Toyota Yaris

[Emilio]

The new Toyota Yaris is already out there on the Bkk roads. The Yaris was meant to compete with the Honda Jazz, but as I thought before the price was a big difference.

The top model of the Yaris is 749,000 Baht while the lowest version is 634,000. The only good thing, its that it must be a pretty fast car. That is because it has the Vios 1,500 engine on it. With that small body it should do easy 190-200 Km/h.

I saw the Yaris a few days ago on the highway and it looked to me a bit small, not sure how small compared to the Jazz.

I still think the price for a small car like that is not worth it.....what do you guys think?

[tom yum goong]

isn't the cheapest Yaris 599,000? not much difference anyway i guess. Can't understand why its so much more than the Jazz and Vios. Is that price for a manual??

I passed one on the way to the office this morning in my Jazz and it looked a bit smaller than the Jazz but its hard to tell. I heard from someone else that the interior also feels slightly smaller than the Jazz.

I don't think the engine is much to shout about though. Its already been out in the Vios for a few years. Couldn't they have developed something more up to date? VVT is hardly cutting edge.

Cute looking car though. My girlfriend is thinking about getting one.

[Emilio]

Could be coz the cheapest version AT is 634,000! Perhaps the manual version is 599,000 Baht!

[Heng]

Recommend that anyone wanting to drive 190-200 kph in that vehicle UPGRADE the brakes AND tires.

[phuketsiam]

And the roads

[chanchao]

LOL.. Indeed.

Guess Toyota are trying to price it a bit higher to raise the desirability factor... Not sure if it'll work but it has worked before, so..

[terdsak_12]

I'll be picking up our new Yaris this afternoon for the missus. Gone for the 699K model with a bit of a discount as I've had over 30 vehicles from this dealer. I have'nt even seen it yet, but it's what 'er indoors wants.

[rcalsop]

I'll be picking up our new Yaris this afternoon for the missus. Gone for the 699K model with a bit of a discount as I've had over 30 vehicles from this dealer. I have'nt even seen it yet, but it's what 'er indoors wants.

Having driven both cars for extended periods of time ( granted more in the Jazz) I always thought the Jazz had the edge when the pricing in the UK was competitive . I was suprised when I viewed the Yaris here ,at the pricing structure I do not consider it as a carefully priced competitor ..Toyota appear to be trying to ride on a desirability factor to push sales .... My Thai wife who drives a Jazz made an immediate snap decision after trying the Yaris summarised by ...smaller, less practical , expensive compared to the Jazz. I will keep my Jazz thanks and if I had to change I would buy the top of the range Avanza 6 seater , practical , easily to drive and the top model with discount available at 630,000 baht . I agree with her judgement its a good car but lacks other competative selling points ... such as good dealerships ...Toyota produce good cars I have one but always fall at the first hurdle when it come to customer service , thank god the cars are reliable .

Ps the kids vote was no daddy keep the Jazz .

[terdsak_12]

Well I've just had my missus Yaris delivered. The Jazz is better. Doesn't bother me as I've got my 'Tuner. Boot space is silly in the Toyota. seating is not as comfortable, stereo is built in the dash which I hate as you can't really upgrade simply. etc etc.

Anyway she'll only be using it to nip to the shops and take the kids to school, and she's got red plates so can show off to her mates at the beauty salon.

I'll post some pics if anyone wants a looky.

[Plus]

Yes, sure. I've only seen one so far. It was kinda cute but not stunningly so, as was Jazz when we first overtook one and peered out of the back windows.

[chanchao]

Let me disagree with myself, and what I said earlier about Toyota playing on desirability factor. After all Toyota have never done this before, they always price their vehicles a tad higher than their closest competitors, but not so much for it to be really a deciding factor. With the Yaris though, it IS significantly more expensive... So another reason can be that Toyota is honestly not able to sell it for less and still make enough/any profit to make it worthwhile for them. Why? Because Honda Jazz shares all its technology with City, easy to produce together, this cuts costs. However Yaris is not based on Vios.. It's a completely different car, and perhaps a higher percentage of parts even has to be imported.. Yaris was never intended for the SE Asian market, it was a Euro city car, it only got here because Toyota was caught by complete surprise by Honda's success with the Jazz. Thus, production costs WOULD be higher, resulting in a higher sticker price unless Toyota was a charity. (Or better at understanding its market back when they started on the Soluna/Vios)

Possible?

[terdsak_12]

My Missus Yaris

It's growing on me.

[Emilio]

Terdsak, thanx for the pics! I wanna point out some thoughts after looking at the inside pics of the Yaris.

1) The Radio. Well, I think it would be hard to change or install a new one. If you could, I wonder how it would look! I hate it when these cars have their radio installed this way!

2) The last control of the air or air temperature(in the middle), seems to be a bit too low! This could be dangerous while driving and you wanna set the aircon, unless you get use to it without looking. Terdsak, try sitting on the car and see what you think? You got to look really low or what?

3) I never liked that the front console has the dash board right in the middle of the car! I think it makes it hard to look side ways and see speed, fuel and all those signals. That could be distracting while driving too, no?

[Plus]

Since Vios has this kind of console it doesn't worry Toyota, I think. Also Yaris IS based on Vios, or rather the other way around - Vios design is based on Yaris. They should be source a lot of local content anyway.

Toyota usually prices their cars just below Honda, I don't know what are they palying at. Perhaps they want to market Yaris to people who CAN spend a bit more for a cute little car, just like many Jazz customers can afford to pay a lot more for their rides.

I'm not sure this will work, but Toyota has uncanny ability to be successful.

[moonoi]

Since Vios has this kind of console it doesn't worry Toyota, I think. Also Yaris IS based on Vios, or rather the other way around - Vios design is based on Yaris. They should be source a lot of local content anyway.

Actually Vios was based on the Generation 1 Yaris that was never available here, the new Yaris is a differant platform so Toyota can't benefit from sharing production costs between the 2 models.

Quite funny if you think about it

The centre console is supposed to be less distracting than the traditional type the idea being that its always in line of site so you don't have to glance down to look at the instruments...Honda have taken a differant approach with the new civic by putting the more important instruments up high in the dash just below the windscreen for the same reason, although I agree with Emilio in that I don't like the centre layout at all.

[Plus]

Is Yaris the new Vios then? Should we expect new Vios based on this Yaris, or will they scrap sedan shape altogether.

[shadscat]

Is Yaris the new Vios then? Should we expect new Vios based on this Yaris, or will they scrap sedan shape altogether.

The new sedan version of the Yaris is called 'Belta' in other markets.

[jbowman1993]

Is Yaris the new Vios then? Should we expect new Vios based on this Yaris, or will they scrap sedan shape altogether.

The new sedan version of the Yaris is called 'Belta' in other markets.

Ambitious urban-mover

The much-awaited sub-compact from the country's best-selling brand may not offer outright value, but it shines as a practical, agile and economical choice for city-dwellersby Richard Leu

Bangkok Post

Friday, February 3, 2006

Cabin trimmings okay, but build quality iffy in some areas. Rear seat space is excellent; seats can slide to increase boot.

Dash like in Soluna, but more stylish. Boot space is not that big, but can be increased by pushing rear seats forward or by simply folding down the backrests in an almost flat manner.

Although not the dearest Yaris, the G Limited is the only version to feature keyless entry and start/stop button _ all yours at 739,000 baht.

It surely took some time for Toyota to make a comeback with hatchbacks. Ever since archrival Honda introduced the Jazz three years ago, the five-door sub-compact has enjoyed tremendous sales by winning the hearts of urban denizens.

In fact, it wasn't purely for the Jazz's practical package that made it a runaway success. A large number of buyers were bored with sedans and wanted something different - or trendy to be more precise.

So here it is: the Yaris whose first-generation model appeared in Europe, and in Japan as the Vitz, but not in Thailand. But the formula is the same with this second-generation version highlighting driving agility and compact, yet spacious, packaging.

15-inch wheels yield sufficient dynamics.

You can consider the Yaris as the hatchback variant of the Soluna Vios four-door saloon, except that they have many design variations inside and out.

Both share the same basic architecture: front strut and rear torsion beam suspension systems. The drivetrain is also identical: 109hp 1.5-litre petrol engine coupled with a conventional four-speed automatic transmission.

Because the Yaris has a relatively light body, performance isn't an issue especially when you consider that the Soluna already moves effortlessly below the legal speed limit.

You can feel extra oomph in the Yaris, like when rolling off from the lights which is also due to the light and responsive throttle.

We haven't conducted a fuel economy test yet. But our past experience with the Soluna means that the Yaris should comfortably achieve more than 13kpl in city-driving.

Making up for an effortless performance in town-driving is a light and direct steering. It's totally void of feel due to the electric assistance which, however, technically compensates with less moving parts and easier maintenance.

Clearly, the Yaris lacks the fun factor of the Soluna which still uses a hydraulic system. But in pure agility terms, the Yaris shines. Toyota claims a turning radius of 4.7m which can be easily felt when making tight U-turns.

Low-speed ride is slightly on the firm side, yet taut and adequately comfortable. The range-topping Yaris rides on 16-inch wheels which we think is unnecessary even if you're a keen driver. The other versions like the G tested here comes with 15-inch ones.

Don't treat the Yaris as a car strictly used for city-driving. Out on the highways, the Yaris manages to display road manners that should sufficiently convince drivers who understand that sub-compacts aren't designed as high-speed express.

There's a decent level of grip in the Yaris, despite the conventional suspension matrix. However, some testers complained about the brakes being a tad weak when decelerating hard from high speeds.

The G version comes with discs up front and drums at the rear, unlike the S range-topper that comes with all-round discs. In fact, Toyota should have made all-round discs standard across the range, since the power output is already 109hp.

In corners, the Yaris's driving manners are easy rather than enthusiastic. The harder you attack a curve, the more the steering loses its precision.

But in all fairness, Toyota's objectives are clear here with the Yaris: easy and agile driving characteristics, plus a fluid performance for daily use in the city.

Internally, the message is just as simple: spacious and practical, yet in a compact package. As the exterior appearance suggests, the ability of stretching the front and rear axles as far as possible from each other helps yield a generous wheelbase length.

Six footers won't find legroom a problem, either up front or in the rear. However, headroom can be slightly restricted when sitting in the back.

Such a spacious cabin has come at the expense of a tight boot. You can increase cargo space by sliding the thoughtfully-designed rear seats. But that eats away into rear legroom. As an outright cargo-hauler, the rear backrests can fold down nearly flat.

The dashboard design has the same basic theme of the Soluna's, that is, centrally-mounted dials. The centre console housing various controls in the Yaris has a more distinctive look, however. As well, the Yaris has more practical holes and compartments.

As a sub-compact, the Yaris uses decent plastics and materials that are good to look at, except for that awful, glossy plastic wrapping the handbrake. Our test car had numerous panel gaps, while some casings aren't bolted that well. A Toyota source says that quality should be improved in the later batch of cars.

Which brings us to the most crucial area of the Yaris: pricing. With prices ranging from 599,000-741,000 baht, the Yaris is more expensive than the Soluna. That's because Toyota has made the specification more comprehensive.

Safety features like dual airbags, anti-lock brakes, brake force distribution and brake assist come as standard across the range. It also appears that Toyota wants to assure buyers in Thailand that small cars aren't unsafe.

There are six versions to choose from depending on convenience items like split foldable rear seats, leather upholstery, anti-theft system, immobiliser, aerodynamic add-ons, xenon lights and 16-inch alloys.

A notable highlight here - if unnecessarily lavish to a certain degree - is the "easy go" system in the G Limited version. Drivers don't need a key to enter the car and trigger the ignition. Instead, there are buttons on the door lever and dash.

Is the Yaris the ultimate hatchback at the moment, particularly in the presence of its Jazz competitor? We'll give a definite answer when we pit the two cars together in our later issues. But on paper, the Jazz arguably offers better value in terms of cabin space and powertrain technology.

The Yaris is an ideal choice for buyers needing an agile, economical and practical car for daily use, while also craving for good levels of safety. If its prices are too steep for you, then the Soluna seems as the viable option - but with a compromised specification.

[Plus]

It looks like present Vios and Yaris share the same platform. Is the new, second generation, European Yaris very much different from the first generation? Like Vios a totally different car from Soluna it replaced here.

Or is it more like City Type Z evolution over previous City?

[kasi]

It looks like present Vios and Yaris share the same platform. Is the new, second generation, European Yaris very much different from the first generation? Like Vios a totally different car from Soluna it replaced here.

Or is it more like City Type Z evolution over previous City?

I hated driving the Vios. The new trick of mounting the instrument cluster in the center of the car kills it for me. What's up with that?

They trying to save money to make the car easier to manufacture for either left or right hand drive markets?

[chanchao]

> The new trick of mounting the instrument cluster in the center

> of the car kills it for me. What's up with that?

Toytota knows these cars are mostly driven by tiny midgets who couldn't see the road otherwise.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[barryofthailand]

I was going to buy a Vios until I drove it, with the instrument pannel in the middle.

The best car manufactured for the Thailand market in my opinion is the Corolla Atis. A bit pricy, but what are you going to do?

Barry

[moonoi]

I was going to buy a Vios until I drove it, with the instrument pannel in the middle.

The best car manufactured for the Thailand market in my opinion is the Corolla Atis. A bit pricy, but what are you going to do?

Barry

Surely your joking. You want to drive around in an overpriced taxi?

Now if Toyota were to import the Hatchback version of the Corolla I would agree, but the Mazda3, Honda Civic and even the new Ford Focus are way better cars than the Altis (and the Focus is cheaper too)

I want my old Corolla T-Sport 1.8 VVTL-i 197bhp

[chanchao]

> Surely your joking. You want to drive around in an overpriced taxi?

It's not a bad car obviously, but very, very due for replacement. So you really don't want a new one right now. Find the right second hand one, and you have a very reliable vehicle.

[Plus]

I haven't heard of Corolla's replacement. I think it's not due until well into next year, and even later for Thailand. Toyota Thailand is busy with new Camry now.

Over the past four-five years Altis has built a solid reputation in Thailand, "way better" than Mazda, Ford, and even Civic.

No one cares if it's also used as a taxi.

I think people driving Vios get used to the center panel, otherwise it wouldn't be the best selling car in Thailand, "way better" than Mazda, Ford, Mitsu, and Nissan total sales altogether. Honda managed to sell a tad more cars than this single Vios, though.

I mean "one billion Chinese can't be wrong" argument.

[capt_canada42]

I just bought a Yaris and I like it, in fact I think its pretty ###### nice car, of course I wouldn't know what I was talking about I have only been building and racing cars for 50 years. I look forward to getting to know my car and will probably trick it out once the warranty expires. But what sold me on the car was how it handled and the acceleration for such a small puppy. Also I love it cute looks it reminds of a little puppy.

My other cars include a 1923 T- Bucket Ford with a 451.3 H.P. Chevy engine this is not to bad for running around Phuket. This car is basically a drag racer that can do it in the dirt or on the street or any type of track you want to play with it on, if you know to do rear wheel steering!

Also a Ford GTD-40 a copy of the famous GT-40 this car I won has won a few hill climbs in Merry Old England and won its class at Silverstone.

I do all my own work here at my house in Phuket and am not shy to learning, because I have been doing this since I was a kid in Canada.

I round out my cars with and Iszuz D-max 4Wheel drive that is slightly modified which has seen alot of off road action here in Phuket as I sell land and am always exploring for new pieces, or out of the way places to go with my girl friends.

Lastly but not least is my new Hino 6 wheeler with a 6.780 liter water tank on it, which I use to deliver water from my water factory to those people who want drinking quality water in the water tanks at there house's here in Phuket.

So maybe these few things I have done will quality me to be a little bit of a judge on cool cars and trucks.

[englishoak]

[markuk]

The new Toyota Yaris is already out there on the Bkk roads. The Yaris was meant to compete with the Honda Jazz, but as I thought before the price was a big difference.

The top model of the Yaris is 749,000 Baht while the lowest version is 634,000. The only good thing, its that it must be a pretty fast car. That is because it has the Vios 1,500 engine on it. With that small body it should do easy 190-200 Km/h.

I saw the Yaris a few days ago on the highway and it looked to me a bit small, not sure how small compared to the Jazz.

I still think the price for a small car like that is not worth it.....what do you guys think?

Its a girls car.....

[Gary A]

Not enough car for the money for sure and I HATE the center dash instrument cluster. The Honda Jazz blows it away as far as being practical and the Jazz is cheaper too.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Not enough car for the money for sure and I HATE the center dash instrument cluster. The Honda Jazz blows it away as far as being practical and the Jazz is cheaper too.

I have a Vios with the central display, which is digital in my model. It's very cool and I love it. I did think it was weird at first - but the digital display was what sold me on it - it's just like a rally car!

What maybe helps it sell is that it is angled and the passenger can't see it - if your good lady wife is a back seat driver like mine then it is a godsend!