfort level is leaps better.
Click to expand...
 
Originally Posted By: madRiver
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
simple_gifts said:
PS. A friend who works at the Toyota dealer actually drives an old Echo and loves it. Simple, reliable, great on gas and barely any repairs, so he tells me.



The only bragging rights of a Yaris/Echo are reputation of barely any repairs. Most people like to justify their purchases or basically brag, that is Yaris/Echo one which based on my nieces experience mostly true. Both of them favorite thing about cars, free to them nothing else. One of them actually got a free recent Monte Carlo that is so tacky but reliable but likes the car considerably better as the comfort level is leaps better.

The original 1999 Echo hatch was not a bad drivers car, but the US got stuck with a N.A. only dumbed down version in a coupe and a sedan. 108hp doesn't sound like alot but also the car was ~2000lbs and with the manual it zipped around pretty good. This guy seems to have his Yaris well sorted anyways.
Click to expand...
 
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