Car Review 2006 Toyota Yaris Preview

by Justin Couture

In the automotive world, the Georgian College Auto Show isnt even on the radar, let alone a tiny blip. Despite celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Canadian event is small; some manufacturers were absent, while others were represented by local dealerships. But late last week, the town of Barrie, Ontario held what might be one of the most important positions this year out of any auto show in Canada. On September 16th, Toyota pulled the wraps off of its all-new Yaris subcompact, just days after its global premier at this years 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany, and I drove the distance to see it all take place.

While Toyota's name has been built up by earning high value-for-money ratings, consumer satisfaction with gold-star reliability, or the environmentally friendly Prius and Highlander Hybrids, subcompact cars have also long been the automakers strong hand. The late Echo, still available north of the 49th by the way, did a decent job of staving off rival subcompacts, such as the Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio and the GM-DAT-designed Chevy Aveo. Albeit, with the new Scion brand now available across the nation, the frumpy little Echo just didnt fit in anymore.

But despite its homely appearance, the car is a star in Canada, and the countrys response to both sedan and coupe models prompted Toyota Canada (TCI) to take the relatively small market (the entire country has a smaller population than California) very seriously. Therefore, it brought the Echo hatchback (Yaris/Vitz Mk.I) over exclusively for the Canadian market in 2004. The cars success, beating all competitors in sales, means that Canadians will be getting the special treatment once again; aside from Japan, where the new Yaris has been on sale as the Vitz since February, Canada will be the second market in the world to receive this new car. Yes, TCIs scheduled date of this October beats out Europe, Australia, Africa and even the United States, which will receive the three-door Yaris down the road as a supplement to the Scion range. As a matter of fact, Canadian dealers are taking orders currently. Thats got to choke up Toyota dealers in the U.S., who could use the funky little hatchback to pull in first time buyers.

When it finally arrives in American, the Yaris will be available in two body styles and three different trim levels. For the three-door and five-door hatchbacks, a well-equipped LE and sporty RS models are available. While specifications have not been engraved in stone, the RS features 15-inch alloy wheels, a 6-disc MP3/CD head unit, color-keyed mirrors, sports seats, tachometer, body kit and spoiler, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift-knob, plus fog lamps, while the LE, such as the metallic blue one shown at the Georgian auto show, which featured Package B, includes keyless entry, power windows and air conditioning. Unique to the three-door is the CE trim level which will act as the most basic, value-driven model. A notchback sedan or notchback coupe have not been announced for the new generation, however, the current versions will continue to be on sale until the end of the year. ED2, Toyotas European design studio played a critical role in the way the new Yaris looks. Its an evolution of the current model, with its own distinguishing Vibrant Clarity styling language currently employed in globally marketed products, but also in all future Toyotas heading for North America. Immediately recognizable not only as a Toyota but as the successor to the Echo, further details will be carried through, such as the Toyota logo which is prominently displayed atop the grille, with bulges that stretch from the front fascia, up through the hood. S-shaped doors give extra flair to the body, allowing vibrant new colors like copper orange and bayou blue mica to jump off the body. The end result is a vehicle that defies the stereotype that subcompacts must be boxy and plain, and its certainly not your Aunt Abigails beige Tercel.

Like its exterior, the Yaris interior theme is of a European nature, taking hints from many of Toyotas European designs such as the Corolla Verso and Avensis. Toyotas Loop Style Concept creates a wrap-around look from the door arm rests sweeping up through the pillars and headliner. The car maintains its unique centrally-mounted instrument pod; with Optitron electroluminescent gauges. Its position allows drivers to maintain a field of view of the road including the gauge pod. Similar to Mitsubishis European-market Colt, the Yaris adopts a narrow vertical spar for the climate control. After spending time inside the car, its safe to say that the build quality is excellent, even on this pre-production model, with tight and consistent panel gaps.

Smart packaging, such as space-saving torsion beam rear suspension and a choice to push the wheels to each corner makes for unrivaled interior room within the category, providing Corolla-levels of space and comfort within tiny dimensions. A flat rear floor allows three occupants to ride on board in back without feeling like sardines in a tin, while on the five-door RS model, the rear seats are moveable to further increase available legroom, or maximize cargo space. There are over a dozen well-placed cubbies and pockets for storing and reducing clutter in the cabin, including pockets on the center console and a twin glove box. The trunk holds several clever bins and hidden sub floors, ideal for carrying everything from wet or muddy boots to umbrellas or small loose parcels.

All versions of the Yaris are powered by a 1.5-liter inline-four that features Toyotas VVT-I variable valve timing system. While power and torque outputs remain the same at 106-horsepower and 103 lb-ft of torque, it has been tweaked to deliver power at lower revs, making it better suited for urban driving. The small-displacement engine not only sips fuel with expected ratings equal or less to the current car, but its ULEVII (Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle II rating is remarkably environmentally friendly. Its also reasonably quick, with only 2,320 pounds to haul around; 60 mph is reached in 8.4 seconds. Rumors have it that a performance model available off the showroom floor could pack 140-hp, which could mean a 1.8-liter motor or the addition of a TRD supercharger. Toyota is tight-lipped, of course, on confirming information. For the current range, buyers can opt for either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.