Toyota Yaris 2009 Review

It’s compact, affordable and most importantly, it’s frugal. And looking at the market, it seems its time has come.

Engine

We tested the three door YRX, with a 1.3 litre 4 cylinder engine that outputs 80kW at 6000rpm and 141Nm of torque at 4200rpm.

A four-speed automatic transmission with lock-up torque converter gets power to the wheels and there is also a five-speed manual option.

The Yaris burns fuel at 6.0litres/100kms and expels 141gms CO2 per 100kms.

Exterior

The Yaris has a simple, aerodynamic shape with long shoulder lines and an integrated low bumper. Its wide stance and Sports body kit – YRX only – give it and agile appearance.

Interior

Thanks to its long wheelbase and specifically designed seating arrangement, the Yaris is quite roomy inside.

The centre mounted instrument panel and digital speedometer are unique features that create a neat, clean look inside the cabin.

The 60:40 split fold rear seats are slide adjustable and there are 25 storage compartments including a drivers seat glovebox.

A six stacker, MP3 compatible sound system, Bluetooth compatibility and power windows, door locks and mirrors make long or short trips easy.

Safety

A seven airbag package is part of the Enhanced Safety Pack option on top of anti-skid brakes with barkeforce distribution and brake assist.

The Yaris comes standard with Toyota Safe-T-Cell which helps absorb the force of a collision to protect the driver and passengers. Specially designed front and rear crumple zones provide survival space for occupants in the cabin.

Pricing

Toyota’s Yaris starts at $15,690 for the YR three door and tops out at $21,590 for the YRX sedan. The YRX three door hatch – starts at $19,890 (manual) and $21,490 (automatic).

Driving

The Yaris is an excellent entry-level car for young drivers or those just starting in the workforce. It is also a good fit for daily commuters and retirees . However, if those young drivers want to take a couple of friends away for the weekend or the retirees want to take their grandchildren out for the day and need to take a stroller - forget it, there is just nowhere near the storage space required.

The expansion of Toyota’s sedan range from three to four over the years has resulted in contracting the target market for the two smaller cars in the range. Whereas the original huge selling E20 Corolla worked as a family car at an entry level price, the current Corolla has moved upmarket and the Yaris does not offer the flexibility the Corolla used to have.

The Yaris is stylish, solid and competent. Performance is adequate, our test car was an automatic, but we recommend the manual as the change pattern in those times you need control over acceleration is not there with the auto. Handling is good although there is a bit of skipping over rough roads.

The centrally-positioned digital dash is annoying and the fuel gauge unacceptable. On one run, the test vehicle showed what appeared to be around a third of a tank driving past the last service station on one of Australia’s major freeways. The city boundary (and the next service station) was 70km away, but 2km past the service station the petrol bowser symbol started flashing and all feedback between 1/3 full and empty was lost. The car stopped without any further warning indicator.

But overall the three-door Yaris is a good choice for people requiring basic economical transport.

Verdict: 6.8/10