My impressions of the Yaris Hybrid loan car, whilst my Avensis was in for recall.

[Konrad C]

Since my loan car post last year (top of the thread), my neighbour has bought an identical model in the same colour, year and spec, though he say it doesn't have DAB, that my loan car had. 
He and his wife initially dismissed the Yaris as a bit small and looked at the Auris. I helped them look at a few Auris, but they couldn't find one they liked in the right condition. Also the exhaust theft and protection was mentioned by the husband, so he had done is research. He says that the protection may not stop a determined thief. Probably insurance premium may be affected - like hot hatch and keyless theft of some premium models. So Yaris it is. 

[Sampleman]

I have a 2016 Yaris Hybrid, and I am astonished about the many small differences in the features. My car is made for Germany, and it has the smaller rear lights. The bigger lights were introduced in 2018, I think. During that facelift, the cockpit, the steering wheel and the car stereo were modified like it is shown with the loaner car which Konrad showed to us.

 

My car has the style comfort trim line. Style includes a two tone paint job with black top, 195 mm tires on 16'' wheels and tinted rear windows. Comfort includes a cruise control, power windows in the rear doors, a height adjustable passenger seat, an arm rest and keyless entry.

 

So, if I look at the details of this loaner car, I would think that it has the same trim level as mine. But mine has the same upholstery, but it has a pocket for maps in the rear of the passenger seat (there is no pocket in the rear of the drivers seat). And probably the most relevant difference: Yaris Hybrids in Germany come without a spare wheel. They have a space for a wheel, but this space is filled with a form piece made of styrofoam. It hosts a small electric air pump and a can of rubber spray, which is meant to fix a puncture. My car also was not delivered with a car jack.

 

Fun fact: The car stereo head unit in Germany is mirrored against the UK version. My radio has the switch for the emergency lights on the left side of the head unit.

 

 

Best regards from Bavaria

Frank

[vladislaoapp]

That’s why I want to buy a Toyota Yaris now. The prices are not that high now, and I have significant savings. I will still have to take a loan, and I hope to get one despite my bad loan score.

[Bernard Foy]

30 minutes ago, vladislaoapp said:

That’s why I want to buy a Toyota Yaris now. The prices are not that high now, and I have significant savings. I will still have to take a loan, and I hope to get one despite my bad loan score.

Andrew try and get the Mark 4 version Hybrid. It’s a huge improvement on the previous model which is a very good car in its own right. But you will love the Mark 4 Yaris Hybrid it’s a little genius of a car 🚘.

[Saxmaniac]

I had the mk4 as a loaner and it was peppy and handling steering sharper than my Auris hybrid. Loved how it drives, shame it's so ugly! 

[Max_Headroom]

20 minutes ago, Saxmaniac said:

shame it's so ugly! 

I guess as the old saying goes beauty is in the eye of the beholder, i am in the i like the look of them camp  they look sporty and stand out from all the identical looking cars made by the big manufacturers.

 

 

[Saxmaniac]

I know, it was tongue in cheek but I hate the looks of the Chr for example and this is a bit towards that, all sorts of jarring bits sticking out all over the place!

[TonyHSD]

I like the Yaris a lot, it does have this sporty look perhaps gr has a lot to do with it. Yaris cross super cool looking car with one big eye soar - rear towing hook under bumper. Chr has never won me, just not my type of car and design particularly rear doors and windows. Rav4 and corolla are superb, for me best in class looking cars, Camry also good. Prius phev nice looking, hev Prius is half half for me. Corolla Trek is actually my favourite Toyota and I like my Auris gen 1 more than Auris gen 2 interior and exterior., build quality, materials , sound insulation , but that's my opinion only. 👍

[Cyker]

I think the Mk4 has a faster rack than previous Yarisussueesus and is much much stiffer, which gives it vastly better handling and feel than the previous models.

Design-wise, I always had a soft-spot for the Mk1, which I always found cute and inoffensive. I like stuff that has its own very recognisable look, while remaining understated, and the Mk1 nails that.

The Mk2 I found a bit weird; Looked okay from some angles, but kinda ugly from others. I always thought it looked like it'd been in a front-end collision with its squashed face  

The Mk3 I wasn't a big fan of - Always found it the most generic-looking of the 4 models and it always made me think of a Vauxhall. It made it worse when they pivoted to try and appeal to younger drivers, and its design ended up becoming a bit schizophrenic as they tried to add weird design cues on top of the original body.

The Mk4 is very un-Yarisy, and looks more like a Fiesta if anything - Much more aggressive styling than the previous models. It has a giant saddle-baggy backside, and the front just looks incredibly angry  I think it's the lowest and widest of all the models, and I must admit I do miss the higher seating position of the Mk1 and Mk2! (I always found being able to see 'over' a lot of so-called SUVs and Crossovers in the Mk2 quite amusing , but it also helped a lot with anticipation - The overall visibility in the Mk4 is pretty bad, easily the worst of the 4 models!)

Of the 3 different models I've owned, I have found the Mk4 gets 'bullied' the least by other cars, esp. otherwise blind SUV drivers, who a few times practically drove my poor Mk1 off the road! It does help the Mk4's incredible burst acceleration means you can just leave those big lumbering barges in the dust and make space for yourself if they start to encroach  

It also helps the car is incredibly bright - The LED-everything are so bright, so even satellites can probably see you coming!!    

 

[Eddie G]

3 hours ago, Cyker said:

I think the Mk4 has a faster rack than previous Yarisussueesus and is much much stiffer, which gives it vastly better handling and feel than the previous models.

Design-wise, I always had a soft-spot for the Mk1, which I always found cute and inoffensive. I like stuff that has its own very recognisable look, while remaining understated, and the Mk1 nails that.

The Mk2 I found a bit weird; Looked okay from some angles, but kinda ugly from others. I always thought it looked like it'd been in a front-end collision with its squashed face  

The Mk3 I wasn't a big fan of - Always found it the most generic-looking of the 4 models and it always made me think of a Vauxhall. It made it worse when they pivoted to try and appeal to younger drivers, and its design ended up becoming a bit schizophrenic as they tried to add weird design cues on top of the original body.

The Mk4 is very un-Yarisy, and looks more like a Fiesta if anything - Much more aggressive styling than the previous models. It has a giant saddle-baggy backside, and the front just looks incredibly angry  I think it's the lowest and widest of all the models, and I must admit I do miss the higher seating position of the Mk1 and Mk2! (I always found being able to see 'over' a lot of so-called SUVs and Crossovers in the Mk2 quite amusing , but it also helped a lot with anticipation - The overall visibility in the Mk4 is pretty bad, easily the worst of the 4 models!)

Of the 3 different models I've owned, I have found the Mk4 gets 'bullied' the least by other cars, esp. otherwise blind SUV drivers, who a few times practically drove my poor Mk1 off the road! It does help the Mk4's incredible burst acceleration means you can just leave those big lumbering barges in the dust and make space for yourself if they start to encroach  

It also helps the car is incredibly bright - The LED-everything are so bright, so even satellites can probably see you coming!!    

 

Mk1 is still my favourite then the pocket rocket Mark 4! even if am still not sure about the design around the rear door area 🤔 but love the look of the rest of it, especially from the front and rear 😁

[Mojo1010]

20 hours ago, Max_Headroom said:

I guess as the old saying goes beauty is in the eye of the beholder, i am in the i like the look of them camp  they look sporty and stand out from all the identical looking cars made by the big manufacturers.

 

 

I think it's a great looking small car, very modern and sporty. The mk1 is cute, MK2 & 3 are neat though they did not particularly stand out imo. This one is the best looking design and modern tech to go with it. 

[Max_Headroom]

A good read for Yaris fans - 

https://mag.toyota.co.uk/toyota-yaris-history/

[Eddie G]

1 hour ago, Max_Headroom said:

A good read for Yaris fans - 

https://mag.toyota.co.uk/toyota-yaris-history/

Should have gotten one of them Mk 1 T-Sport back in the day. I liked the original concept name 'Echo' as well maybe they should have gone with that over 'Yaris' 🤔