Overview
Toyota's rise in becoming the world's second largest automaker has been marked by the excellence of its luxury Lexus line and hybrid engine program, but this new, second-generation Yaris is a solid reminder that Toyota earned its way into this elevated position by building good, basic transportation.
The Yaris, however, is better than just good. This replacement for the unloved Toyota Echo boasts the good looks, suave road manners, perky performance and well-tailored interior that establish new benchmarks in the entry-level game. And this will cause the increasing competition in that market many sleepless nights figuring out how to offset Toyota's deep well of talent, materials and technology.
The Yaris combines the economies of an inexpensive sticker, outstanding fuel mileage and the solid integrity that underlies every Toyota vehicle. Sure, certain aspects of the car, such as noise isolation and driving position, are far from ideal, but the Yaris owner will never feel as though he or she had to settle for second best, even if they didn't have to pay much to get the best.
The first generation of Toyota Yaris has been sold in Europe since 1999 and became Toyota's best seller there, and it also won many honors, including the 2000 Car of the Year. However, the Yaris that's coming to America is built off an all-new platform, and whereas the first Yaris was offered only as a three-door liftback, America's traditional indifference to the body style means we will also get a four-door sedan in the line-up.
On the Road: A great all-rounder
I managed put over 300 miles on the front-wheel-drive Yaris during the seven days I drove it in and around Toronto. It was mid-December and the weather was foul even by Toronto standards. I had to drive all manner of road conditions, mostly horrid. During both short hops and longer trips, the Yaris' road manners were exemplary and its handling nothing short of remarkable.
The Yaris is built on a new platform that produces quite a good ride. Speed sensing electric power steering works with the new suspension to produce truly remarkable turning and straight-line stability.
Power comes via an 1.5L, 4-cylinder engine producing 106 horsepower and 103 lb-ft of torque. If you don't know what that means, don't worry. It's enough power for most situations.
Driving at expressway speeds (75mph) in fierce crosswinds posed no problems for this little beauty. Very little road, engine or even wind noise intruded at those speeds even with the heavy crosswinds.
I recorded 32mpg – not bad given the low temperatures, bad roads and the preponderance of city driving, but not all that great either.
Journey's End: Subcompacts aren't as small as you think
I invite all you folks who remain unconvinced that any sub-compact can satisfy your space requirements to take a long, careful look at the Yaris. This one is a lot bigger inside than it looks.
There is a large storage space behind the rear seats and the rear seatbacks can be folded down to accommodate large or awkward objects. My friend’s wheelchair fit easily back there.
The flat cabin floor means three people can ride in the rear seats in reasonable comfort provided none are too broad of beam. And when they’re back there, they’ll have a great view of what’s going on outside. Tall doesn’t matter. I’m close to 6 ft and I had at least 4 extra inches of headroom.
By the time I returned the car to Toyota at the end of the test week, I had made up my mind that this is the car I will buy for myself if – God forbid – I should ever lose this gig and actually have to put down my own money on a set of wheels.
The Yaris is everything I need or want in a car. It’s attractive and it’s compact enough to tuck into almost any space. Yet it’s roomy enough for four full size adults plus their overnight bags and a weekend’s worth of groceries. It’s cheap to buy and economical to operate. And because it’s a Toyota, it’ll run forever.
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You may want to check out the all-new 2007 Suzuki SX4, a crossover that is set to hit showroom floors during the third quarter of 2006. A replacement for the Aerio, the SX4, a five-door hatchback, has a station-wagon like style with has a waistline that starts low and gets higher as it continues down the side of the car. There's a fashionable wedge shape design to it. The front end of the car has a resemblance to other members of the Suzuki family.
Priced between $15,000 and $18,000, the styling gives the SX4 a look that's different from the other cars it competes with, such as the Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris and ChevyAveo, which could mean better sales. But the other big advantage is that it has standard all-wheel drive. None of the other competitors in the field can say that, and for Pittsburghers, that may be all they need to know. Suzuki is fully aware of this advantage, and that's why the number "4" is included in the car's name.
The "intelligent all-wheel drive" system can be operated in three seatings using a console-mounted switch: 2WD for maximum fuel economy on dry pavement; AWD Auto mode, which controls the drive power distribution ratio to the rear wheels in the range of 0 to 50 percent depending on available traction; and AWD Lock mode designed to help escape from snow or mud with the drive power distribution ratio to the rear wheels in the range of 30 to 50 percent. When the car reaches 36 miles per hour in AWD Lock mode, the system automatically switches to AWD Auto mode.
The SX4 is powered by a 143 horsepower, 2.0 liter four cylinder engine backed by a either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. Fuel economy estimates are 24 mpg city and 30 highway. Standard safety features include an electronic stability program that includes traction control, anti-lock brakes, side curtain air bags, side impact air bags, driver and front passenger side impact air bags and front seat air bags. 
