[svgallery name="2010_Toyota_Yaris_RS"]
By John LeBlanc
As tickled as I was with Ford’s new small car, a Toyota small car I drove last May left me wanting. A lot. In a segment that’s already crowded — and ready to get even more so in the near future — the 2010 Toyota Yaris is starting to feel its age, big time.
Entering its fifth year on the market, compared to the more upscale Fiesta and Fit, most of the interior plastic on the Yaris RS 5-door press car I drove felt like it came straight from the shelves of a toy store. Plus, I don’t expect to have my neck snapped in any econobox. But with less power under its hood than the Fiesta, Fit and Kia Rio5, it’s no surprise that the Yaris RS’s over-10-second run from zero to 100 km/h is the slowest. Plus the Toyota’s four-speed autobox whines like a toddler in need of a diaper change, and it gets worse fuel economy than the Ford — ugh!
What’s worst of all, Toyota still charges a premium for its Yaris. A bare-bones Yaris Hatchback CE three-door starts at $13,620. Yet a Hyundai Accent L three-door is only $10,599. And the top-line $19,555 Yaris Hatchback RS I drove costs more than any of the above-mentioned rivals.
To win back customers, Toyota needs to offer more sophisticated small cars at more competitive prices. The 2010 Yaris is not that car.
Comments
