Topic: The Yaris is fun!

[rrocket]

While my Echo was clearly not as good as this car, I understand what he means. I could wail on my car all day...and it we happy to do so. Handling wasn't stellar, but it was fun enough. For such a cheap car, I liked it. Oh...and likely as bullet proof and cheap to run as anything.

I'd imagine with the Mazda2 underpinnings, this car must be soooo much better. If I need a basic commuter that's cheap and fun, I'd rock one of these I think.

https://jalopnik.com/the-2017-toyota-yaris-manual-is-secretly-a-super-fun-ca-1821739139

[Great_Big_Abyss]

You know, I felt this way about my 2002 Accent Hatch 5spd.  It was a terrible car by all accounts and almost all metrics.  The engine was low tech and low horsepower (SOHC, 92hp), there was no power steering (or power anything for that matter), and the interior was terrible (a sea of grey, hard plastic).  It wasn't even that good on gas (my 2003 Civic with 23 more hp was much better on gas).

BUT, the 5-speed manual transmission was perfectly matched to the engine, and the car weighed nothing at all.  The ratios were quite tightly spaced, which made for quite a lively (if not exactly fast) experience around town.  The lack of power steering meant the steering was direct.  The lack of weight meant the car would change direction quite willingly.

It was the very definition of 'slow car fast' as you could approach the limits pretty close to legal speeds, and end up having quite a bit of fun as a result.

[Arthur Dent]

I miss my Mazda2 

It is a shame that Yaris is so ugly though - especially at the front.


One of my favourtie cars was my old Nissan Micra. Probably had something like 50hp but it was super light (definition of tin can body panels) and very tossable and eager feeling.

[Mike]

I miss my Mazda2 

It is a shame that Yaris is so ugly though - especially at the front.


One of my favourtie cars was my old Nissan Micra. Probably had something like 50hp but it was super light (definition of tin can body panels) and very tossable and eager feeling.

I just ditched mine yesterday. So far - not missing it.

[Arthur Dent]

I miss my Mazda2 

It is a shame that Yaris is so ugly though - especially at the front.


One of my favourtie cars was my old Nissan Micra. Probably had something like 50hp but it was super light (definition of tin can body panels) and very tossable and eager feeling.

I just ditched mine yesterday. So far - not missing it.

Ditched certainly doesn't sound positive.

[EV-Light]

No comments...lol


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[BritWRX]

No love for the Yaris from me.  I ran one as my daily commuter (a 2007 Yaris RS hatchback) for 6 months and 30,000 kilometres and it was a pretty joyless experience...and I get it, small, cheap, low powered cars can be a blast to drive.  Perhaps this one is good to drive because it's actually a Mazda 2?  Still wouldn't be my choice though.  MINI or Fiat 500 are fun or if a bit more practicality required a Fiesta or Hyundai Accent hatchback are both strangely endearing, with the proviso that a small, low powered car needs to have a manual transmission.

I will give the Yaris this though.  My mother-in-law passed it on to me at 7 years old and 170k and I took it up to 200k in 6 months.  My brother-in-law took it over and four years later it's still going strong on 300k with minimal servicing and only one mechanical breakdown in that time.  That's pretty impressive but the 2004 V6 Sebring that I replaced it with was infinitely more preferable in my opinion.

[Ex-airbalancer]

No love for the Yaris from me.  I ran one as my daily commuter (a 2007 Yaris RS hatchback) for 6 months and 30,000 kilometres and it was a pretty joyless experience...and I get it, small, cheap, low powered cars can be a blast to drive.  Perhaps this one is good to drive because it's actually a Mazda 2?  Still wouldn't be my choice though.  MINI or Fiat 500 are fun or if a bit more practicality required a Fiesta or Hyundai Accent hatchback are both strangely endearing, with the proviso that a small, low powered car needs to have a manual transmission.

I will give the Yaris this though.  My mother-in-law passed it on to me at 7 years old and 170k and I took it up to 200k in 6 months.  My brother-in-law took it over and four years later it's still going strong on 300k with minimal servicing and only one mechanical breakdown in that time.  That's pretty impressive but the 2004 V6 Sebring that I replaced it with was infinitely more preferable in my opinion.

Do do know 2017 Yaris is made by Mazda , it is a Mazda 2

[Great_Big_Abyss]

No love for the Yaris from me.  I ran one as my daily commuter (a 2007 Yaris RS hatchback) for 6 months and 30,000 kilometres and it was a pretty joyless experience...and I get it, small, cheap, low powered cars can be a blast to drive.  Perhaps this one is good to drive because it's actually a Mazda 2?  Still wouldn't be my choice though.  MINI or Fiat 500 are fun or if a bit more practicality required a Fiesta or Hyundai Accent hatchback are both strangely endearing, with the proviso that a small, low powered car needs to have a manual transmission.

I will give the Yaris this though.  My mother-in-law passed it on to me at 7 years old and 170k and I took it up to 200k in 6 months.  My brother-in-law took it over and four years later it's still going strong on 300k with minimal servicing and only one mechanical breakdown in that time.  That's pretty impressive but the 2004 V6 Sebring that I replaced it with was infinitely more preferable in my opinion.

Do do know 2017 Yaris is made by Mazda , it is a Mazda 2

I think maybe he does.

[Solstice2006]

I miss my Mazda2 

It is a shame that Yaris is so ugly though - especially at the front.


One of my favourtie cars was my old Nissan Micra. Probably had something like 50hp but it was super light (definition of tin can body panels) and very tossable and eager feeling.

I just ditched mine yesterday. So far - not missing it.

manual? why did you get rid of it?

[Ex-airbalancer]

No love for the Yaris from me.  I ran one as my daily commuter (a 2007 Yaris RS hatchback) for 6 months and 30,000 kilometres and it was a pretty joyless experience...and I get it, small, cheap, low powered cars can be a blast to drive.  Perhaps this one is good to drive because it's actually a Mazda 2?  Still wouldn't be my choice though.  MINI or Fiat 500 are fun or if a bit more practicality required a Fiesta or Hyundai Accent hatchback are both strangely endearing, with the proviso that a small, low powered car needs to have a manual transmission.

I will give the Yaris this though.  My mother-in-law passed it on to me at 7 years old and 170k and I took it up to 200k in 6 months.  My brother-in-law took it over and four years later it's still going strong on 300k with minimal servicing and only one mechanical breakdown in that time.  That's pretty impressive but the 2004 V6 Sebring that I replaced it with was infinitely more preferable in my opinion.

Do do know 2017 Yaris is made by Mazda , it is a Mazda 2

I think maybe he does.

I guess I missed that part in the rant

[lebowski]

Last September I had a Yaris rental for a week. I concur with the article – heaps fun. Plenty of pep, plenty of room for the front (and only) passengers, and great outward visibility. Impressive little car.

[johngenx]

I get the Yaris.  Solid hatch from Toyota that will go 400K and cost you nothing.  Nice little car that I'd easily live with.  I get the Corolla.  Nice compact sedan, quite roomy, amazing reliability and fuel economy that's not far off hybrids.  I don't get the Yaris sedan.  It's priced about the same as the Corolla, offers little fuel economy advantage, is smaller, and well, it's not a Corolla.  Why bother sell them both?

[Solstice2006]

I get the Yaris.  Solid hatch from Toyota that will go 400K and cost you nothing.  Nice little car that I'd easily live with.  I get the Corolla.  Nice compact sedan, quite roomy, amazing reliability and fuel economy that's not far off hybrids.  I don't get the Yaris sedan.  It's priced about the same as the Corolla, offers little fuel economy advantage, is smaller, and well, it's not a Corolla.  Why bother sell them both?

Is that much different from the Corolla and Matrix situation?

[ltruong]

I miss my Mazda2 

It is a shame that Yaris is so ugly though - especially at the front.


One of my favourtie cars was my old Nissan Micra. Probably had something like 50hp but it was super light (definition of tin can body panels) and very tossable and eager feeling.

My sister has a Mazda2.  quite fun to drive!

[Solstice2006]

I miss my Mazda2 

It is a shame that Yaris is so ugly though - especially at the front.


One of my favourtie cars was my old Nissan Micra. Probably had something like 50hp but it was super light (definition of tin can body panels) and very tossable and eager feeling.

Not exactly my favourite car, but I had a 1983 or 1984 Nissan Micra.  I had for one winter, between jobs, really broke.  Paid $300, fake safety.  3 weeks after having it, it wouldn't go into reverse.  It was manual.  It's a fun challenge.  For a whole week, try to find parking spots that you just go forward with.  If I was stuck, putting the car in neutral, and backing the thing up was pretty simple.  It was an adventure for sure.  The heat didn't work very well either.  The stereo was broken, so I just left a boombox in the car that ran on D batteries.   

[Mike]

I miss my Mazda2 

It is a shame that Yaris is so ugly though - especially at the front.


One of my favourtie cars was my old Nissan Micra. Probably had something like 50hp but it was super light (definition of tin can body panels) and very tossable and eager feeling.

I just ditched mine yesterday. So far - not missing it.

manual? why did you get rid of it?

Yes it was manual. I'm now a proper corporate citizen driving my 2018 WRX. Don't get me wrong, I liked the Mazda2 and it had plenty of advantages, but our time together had run its course.

[Noto]

I think this is a mindset thing...while light and "tossable" may be true to some degree, it's still no handling champion.  Folks want cheap transport, and this is what you get - a really amazing offering compared to what used to be "loaded" 5-10 years ago (hell, my 2010 Mazda3 still doesn't have Traction Control...the Yaris tested did, along with a screen!!).

...but you have to compare the iA to the Corolla beside it (or the closer-styled Mazda3?).  Pricing-wise, they're within an earshot, yet you get so much more of a substantial car with the compact over the sub-compact.

In 2010, we went to the Toyota dealership to buy a Yaris, but ended up with the Corolla - it was $500 more, yet offered so, so much more.

I love the Fiesta for a lot of reasons, but I'd never buy one when the Focus is sitting beside it for about the same money.

-ST trims, on the other hand...the Fiesta seems to wear it for a LOT cheaper.  Unless the savings are substantial, there's not much better about subcompacts.

[Blueprint]

Toyota Yaris hatch = made-in-France 'Yota that's a bit long in the tooth

Toyota Yaris sedan = made-in-Mexico Mazda 2 sedan

...same engine size, same hp rating, but different engines, just to add to the confusion!

[rrocket]

I'm all in if Toyota ever builds one of these for the street!! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN4vw20kd6M