Appreciation For The Yaris <3

[z-tune-z2]

I don't know if this even warrants a thread, but I just had to throw it out here!

A month ago exactly, I had an accident in my T- Sport and I was gutted as well as heartbroken. After a week and a half the garage finally declared it a near write off, with damages costing £3,800! My insurance was willing to go ahead with the repairs though. At exactly 2 weeks after my incident, I finally got a courtesy car, a 57 Chevrolet Matiz 1.0L SE trim

From the moment I got in, I felt sick. Bright orange swirley patterns on the fabric seats and plastic wrapped chassis interior. If the interior contained any less trim you'd be lacking a dashboard and A- pillers... But whatever, a car is a car.

I proceeded to start the engine and couldn't hear it fire up, to be expected I guess for a 1.0L! Clutch down, wait, was that the clutch or did I step on a wet sponge?! No, that was the clutch. In to, I say, IN TO first please?! The gearbox was terrible, the car just didn't want to engage any gear and threatened to snap its own gear stick because it must have been constructed with a single twig. On the drive home, the steering was 'disconnected', there was no feedback, it was like twirling a dish, pedals were so close together I actually hit the brakes and clutch. So much deadzone with the pedals too, this car was just unbelievable! The car wouldn't accelerate until you hit 5,000 rpm, the first 5,000 was just noise which didn't translate to movement, it was just enough to maintain your speed and eliminate rolling resistance. How could you build something so bad? After two weeks though I was used to driving it, it felt almost normal and I would just laugh off quirky elements.

After a long wait, I collected my car yesterday and returned the 'beast'. Oh wow. Clutch in, first. Everything was so meticulous, so mechanical, so... German? I thought they had REALLY had a go over my car but no, none of the control components were touched. This didn't feel like my car? I swear my car was a little looser, a little rough around the edges. I had no problem controlling it, but it was just gobsmacking, the comparison between the two was night and day. My appreciation for the Yaris shot up insanely. Prior to the Yaris I drove an 53 Polo, learnt to drive in a 55 Focus, driven a MkV Fiesta, and a Clio, but none of them felt lifeless, the Matiz was just an absolute shock.

This is really all I wanted to blurt out... Very random topic I know, and I am pretty much slagging off the Matiz! But having driven it, it really puts things in to perspective. Has anyone else come across the Matiz or something as awful that made you appreciate the Yaris so much more?

[Phoenix999]

That is a nice account of a less than impressive experience with the Matiz

This is a good example of 'we don't know what we have until it's gone'

I am pleased that you are now happy with your Yaris

[Cyker]

Yaris FTW :D

It's just such a nice car, esp. compared to my old Fiesta :)

[Raeman]

Chevrolet Matiz.....Not if it was the last car in the world, i would walk or cycle first!! :ffs:

The ol Yaris is a cracking small car, we will all agree i'm sure and yes, you do miss them when there gone.

That's one of the reasons they hold their money so well 2nd hand, because they are a great car quality costs but allways worth it.

Glad you got your car back BTW.

Have fun.

[louise74]

My sister had one and it was like a skip on wheels, she tried to persuade me to get one. I told her no way!

[aygoal]

Back in the days when Daiwoo offered 1 hr test drives we looked at a Matiz as a 2nd car. It went back after 5 mins, the lack of performance was dangerous. I failed to see how they got away with selling any cars at all. Granted they had the all Inc warranty, but at the time apart from the Matiz, all the other cars were 12 year old Vauxhall designs.

[z-tune-z2]

Looks like I'm not the only one familiar with the 'qualities' of the Matiz :D

[CorollaTS05]

i thought id join this post, i really miss my p2 yaris t sport, i bought a corolla t sport which i am really happy with and is also a great car and its faster than the yaris by far, but just doesnt have something the yaris had. the yaris was a good all rounder, with good performance, was such a fun car to own.

Id just give us younger perfomance lovers some advice, as ive found out the hard way. I was obsessed with wanting something quicker and more powerful and tbh i cant justify it with the amount of extra insurance, tax and FUEL when i had as much if not more fun with my yaris as its performance was much more useable. The grass isnt greener on the other side and i think the more power addiction is ongoing and you always get whipped by someone.

And it was so good looking.....

[louise74]

I have just took my car in for its repairs after my prang and been handed a Chevy Kalos and already I am missing my Yaris, its a ruddy awful thing to drive noise and cheap, can't believe anyone would Shell out their hard earned cash for one of those things. :P My Yaris feels so much safer as well.