First Drive: 2007 Toyota Yaris

[pow]

If you ask me, I'd rather see a more economical engine. I could care less how the inside of the top of the glovebox feels.

[post="60400"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

For the Aveo, I agree. For premium and luxury cars, however, the inside of the top of the glovebox needs to be nice. A $60K car like the STS, for instance, should feel engineered to the max, no expenses spared, with layers and layers of quality touches. The over-engineered details in our 528i (the "click" of the glovebox opening, the "thunk" of the glovebox closing, the lining inside the glovebox, the solid material for the outside of the glovebox...) really add up. Our Passat's "quality", on the other hand, is superficial, and is limited to decent-looking materials that don't hold up.

[Northstar]

Dude you cannot tell until you actually get inside the car, especially if it is on a turntable.

[post="60403"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Exactly. The GTO I sat in yesterday had some shiny plastic, but none of it felt cheap to the touch.

[ShadowDog]

Yish, a car already with a serious overbite that's been punched in the face. Damn is that thing uuuuuuuuuuuuuuugly.

[Polish_Kris]

its unfortunate because the Aveo's design is nicer.  when will GM start anteing up for decent plastic?

[post="60222"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

When they fire all the bean counters in Detroit.

[jd2b]

Why compromise?  Even at this price range? 

It's especially nice to buy an inexpensive car that seems well put-together, with great fit-and-finish, and that has a nice feel to the materials.

It's one thing that VW was known for not too long ago....providing a much more upscale interior ambiance relative to its price range.....

When the last generation Golf came out, it was a $17-19K car that had an interior more befitting a $30K car.

[post="60397"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Your not compromising if there is potential that one plastic is safer and more environmental to produce AND it is recycable (sp) at the end. Now, I don't know which car satisfies this requirement better but I would like to know because that should be advertised.

ALSO, if the plastics add cost well you are not "compromising" then you are making a decision based on value. Personally, as long as it is an attractive design and well put together there is no reason to care, Do you touch the dash regularly?

The more expensive the car the more this matters, but lets try and keep the cost of such cars down so that people can purchase them. Using "harder" plastics must accomplish this goal. Do you honestly think that if Toyota or Honda eventually ran GM and Ford out of town that they would continue to use such plastics??? It is a business decision because some people seem to think this matters. I would argue that very few people actually care, but the damn uneducated press thinks that this is soooo important that people feel they are being shafted if they are not getting the very best. Lets face it, when you buy a Yaris or an Aveo you should not be expecting Cadillac/Lexus materials.

[regfootball]

When they fire all the bean counters in Detroit.

[post="60446"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

i'd be ok with that.

[PeterJ]

Of the cars coming into this segment for the upcoming model year, the one I'm most intriguted with is the Nissan Versa hatchback. This impression is based on what I've seen of the overseas Tiida and a few recent SEMA pics...the initial press photos of the Versa (silver base model with the plastic wheel covers) were comparatively underwhelming. Five door hatchback, huge interior, 38 MPG combined city/hwy, availability of six speed manual, premium options and premium interior (so they promise, at least)...all for the same price point as the Yaris, Fit, Aveo and Accent, give or take a grand. To me a Versa with alloys and the more uplevel interior is the only one of these that starts to look like a 'real' car. And the fuel efficiency is almost as impressive as a diesel, which I wish we had more of in the USA.

http://www.netcarshow.com/nissan/2004-tiida/03.htm

I'll admit, you do have to be predisposed to hatchbacks to like it...but if you find the current Golf attractive it seems the Versa is at least in the ballpark.

I flat out cannot get beyond the Yaris interior. I don't care what the materials are like, that center guage cluster is a total non-starter for me.

[sciguy_0504]

I don't know, Peter. This segment is really hot right now and will be for some time because of gas prices, etc. I would take a Yaris and Aveo over the Nissan. I think it looks somewhat dated in comparison.

[PeterJ]

I don't know, Peter.  This segment is really hot right now and will be for some time because of gas prices, etc.  I would take a Yaris and Aveo over the Nissan.  I think it looks somewhat dated in comparison.

[post="60827"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

I think you're right about it looking a little dated...or at least very conservative compared to the competitors. That might be one of the reasons I like it actually. A lot of hatchbacks that look lame to most people look semi-sporty to my eyes, so I'm probably an outlier when it comes to taste in these types of cars. To me, a basic, boxy five-door design is pretty timeless. When I see a well-maintained early 90's Golf driving around, I still think those look pretty good and that's what I think of when I see the Versa in decent colors and a set of alloys.

With these B-segment "tall-boy" cars though, I think it's even more important than in other classes to see them in person before you can judge if the proportions look right. And with Nissan, I've been extremely unimpressed with their interiors across the board over the past 4-5 years, so I've got to see/feel premium in person before I believe it.

If you came of age driving in the mid-80's like me, you are probably finding it fun to see this segment starting to pick up again.

[SoCalCTS]

Here's another great Toyota interior innovation. Now your passenger can store his super-sized soft- drinks in front of your side mirror. :P

[sciguy_0504]

Judging by that photo it seems like sightlines are still preserved and that window pillar someone pointed out earlier doesn't seem to get in the way, either.

[Flybrian]

Judging by that photo it seems like sightlines are still preserved and that window pillar someone pointed out earlier doesn't seem to get in the way, either.

[post="60926"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Then again, that photo isn't taken from any real seating position - its just showing a cupholder with a bottle of water. Imagine your Big Gulp there instead.

And I'm sure (hope?) that little framed glass doesn't interfere with visibility; it just looks stupid.

[thegriffon]

The hatch is still behind the segment in terms of size, but the Belta/Yaris sedan is right on the money. Price will be the main issue, great economy didn't help the Echo any. GM needs to install a smaller, more economical engine just for appearance sake, even if it doesn't sell any, but a six-speed auto may come in a few years.

[titan]

What a grotesque interior.

THe fake-brushed aluminunm does nothing to make up for the balnd, gross spartan interior. :puke:

Yeah and it goes without saying that the exterior is about as handsome as a botched abortion echo.

[post="59710"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

My thoughts exactly.