Toyota Yaris: Why is toyota so stupid?

[Intrepidation]

You know I have to say I rather like the new Toyota Yaris, particularly the sedan in "S" trim. It's cute, like a baby Camry. It's only got one flaw. Why oh why did Toyota yet again stick the guage pods in the center of the flippin' dashboard?! I mean seriously, it's such a stupid place to put them, you have to look down and away from the road to check them. Everyone gripes about them, I'm sure Saturn won't do it again with the next Ion. It just baffles me why Toyota is so dumb. Oh well.

Edited March 8, 2006 by Dodgefan

[!!!TED!!!]

The answer is very simple. This is a world car. Guages in the center make it easy to adapt for markets with right hand drive.

[El Scorcho]

The answer is very simple. This is a world car. Guages in the center make it easy to adapt for markets with right hand drive.

So Toyota got lazy and cheap?

[Newbiewar]

So Toyota got lazy and cheap?

can you tell me a toyota that isnt lazy and cheap?

[El Scorcho]

can you tell me a toyota that isnt lazy and cheap?

Touché, salesman.

[Bimmer325]

It's one blemish in an otherwise class-leading interior.

[siegen]

God that interior is horribly bland and ugly. The sedan version is a little better, but not much. I certainly hope those are pictures of base models and the higher end ones are better looking. Toyota isn't necessarily stupid for doing it this way though, as Ted said, it will make the cars cheaper to produce, as only one center console needs to be made for both RHD and LHD models.

Yaris Sedan:

Fit Sport:

Edited March 9, 2006 by siegen

[Newbiewar]

It's one blemish in an otherwise class-leading interior.

i must really be out of the loop on what class leading is cause that is fugly...

to me a nice interior...

or

[Paolino]

I'm sure Saturn won't do it again with the next Ion.

I thought there wasn't going to be another Ion?

[Variance]

I thought there wasn't going to be another Ion?

Well, yes and no. The next Ion could be a rebadged Vauxhall Astra.

[Snate]

The interiors of the new Toyotas are not only not class-leading...they are barely midpack. That includes the new Camry, FJ and this ugly thing. I almost broke the door handle off at the auto show it was so damn cheap. I guess since they are Toyota they can get away with cheap crap.

[Flybrian]

The new Aveo looks alot better inside and of course outside. The Yaris hatch looks like a large head on wheels.

[Sixty8panther]

It's a very annoying feature and I for one think these cars would do much better by sticking to tradition. Most of the buyers are old Ladys and such. Either way these cars are pathetically small.

If and when I buy a Cobalt that will be on the small side for me but these little Ladybugs are like Golfcart sedans.

Edited March 9, 2006 by Sixty8panther

[Croc]

Well, yes and no. The next Ion could be a rebadged Vauxhall Astra.

Opel Astra. If it were a rebadged Vauxhall it would be RHD.

[sciguy_0504]

So Toyota got lazy and cheap?

Wouldn't be that far from GM.

[sciguy_0504]

God that interior is horribly bland and ugly. The sedan version is a little better, but not much. I certainly hope those are pictures of base models and the higher end ones are better looking. Toyota isn't necessarily stupid for doing it this way though, as Ted said, it will make the cars cheaper to produce, as only one center console needs to be made for both RHD and LHD models.

Yaris Sedan:

Fit Sport:

The Fit's interior is way too busy, just like the interior in the Civic, and both are ugly, IMO. Yes, you have your opinion, also. Just one question, though. Why would you expect a high-end economy car model?

[Dragon]

You guys see cheap and lazy, I see efficient and cheaper, something GM could use.

Fact is you’ve got to look away from the road to see your gauges anyway. Having to look down and to the side makes little to know difference. The couple of times I’ve had to drive cars with centered IC’s, once I got used to looking in a different spot, I was never bothered by the location

[Sixty8panther]

Well, yes and no. The next Ion could be a rebadged Vauxhall Astra.

I hope so... when I had a rental Opel Astra (base 1.6 liter 5-door hatch) in Slovakia back in 2001 I thought it was a fantastic car. Worlds above and beyond the J-body of the same vintage. Why this car was not sold back then as a Cavalier is beyond me.

[Polish_Kris]

Why this car was not sold back then as a Cavalier is beyond me.

Coooost cutting...

It was cheaper to build a Cavalier than import an Astra. Let alone, here we have the UAW, there has to be a certain amount of domestic content in the vehicle to make their workers happy.

[CARBIZ]

Frankly, it is good to see Toyota hitting off the mark. The current Aveo is way better than the Echo was. Toyota had two years to catapult by the Aveo. All they succeeded in doing is barely catching up to the current model Aveo - sort of like what GM did with the current Cobalt barely catching up to the Mazda 3 and then being lept over by the Civic.

I still can't get past the Yaris' UGLY looks. The 5 door Aveo is a far more balanced design; the interior less so, but pretty damned good for the money! GM needs to ditch the crappy automatic in the Aveo and get a better one.

And for the record, the Aveo is a very important car for certain urban markets with a high immigrant populaton (Toronto being one.) They are predisposed to small cars, coming from areas of the world (South America, Asia) where all cars are small.

I find that discussions on plastics, guages, fit and finish, etc. are pretty amusing on these classes of vehicles. It wasn't too long ago that they had metal dashes and virtually no guages. Now, people demand power windows on a $12,000 vehicle!

[siegen]

I find that discussions on plastics, guages, fit and finish, etc. are pretty amusing on these classes of vehicles.  It wasn't too long ago that they had metal dashes and virtually no guages.  Now, people demand power windows on a $12,000 vehicle!

The whole point of Toyota and Honda (and Nissan I suppose) bringing these cars here and pricing them around $13-14k, was to show that a cheap, efficient car could also have a nice interior, good build quality, and plenty of features (including power windows and a/c). I believe they have both stressed that these cars are not bare bones like a Hyundai Accent, Geo Metro, etc, hense the higher starting price (European/Asian Fits start about $3k less, and are more bare bones).

They're trying to dispell the thinking that only people who can't afford a better car would buy these. Now you will probably find people who have the money to afford a Civic/Corolla or Accord/Camry, but stick with a Fit/Yaris because it suits their needs better, they like the way it looks better, or what not.

[toyoguy]

The new Aveo looks alot better inside and of course outside. The Yaris hatch looks like a large head on wheels.

edited and improved w/new pics.

The Aveo doesn't even look like an econo-POS.

http://www.chevrolet.com/aveo/photogallery/

Edited March 9, 2006 by toyoguy

[toyoguy]

Yaris totally loses this one

Edited March 9, 2006 by toyoguy

[toyoguy]

Frankly, it is good to see Toyota hitting off the mark.  The current Aveo is way better than the Echo was.   Toyota had two years to catapult by the Aveo.  All they succeeded in doing is barely catching up to the current model Aveo - sort of like what GM did with the current Cobalt barely catching up to the Mazda 3 and then being lept over by the Civic.

GM did a great job with the Aveo, just like their entire line-up (excluding Cadillac, GMT-900's)

I mean take a look at these scores

http://www.euroncap.com/images/results/sma...tasheet%203.pdf

A wake-up call for the motor industry as Euro NCAP awards two star strike-through for the new Chevrolet Aveo*

In recent years, the increasing number of cars obtaining top marks for adult occupant protection in Euro NCAP’s tests has led some to demand the introduction of a new benchmark and a sixth star.

However, results announced today by Euro NCAP prove that whilst some manufacturers are forging ahead in their safety development, others still have a long way to go.

Of the six cars tested by Euro NCAP in this recent phase, only two achieved the top five star accolade for occupant protection in Europe ’s leading independent crash tests.

Claes Tingvall, Euro NCAP Chairman said,

“I am pleased to see that two of the six cars have achieved a maximum five-star rating for adult occupant protection. It is reassuring that more and more car companies are now placing an emphasis on safety and we are happy to recognise their achievements.

However, we want to encourage the highest levels of safety in all cars and, in that regard, there is still work to be done. Euro NCAP will continue to provide consumers with the best information available regarding the safety of new cars.”

The Chevrolet Aveo was singled out by Euro NCAP for the unacceptably high risk of life-threatening injury to the driver’s chest, which was highlighted by the frontal test. As a result, the car’s final star was struck through. Although the Aveo scored enough points overall to qualify for three stars, Euro NCAP insists on a minimum level of performance in each of the frontal and side impacts. While the Aveo’s performance in side impact was good, it did not score enough points in the frontal test to be given a three-star rating.

Yet, the Chevrolet was not the only car to come under Euro NCAP’s scrutiny. The Kia Cerato obtained poor results in the side impact tests with a high risk of injury to the driver’s chest.

In contrast, the Peugeot 207 joins the growing list of superminis to be awarded the five-star Euro NCAP rating in adult occupant protection, proving that even the smallest of cars can be safe on European roads.

The Alfa Romeo 159 also received impressive results for its adult occupant protection with a five-star Euro NCAP rating. This is the first Alfa Romeo to have received five stars in Euro NCAP’s adult occupant protection test. More worrying were the Alfa Romeo’s pedestrian protection results: only a one-star rating.

Claes Tingvall, Euro NCAP Chairman said,

“I am pleased to see that Alfa Romeo achieved the coveted five-star Euro NCAP rating for adult occupant protection, yet I am disappointed that they have not shown the same commitment to pedestrian protection. There is a clear difference emerging between those car manufacturers who are trying to improve the protection their cars offer to pedestrians and those who still see that as a low priority. When cars can achieve creditable results without any advanced technology, there is no excuse for the very low levels of performance we have seen in this phase. There is no reason why cars cannot now provide a high level of protection to all road users.”

Other crashworthiness results for family cars, small family cars, superminis, small off - roaders are launched today on www.euroncap.com.

*The Chevrolet Aveo is a face lifted version of the Chevrolet/Daewoo Kalos. We were advised that the Kalos would be replaced by the Aveo, but now understand that the Kalos will continue to be available as a three/five door version until 2008. Until then we are informed that the Aveo will only be available as a saloon.

It has been indicated that the facelift includes improvements in safety and Euro NCAP can only conclude that the safety performance of the Kalos will not be as good as the Aveo. In any case, as our assessment was made on a saloon car, we can not be sure that the three/five door car will have the same performance.

OMG, that POS Yaris got a 5star rating

http://www.euroncap.com/images/results/sup...tasheet%202.pdf

Toyota really missed the mark on this one, the Chevy Aveo I gotta say looks better (movie-star glamorous), and is engineered to usual GM levels of perfection

Edited March 9, 2006 by toyoguy

[Variance]

Toyoguy, do you mind downsizing the pics? They're entirely too large.

[Flybrian]

You may as well delete those pics anyway because I said new Aveo.

[toyoguy]

http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ToyotaY...PhotosSedan.htm

I gotta buy one of these

http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ChevroletAveo/Photos.htm

[Flybrian]

http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ToyotaY...PhotosSedan.htm

I gotta buy one of these

http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/ChevroletAveo/Photos.htm

Reading comprehension escapes thee.

[toyoguy]

You may as well delete those pics anyway because I said new Aveo.

The 07 model does look tons better

Edited March 9, 2006 by toyoguy

[toyoguy]

Reading comprehension escapes thee.

Unlikely, I scored a perfect on the SAT reading section comprehension.

[CARBIZ]

Well, Toyoguy, I don't know how they test in Europe, but on this side of the pond (where we live and are concerned about) the Aveo scored a 5 star for frontal crash by the NHTSA on its current model.

It is interesting how you Toyota crusaders immediately get personal and affronted when anything Toyota is criticized. I never said the Yaris was a bad vehicle, I only said that it should have aimed further ahead because it has only just caught up to the Aveo in terms of ride, fit and finish, interior space.

Oh, and for the record: I sell Toyota and Chev.

[toyoguy]

Well, Toyoguy, I don't know how they test in Europe, but on this side of the pond (where we live and are concerned about) the Aveo scored a 5 star for frontal crash by the NHTSA on its current model.

NHTSA

Vehicles are crashed into a fixed barrier at 35 miles per hour (mph), which is equivalent to a head-on collision between two similar vehicles each moving at 35 mph.

The NHTSA frontal crash rating crashes the full width of the front of a vehicle into a rigid barrier. This maximizes the energy absorbed by the front of the vehicle so that the occupant compartment is more likely to remain intact. The full frontal ratings produce high level occupant compartment decelerations, making them very demanding of the restraint systems, thus providing better information on the safety features and their performance.

In offset crash ratings, like those performed by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety (IIHS) http://www.iihs.org/, only one side of a vehicle's front end is hit, thus a smaller area of the structure absorbs the energy from the crash. Offset crashes are more demanding on the structure of a vehicle, and intrusion into the occupant compartment is more likely in these crashes. NHTSA does not currently perform the offset crash rating.

The results from NHTSA’s full-width frontal crash and IIHS’ offset frontal crash rating complement each other. They can be used together to assess overall frontal crash safety in terms of the effectiveness of restraint systems and the integrity of the occupant compartment.

euroncap

Frontal impact takes place at 64kph (40mph), car strikes deformable barrier that is offset.

[regfootball]

Frankly, it is good to see Toyota hitting off the mark.  The current Aveo is way better than the Echo was. Toyota had two years to catapult by the Aveo.  All they succeeded in doing is barely catching up to the current model Aveo - sort of like what GM did with the current Cobalt barely catching up to the Mazda 3 and then being lept over by the Civic.

  I still can't get past the Yaris' UGLY looks.  The 5 door Aveo is a far more balanced design; the interior less so, but pretty damned good for the money!  GM needs to ditch the crappy automatic in the Aveo and get a better one.

  And for the record, the Aveo is a very important car for certain urban markets with a high immigrant populaton (Toronto being one.)  They are predisposed to small cars, coming from areas of the world (South America, Asia) where all cars are small.

  I find that discussions on plastics, guages, fit and finish, etc. are pretty amusing on these classes of vehicles.  It wasn't too long ago that they had metal dashes and virtually no guages.  Now, people demand power windows on a $12,000 vehicle!

funny how competition raises the bar to expect more.

[regfootball]

since the corolla is the big seller here and any Yaris they sell is gravy, its not worth it in their eyes to make LH and RH dashes. The Canadians who buy Yaris' and Echos' like you buy coffee at the donut shop don't care as long as its small and cheap. This is merely a case of toyota going cheap on their investment and saying, if you want the guages in front of you, we have a perfectly good base corolla to sell you.

[BrewSwillis]

Unlikely, I scored a perfect on the SAT reading section comprehension. 

[BrewSwillis]

The NHTSA frontal crash rating crashes the full width of the front of a vehicle into a rigid barrier.

euroncap

Frontal impact takes place at 64kph (40mph), car strikes deformable barrier that is offset.

I would say there is also a big difference between hitting a concrete block, and a deformable barrier.

[I hope GMRULES again]

I didn't think it would be possible to make a car that was uglier than the Echo hatchback but Toyota has succeeded with the Yaris, the front end is hideous and the interior is goofy. For the record I think the Aveo hatchback is awful too.

[pow]

I would say there is also a big difference between hitting a concrete block, and a deformable barrier.

Not exactly concrete block, but concrete wall. The difference is that the IIHS/E-NCAP test is offset, making it much, much harder. All cars perform more poorly in the offset crash.

[Petra]

Sure, the new Yaris Sedan has a pretty interior and performs well in crash tests and all that. But I think the real question we're all asking is: How many bodies can you fit in the trunk?

[Intrepidation]

Wow, a lot more replies than I was expecting lol. Anyway I think the Yaris is way better looking than that ucking fugly Echo...is it the best looking? Nope, that grill has gotta go, but I think it's cute other than that, the sedan in S trim has nice wheel-to-body proportions. My gripe stems from the guages being in a stupid place. Why put them in the middle? Even if it's "cheaper" that way, Toyota has more than enough money to cover extra costs, I mean damn, they're worth more than Wal-Mart now. So, there's no ecxuse. I'd never buy a car with the all the guages in the middle. It's stupid, because instead of just looking down at a galce to see teh guasges you have to look down and to the right, meaning more time eyes are off the road, and it's an unnatural position. Yes I know the time it takes would only be slightly more than if they were conventionally located, but sometimes that's all iit takes not not see a car stopping suddenly or something. Then..BAM!!

I agree that the new, and even current Aveo look way better than the Echo, and it has a nicer front end than the Yaris.

Edited March 10, 2006 by Dodgefan

[Polish_Kris]

Sure, the new Yaris Sedan has a pretty interior and performs well in crash tests and all that. But I think the real question we're all asking is: How many bodies can you fit in the trunk?

Petra, you know what's funny about this pic, I came out with the idea to take a picture of Ted in the Yaris trunk, and I thought I seen someone beside us laughing cause of that. Was that you by any chance? who was there at the same time?

[Dragon]

You guys gotta remember, the Yaris isn't targeted at car guys like us. Its targeted to people who want a cute little car, ie. my girlfriend who loves it inside and out. Personally, the exterior is pretty good compared to what else in its segment. The interior is a bit Spartan for my tastes, but its functional.

Edited March 10, 2006 by Dragon

[titan]

^ I agree. And I'll say it again and again... I don't want my car to be "cute." Or look like a damn creature of some sort... I want my car to look like a car. Though the cars in this segment are small, the new Aveo proves that you can have a good looking small car that looks like it's a car, not a Pokemon. I think the Aveo's traditional and attractive looks will make it a success.

[Petra]

Petra, you know what's funny about this pic, I came out with the idea to take a picture of Ted in the Yaris trunk, and I thought I seen someone beside us laughing cause of that.  Was that you by any chance?  who was there at the same time?

That's me in the picture. I know I was there on the same day, but I think I was probably long gone by the time you guys would've been there. Still, kinda curious that we both had the same idea!

[ponchoman49]

What do you get when you shrink a 07 Toyota Camry, mate it with a lady bug, guinea pig and an Echo? The answer: the new Yuckis!

[Polish_Kris]

That's me in the picture. I know I was there on the same day, but I think I was probably long gone by the time you guys would've been there. Still, kinda curious that we both had the same idea!

Nah, we left Toronto at 6 am, drove through Port Huron/Sarnia, and got there at around 10:30 am.

[!!!TED!!!]

Sure, the new Yaris Sedan has a pretty interior and performs well in crash tests and all that. But I think the real question we're all asking is: How many bodies can you fit in the trunk?

It fits one body at a time.

[The O.C.]

It's one blemish in an otherwise class-leading interior.

I agree....

I'm impressed with every aspect of the Yaris' interiors....including the roominess...! Other than the $h!ty gauge positioning, it's a high quality interior.

What else are you going to compare it to, anyways? The Aveo??

[The O.C.]

i must really be out of the loop on what class leading is cause that is fugly...

to me a nice interior...

or

The Impala is nice....other than some hard plastic on the dash.

The Cobalt however? Doesn't stand a chance against Yaris in terms of materials, switchgear, or center-stack controls.

[regfootball]

quick...saw the yaris yesterday....its not bad. couldn't get inside of it. interior is very nice looking, still hate the center gauges. i expect it sell huge.....IF THEY PUT A BIGGER MOTOR IN IT...IDIOTS