Replacement Yaris, Which One?

[krazy_olie]

HI all,

So as mentioned in my intro thread I had my yaris wrecked by a van so I need to get a replacement which will probably also be another 1.3 yaris. (almost considered a fiesta, must admit it rides nicer than the yaris but had no "oomph")

I'm just wondering if it's worth considering the ones with the newer "1.33" engine with 6 speed. They were only around from 2009 there aren't that many around and as they are newer tend to be a fair bit more expensive too.

I can pick up a 2007 40k 5 door "zinc" for under £5k, I may have to pay in excess of £6k to get the newer engine although possibly under if it's high mileage. Road tax is already £100 so some of that is made back pretty quickly, no idea if I'd get better economy, was usually in the high 40s in the old one.

I don't do a lot of miles, most of it is commuting for about 20-25 minutes each way and the majority of that is motorway so the 6th gear might be a good idea when cruising at 70. The older 1.3 was brilliant for 0-50, seemed to really punch its way in, above that it was fine but definitely a bit more strained I thought.

If anyone has driven both would appreciate advice.

olie

p.s Have considered the diesel but it tends to be very expensive and I think I'd have to drive a lot more than I do to make it worth while

[Madasafish]

Having read the road tests and reviews the only Yaris I will buy when I replace my current one is the hybrid.

The new range get slated for ride, comfort and noise..When all the reviewers and Honest John agree, you know there is something seriously wrong with the latest Yaris. And the prior model was no better.

(I am planning to buy a Hybrid for my next car due to quietness around town.)

[Dee Jay]

Having read the road tests and reviews the only Yaris I will buy when I replace my current one is the hybrid.

The new range get slated for ride, comfort and noise..When all the reviewers and Honest John agree, you know there is something seriously wrong with the latest Yaris. And the prior model was no better.

(I am planning to buy a Hybrid for my next car due to quietness around town.)

I didn't think that Honest John was at all negative about the new Yaris.

I've given up taking much notice of reviews, most give very good marks to VAG cars, which after my experiences with VW I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.

After test driving the new Yaris I bought one for the average punter like me it's a brilliant car, I want the equivalent of "white goods", something absolutely dependable. The main criticism from reviews about the Yaris is about the "low rent" interior, the main reason for this is their constant whittering on about the lack of soft touch plastic on the dashboard.

I would be far more inclined to test drive the new Yaris and make up your own mind.

Since becoming poor (well retired) I've driven Toyota (Yaris and Auris) before I retired it was a lot of Volkswagens and Mercedes, but I still rate the new Yaris as an excellent car.

When I had a Polo as a courtesy car for a few weeks recently I thought "what a horrid little car" I felt quite differently about the Yaris.

[krazy_olie]

Probably should have been clearer.

I'm sure the new yaris is great but it's way out of my price range, I'm referring to the mk2 yaris with the later engine (mk 2.5?)

[Dee Jay]

Probably should have been clearer.

I'm sure the new yaris is great but it's way out of my price range, I'm referring to the mk2 yaris with the later engine (mk 2.5?)

I had a 2007 D4D Yaris which was very good, my neighbour has a 2010 1.33 petrol which is a nice car, but she hates the dash display as it's a analogue one and is difficult to read in bright sunlight.

If you don't mind the later dash I'd go for the newer 1.33 engine with the 6 speed box it's a lovely engine, and saves £100 a year in duty as you mention.

[Adam C]

I actually have both (mk 2 with 1.3 and 1.33) so could offer help here . .

I'd say both are really good, I love them both. Though for me the older 1.3 is probably the more responsive - sometimes you have to work the 1.33, and also the 1.33 has an EGR valve so when you change from 1st to 2nd, you have to take your foot off the accelerator that fraction early as the engine will over-rev a little. In general it's harder to make smooth gear changes in the 1.33 but it is quieter. Engine note is almost silent in 6th. Low-down torque is impressive but now and again you won't feel it, but a little extra squeeze on the accelerator will provoke it. Even on a cruise at 50mph it pulled well up a hill in 6th. Also there's the Stop/Start which for the new model & Verso-S was removed, I think they should've kept it as I like using it. Quite a feeling when you reach journey's end and the engine goes off before you even touch the key! My 1.33 is a 2010 so also has the analog dash with everything backlit in amber (the ventilation controls are too with the lights on).

As for the 1.3, despite that originating from the original Yaris, it suits the mk 2 almost perfectly if you ask me. The clutch is heavier (at least in the three I've driven) but the gearchanges are smoother. There's more torque on idle so I find at times I can park on just the clutch. Acceleration from both is good, and to be honest not as big a difference in fuel economy as paper suggests, I'm able to regularly get 50mpg out of both, I'm usually light-footed & stick to speed limits. Yes there's a massive jump in road tax, but I reckon they're not that massively different.

So whichever you choose will be a great car

[krazy_olie]

Cool, thanks for the info.

Sounds like the 1.33 might be a bit nicer and quiter sitting at motorway speeds but I would definitely miss being able to park on the clutch, fairly used to that.

Will see if I can get round to test driving one but I get the impression it's not really worth the extra outlay unless see a particularly good deal pop up, it's £100 cheaper a year but when the car costs £1000 more to buy that isn't going to claw much back.

agree that the 1.3 is responsive, helps you feel confident joining the motorway and at roundabouts. When I was driving the fiesta courtesy it was lovely once I got up to speed but seemed to be a bit slow to respond to the clutch.

Have just now spotted a slightly tempting diesel though...

[Lorna2]

Having read the road tests and reviews the only Yaris I will buy when I replace my current one is the hybrid.

The new range get slated for ride, comfort and noise..When all the reviewers and Honest John agree, you know there is something seriously wrong with the latest Yaris. And the prior model was no better.

(I am planning to buy a Hybrid for my next car due to quietness around town.)

The honest John review didn't seem very negative to me, especially compared to some of the rubbish in a few other reviews. Sometimes its like they've driven another car, not a Yaris

As for the new range getting slated for ride, comfort and noise - What have they been driving? I find my Yaris very comfortable, I love the seats, they're so relaxing and supportive, especially when compared to other cars I've been in. Whats wrong with me - I don't find the ride harsh, to me it feels smooth.

I don't think much of the What Car review. They surely can't have been in a Yaris when they describe the interior. I don't know how they can call it "drab", don't they know you'll find a drab interior in a VW, not a Yaris? I wouldn't take many of the reviews too seriously, its always better to drive it yourself and get your own opinion.

Here's a Yaris review not many of you will have seen as its from a Northern Ireland site http://www.autonorthonline.com/ . This only goes to the main page so you'll have to look under road tests to get the Yaris review. There's one for the normal Yaris and one for the hybrid Yaris. A few other Toyota reviews there too. It wouldn't let me put the links up for each of the reviews, I got an error message. Hopefully this link will work This time :)

Edited September 25, 2012 by Lorna2

[Jan&tone]

For the hybrid the link is:

http://www.autonorthonline.com/roadtests/Toyota%20Yaris%20Hybrid.pdf

For the ordinary one it's

http://www.autonorthonline.com/roadtests/AN_Toyota_Yaris_a_Good_All_Rounder_Ian_Lynas.pdf

I'll read them now :)

So far I'm pleased with mine - only 15 miles on it so far, but I'm off to Somerset next week so t'will be a good test!

[Chris81]

If its a bit of 'oomph' you're after then look at a last of the line 2005 t-sport. Should be cheaper than the newer shape, plenty of oomph and still 40mpg. There seems to be plenty on autotrader.

[Adam C]

Half of the reviews of Toyotas (barring the GT86 as everyone loves it - even Clarkson!) ALWAYS slate the cars and prefer the German motors, Fords & Vauxhalls. Because everyone desires a Fiesta, Polo & Corsa, right?

One reason I got a Yaris years ago (had considered a Grande Punto) is because I love the styling, inside & out. With the other cars the dashboards & centre consoles are there purely for function & look too plain and boring, bog standard. In the mk 2 Yaris it actually looks a great car to be in plus it's functional - I always have to show off the three glove boxes.

All the journos slating Toyotas just really annoys me but then again these are the guys that are more interested in certain badges. When it comes to having to drive a Toyota, they frown, probably take it around the corner once then it's done & dusted. Fortunately us lot see through the mist that they create (and the offers of this, that, the other on them) because we know what cars we want - the quality ones.

[Lorna2]

Well said Adam! Spot on

[t-spiritpete]

Half of the reviews of Toyotas (barring the GT86 as everyone loves it - even Clarkson!) ALWAYS slate the cars and prefer the German motors, Fords & Vauxhalls. Because everyone desires a Fiesta, Polo & Corsa, right?

One reason I got a Yaris years ago (had considered a Grande Punto) is because I love the styling, inside & out. With the other cars the dashboards & centre consoles are there purely for function & look too plain and boring, bog standard. In the mk 2 Yaris it actually looks a great car to be in plus it's functional - I always have to show off the three glove boxes.

All the journos slating Toyotas just really annoys me but then again these are the guys that are more interested in certain badges. When it comes to having to drive a Toyota, they frown, probably take it around the corner once then it's done & dusted. Fortunately us lot see through the mist that they create (and the offers of this, that, the other on them) because we know what cars we want - the quality ones.

They never seem to interested in how reliable the car is going to be in the long term because the journos never actually PAY for any car repairs. Also to comment that two 6 foot + people can easily fit in the rear seats without their knees touching the front seats and how inivative and easy the rear seats can be when required, try that in their flavour of the moment ... the Fiat 500.

Pete.

[Madasafish]

Taken from Auto Express: Practicality Review..

1. 3.5 stars awarded.

The 280-litre boot isn’t exactly cavernous, but it’s pretty good for a car of its size. There’s a false floor for hiding valuables, while the rear seats fold down easily to increase load space. The five-door version is the more practical choice, simply because accessing the back seats is easier. There’s enough room for four adults i, but it’s probably best to keep journeys short. Interior quality is top-notch for the price. There’s a good amount of standard equipment on most models, but it might be worth avoiding entry-level models.

2 4 stars awarded

.t’s very easy for all shapes and sizes to get comfortable i, as the steering adjusts for reach and rake, and there’s lots of travel in the seats. Five-door versions have more space for rear passengers than three-door models, but the Fiesta isn't as spacious as a Volkswagen Polo or Renault Clio. The boot is good for the class, even if the lip is quite high. The rear seats split and fold flat so you can increase the luggage area.

3. 4 stars

The new car is 100mm longer than the previous model, which means there's a bigger boot and more interior space. In fact, the boot has grown by 25 per cent to 286 litres, which is more than the VW Polo but a little less than the Ford Fiesta. Split-folding rear seats are standard across the range and fold flat to create a 768-litre load area. There's lots of head and legroom for rear seats passengers, despite the lower roofline. There's a decent amount of storage in he cabin, too - there's even space for a one-litre bottle. The raked A-pillars do cause nasty blindspots,

Car 3 has more space for rear passengers...but only scores as much as cars 1 and 2..

Guess which is : The Polo?, the Fiesta? , the Yaris?

(in summary, rear passengers are cramped in 1&2 and you should not buy entry models of 1)

Source Autoexpress:

1 http://tinyurl.com/czmc56q

2 http://tinyurl.com/cjkacws

3 http://tinyurl.com/d8ecc55

[t-spiritpete]

Hmmm! Must have missed that one .

Regards Pete.