2022 Yaris Hybrid ride quality, your opinions welcome.

[TonyHSD]

12 minutes ago, kernowjim said:

It's odd you should say that because being a passenger in the Yaris, as I was today, it's totally different in terms of noise and vibration than actually driving it....I have no idea why!  I have heard good things about the new Renault Clio.  I have an appointment at the dealer on Saturday with a view to trading to a Corolla Tourer, I just have a nasty feeling it's going to be very expensive for what it is but we will see.

Corolla might be as noisy as well or even worse. 
Try to note that beforehand signing any deal. 

[kernowjim]

2 hours ago, TonyHSD said:

Corolla might be as noisy as well or even worse. 
Try to note that beforehand signing any deal. 

Definitely, I won't be signing anything unless I'm 100% happy.  I did test drive a Corolla estate Excel a while ago and found it exceptionally noisy from the rear axle and was put off.  I am looking at the Icon (16" wheels) which I'm hoping will be better but if not, no deal. 

[Heidfirst]

bear in mind that if you have a spare wheel kit fitted that will probably reduce the noise as part of that kit is a mat & then of course you will have a rubber tyre/wheel combo on top both absorbing some sound & reducing the volume of air available to act as a resonator.

[Tommy X]

13 hours ago, kernowjim said:

Definitely, I won't be signing anything unless I'm 100% happy.  I did test drive a Corolla estate Excel a while ago and found it exceptionally noisy from the rear axle and was put off.  I am looking at the Icon (16" wheels) which I'm hoping will be better but if not, no deal. 

Jim, IMO it would be wise to have a look at other brands if you want better built quality / refinement, I'll suggest Skoda Karoq / Kamiq, VW T Cross / Tiguan and my favourite, Honda HRV     

[davidif]

53 minutes ago, Tommy X said:

Jim, IMO it would be wise to have a look at other brands if you want better built quality / refinement, I'll suggest Skoda Karoq / Kamiq, VW T Cross / Tiguan and my favourite, Honda HRV     

Better refinement 'maybe' but better build quality 'almost certainly not'

Don't confuse soft touch plastics and fake chrome with build quality, this is from someone who has had VW,Audi,Seat and Skoda vehicles over 20 plus years culminating in a Golf R 7.5dsg with a list of faults!

 

[Tommy X]

55 minutes ago, davidif said:

Better refinement 'maybe' but better build quality 'almost certainly not'

Don't confuse soft touch plastics and fake chrome with build quality, this is from someone who has had VW,Audi,Seat and Skoda vehicles over 20 plus years culminating in a Golf R 7.5dsg with a list of faults!

 

David I did say my favourite was the Honda HRV 😉 maybe I should have said the materials used to build VAG cars are better than Toyota, compare closing a door on a VAG car with a Yaris / Yaris Cross also noise levels and general refinement, looks like you stuck with VAG cars for 20 years so they must have done something right ☺️ 

[davidif]

10 minutes ago, Tommy X said:

David I did say my favourite was the Honda HRV 😉 maybe I should have said the materials used to build VAG cars are better than Toyota, compare closing a door on a VAG car with a Yaris / Yaris Cross also noise levels and general refinement, looks like you stuck with VAG cars for 20 years so they must have done something right ☺️ 

Bill, I agree that the soft touch materials used especially by VW/Audi are nicer in feel as to whether the mechanical parts are made of better materials is a mute point.

I certainly enjoyed the performance element, which perhaps was lacking with Toyota's 15/20 years ago. My current GR Four Yaris is every bit as good as the Golf R and Audi S3's etc I've enjoyed.

[Tommy X]

20 minutes ago, davidif said:

Bill, I agree that the soft touch materials used especially by VW/Audi are nicer in feel as to whether the mechanical parts are made of better materials is a mute point.

I certainly enjoyed the performance element, which perhaps was lacking with Toyota's 15/20 years ago. My current GR Four Yaris is every bit as good as the Golf R and Audi S3's etc I've enjoyed.

I would say the GR 4 Yaris is a masterpiece of Jap engineering, not a lot to touch it, probably not as practical (but more reliable) as a Golf R or S3 but who cares when it makes smiles for miles 

[First_Toyota]

22 hours ago, Tommy X said:

Jim, IMO it would be wise to have a look at other brands if you want better built quality / refinement, I'll suggest Skoda Karoq / Kamiq, VW T Cross / Tiguan and my favourite, Honda HRV     

That’s interesting. Having test driven numerous brands and cars before deciding on the CH-R, I found the Toyota to have the best balance of refinement and build quality.

The Honda HR-V (a competitor for the CH-R but not the Yaris, that would be the Jazz) had a lovely interior - I’m a Honda fan having owned a few - but the drive was disappointing with a noisy engine and general lack of refinement.

The Skoda range was a massive disappointment for me, given the host of positive reviews. The Kamiq was a dreadful drive, with a horrendous and hesitant DSG gearbox. The Scala was better, with a more refined feel, but again the gearbox was terrible. I personally thought the interiors were ‘robust’ but uninspiring with far more hard plastics than in the Toyota.

In comparison, the VW Golf almost got my money and it just shows how the VAG brands differentiate as it was a fabulous drive. In the end I just preferred the CH-R, but only just. Reliability fears in the back of my mind were the ultimate decision maker, as I had a Tiguan back in 2009/10 with one of the infamous ‘exploding’ DSG gearboxes…and a host of other problems.

The only comparable car that I felt was ‘superior’ to the CH-R was the Volvo XC40. It was a contender, but ended up quite a bit more expensive and I didn’t want to break the £40k barrier.

I think the key here for the original poster is comparing like with like. The Yaris Cross is a Jazz CrossStar rival, not an HR-V rival. The Corolla - to me at least - should be compared with the Civic and Golf. My advice would be to take your time and drive lots of cars from different marques. I drove about fifteen over three months, some more than once. The differences could be quite unexpected too. I hated the VW T-Roc but loved the Golf. The Skodas were noticeably behind despite the underpinnings being similar. Audi were nice but, to my judgement, not worth the extra over the VW options, and the big VAG surprise were the SEAT range…although they shot themselves in the foot with a lack of availability for what I wanted.

The key for me was to know in advance what I prioritised most and assess the options accordingly. I didn’t need practicality, but build quality and reliability were very important. I wanted a refined drive, but without spending more than my self-imposed limit. There were certain items of equipment I had to have, and others I wasn’t bothered about. With that list I was able to assess each option after the drive, and I added a ‘showstopper’ comment for any cars I just wouldn’t consider for some reason. The Skodas earned that for their DSG gearboxes, but no other car had a showstopper for me. It ended up very close and there were four or five options that would have been perfectly acceptable.

 

 

[kernowjim]

OK so we're going off topic here slightly, as all forums do of course!  I test drove the Corolla, liked it but wondered where the £35,000 asking price had gone into it because it's good but not THAT good.  All things considered, I'm sticking with the Yaris.  Might swap out the 17" rims for some 16's if I can find a decent set. 

[MC1216]

20 hours ago, Tommy X said:

I would say the GR 4 Yaris is a masterpiece of Jap engineering, not a lot to touch it, probably not as practical (but more reliable) as a Golf R or S3 but who cares when it makes smiles for miles 

I had   a yaris GR on order but it was too long a wait...great price at the time for a Circuit model but couldn't wait so got a Golf R which for an every day car is probably better BUT if you only use the GR Yaris as a second/weekend car it's a hoot.

[Tommy X]

40 minutes ago, kernowjim said:

OK so we're going off topic here slightly, as all forums do of course!  I test drove the Corolla, liked it but wondered where the £35,000 asking price had gone into it because it's good but not THAT good.  All things considered, I'm sticking with the Yaris.  Might swap out the 17" rims for some 16's if I can find a decent set. 

Jim, going from 17" to 16" wheels might have an initial placebo effect on the ride but won't solve some of the problems quoted in your original post, the hard cheap plastics, short wheelbase etc will still remain. If you're keeping the car I hope it works out for you 👍     

[TonyHSD]

Very good comments and particularly liked the chr experience shared and the decision made to keep the Yaris. +1 +1 👌

I can guarantee you that a vast amount of bad drive experience  is due to the horrible roads here in the uk.
I travel on average of 200 miles per night at least 4-5 nights a week through uk road network to include motorways, county lanes and cities including central London and sometimes feels I am not in a civilised country but somewhere in third world 🌎 on a discovery channel film about the world  most dangerous roads.
On a recent trip to Spain where roads are way better than here the smallest new Toyota did exceptionally well in terms drivability, comfort, refinement. Then I had tried other cars like Mitsubishi ASX also known for a noisy cabin in uk , then a golf R , come on, all cars seemed to drive smoother and quieter. And this is not only from this trip noted but also from all previous travel to other countries including Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary. 
The difference between larger wheels with low profile tyres and a smaller wheels with chunkier tyres is real and can be just enough to make a car a pleasant place to be or not. However wheels swap is often a hassle, storage, sale, insurance adjustment, so best and easiest way to help yourself is to research and choose a better tyres and keep pressure checks on regular basis. If you want your car to become better and quieter you can buy 16” 195/55 R16 all season V shaped tyres or summer but the summer needs to be touring tyres not HP or UHP, no rim protection, and no XL, and no Run flat. You can keep original wheels and only replace the tyres next time. 
Goodyear , Michelin, Nexen, soft rubber smooth drive. 

[kernowjim]

42 minutes ago, Tommy X said:

Jim, going from 17" to 16" wheels might have an initial placebo effect on the ride but won't solve some of the problems quoted in your original post, the hard cheap plastics, short wheelbase etc will still remain. If you're keeping the car I hope it works out for you 👍     

True, I'll save my money! 

[kernowjim]

3 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Very good comments and particularly liked the chr experience shared and the decision made to keep the Yaris. +1 +1 👌

I can guarantee you that a vast amount of bad drive experience  is due to the horrible roads here in the uk.
I travel on average of 200 miles per night at least 4-5 nights a week through uk road network to include motorways, county lanes and cities including central London and sometimes feels I am not in a civilised country but somewhere in third world 🌎 on a discovery channel film about the world  most dangerous roads.
On a recent trip to Spain where roads are way better than here the smallest new Toyota did exceptionally well in terms drivability, comfort, refinement. Then I had tried other cars like Mitsubishi ASX also known for a noisy cabin in uk , then a golf R , come on, all cars seemed to drive smoother and quieter. And this is not only from this trip noted but also from all previous travel to other countries including Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary. 
The difference between larger wheels with low profile tyres and a smaller wheels with chunkier tyres is real and can be just enough to make a car a pleasant place to be or not. However wheels swap is often a hassle, storage, sale, insurance adjustment, so best and easiest way to help yourself is to research and choose a better tyres and keep pressure checks on regular basis. If you want your car to become better and quieter you can buy 16” 195/55 R16 all season V shaped tyres or summer but the summer needs to be touring tyres not HP or UHP, no rim protection, and no XL, and no Run flat. You can keep original wheels and only replace the tyres next time. 
Goodyear , Michelin, Nexen, soft rubber smooth drive. 

Totally agree, the roads are terrible here.  I have no such issues in France or Belgium.  I think I'm going to live with it at it is.  I drove from Cornwall to Derby the other week and popped in my noise cancelling Samsung earbuds, it was heaven.  I could till hear everything, including the radio (to an extent) but it was far more serene. 

[ColinB]

22 hours ago, First_Toyota said:

That’s interesting. Having test driven numerous brands and cars before deciding on the CH-R, I found the Toyota to have the best balance of refinement and build quality.

The Honda HR-V (a competitor for the CH-R but not the Yaris, that would be the Jazz) had a lovely interior - I’m a Honda fan having owned a few - but the drive was disappointing with a noisy engine and general lack of refinement.

The Skoda range was a massive disappointment for me, given the host of positive reviews. The Kamiq was a dreadful drive, with a horrendous and hesitant DSG gearbox. The Scala was better, with a more refined feel, but again the gearbox was terrible. I personally thought the interiors were ‘robust’ but uninspiring with far more hard plastics than in the Toyota.

In comparison, the VW Golf almost got my money and it just shows how the VAG brands differentiate as it was a fabulous drive. In the end I just preferred the CH-R, but only just. Reliability fears in the back of my mind were the ultimate decision maker, as I had a Tiguan back in 2009/10 with one of the infamous ‘exploding’ DSG gearboxes…and a host of other problems.

The only comparable car that I felt was ‘superior’ to the CH-R was the Volvo XC40. It was a contender, but ended up quite a bit more expensive and I didn’t want to break the £40k barrier.

I think the key here for the original poster is comparing like with like. The Yaris Cross is a Jazz CrossStar rival, not an HR-V rival. The Corolla - to me at least - should be compared with the Civic and Golf. My advice would be to take your time and drive lots of cars from different marques. I drove about fifteen over three months, some more than once. The differences could be quite unexpected too. I hated the VW T-Roc but loved the Golf. The Skodas were noticeably behind despite the underpinnings being similar. Audi were nice but, to my judgement, not worth the extra over the VW options, and the big VAG surprise were the SEAT range…although they shot themselves in the foot with a lack of availability for what I wanted.

The key for me was to know in advance what I prioritised most and assess the options accordingly. I didn’t need practicality, but build quality and reliability were very important. I wanted a refined drive, but without spending more than my self-imposed limit. There were certain items of equipment I had to have, and others I wasn’t bothered about. With that list I was able to assess each option after the drive, and I added a ‘showstopper’ comment for any cars I just wouldn’t consider for some reason. The Skodas earned that for their DSG gearboxes, but no other car had a showstopper for me. It ended up very close and there were four or five options that would have been perfectly acceptable.

 

 

I also test drove the C-HR after loving a previous version that I had, the interior is definitely better than the YC but ultimately decided that we needed a smaller car that MrsB would be happy to drive. Still don't regret my choice, although if we could afford to run two new cars..... 

[Tommy X]

4 hours ago, ColinB said:

I also test drove the C-HR after loving a previous version that I had, the interior is definitely better than the YC but ultimately decided that we needed a smaller car that MrsB would be happy to drive. Still don't regret my choice, although if we could afford to run two new cars..... 

Go on Colin let us in on the secret 😉

[ColinB]

18 hours ago, Tommy X said:

Go on Colin let us in on the secret 😉

MrsB has her own car, a Toyota IQ, but wouldn't drive the RAV4 because it was too big strangely enough. She's still yet to drive the YC, I'm not sure who's more nervous, her or me.....