Toyota's Yaris

By Brad Jamieson

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While the 2007 Yaris doesn't offer much in the way of dashboard gadgetry, Toyota has managed to give the interior a high-quality look and feel. The Yaris sticks with the centrally-mounted gauge cluster that was featured in its Echo (the car that the Yaris has replaced. We hardly knew ye), situated on top of the dash. The car's height makes for good headroom, especially for front passengers. In the "Power Package" option group, the rear seat is a 60/40 split with adjustable back sections, providing pass-out room and versatility.

With light and easy power steering, a sensitive throttle, and a 1.5-liter VVT-I engine, ride is well controlled, making Yaris a hot little metropolis navigating unit. For a small car, it's admirably quiet at high speeds and it handles well when compared with its pricier competitors.

Years ago, the subcompact car was a tiny, noisy, frill-free box that serious drivers shied away from. Now, as quality has risen exponentially, the market for cars like the Yaris has exploded. The modern subcompact car has the features and impressive style to compete with its big budget, large size brethren.

The Yaris has been the greatest success of the breed, closing in for the top spot in the class. It just goes to show: you can have big car space and big car comfort in a small vehicle. There are a host of treats within the Toyota Yaris, but even without all the luxury bells and whistles, it still boils down to a sweet ride with remarkable allure.
-B.J.

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