Is The Yaris A 20/21st Century Icon?

[Andy S]

Hi

I'm new here and have been searching for a new car, and after reading a small post in the Corolla section by Fat Slob talking about cars with soul, I have looked at the whole Toyota range, but I feel the only one with any real soul is the Yaris, and actually thinking about it I reckon its up there with the old Mini, the old Beetle and a few others. Its small yet roomy, economical and reliable, totally off the wall with the wacky dashboard and styling and basically an ageless ownership.

The reason I think the 99/2005 yaris will be an icon is because it doesn't follow the corporate image.

The new Yaris is like a baby Corolla or a bigger Aygo, the original Yaris was a smack in the face to the mundane and thats why I'm going to buy one before they all go, because I'm pretty sure its a classic in the making. I Would love to have your feedback on this one.

Regards

Andy

[BLiTZ]

well the yaris ain't no generic small hatch, it has more power than other 1.0litres and a better and more functional design than its rivals, but in basic trim (with black plastic bumpers hubcaps etc) its no mini cooper

the japanese have a knack of producing interesting cars, jazz, nsx, skyline, supra, all cars that take on the world and beat them, and the yaris is no exception, i wouldn't go as far to as to call the yaris an icon, truthfully it hasn't done anything overly special (won a world championship, regenerated a ding car company etc) but it has given people an alternative to the norm

[Al J]

Lovely little cars, I'm on my second. I wouldn't go as far as calling it an icon though for one simple reason. It is not recognised by the general public to that degree. Everyone (well, almost!) can name the examples that you gave. I'd say the same goes for the "London Taxi" and the e-type Jaguar.

I don't think the same could be said for the Yaris.

[earpl]

no, what a daft 1st thread

welcome to TOC any hows :P

[sigrid]

no, what a daft 1st thread

welcome to TOC any hows :P

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Well I think the Yaris has buckets of soul. Fiestas, Citroens etc... have nothing. I cant remember any other small car introducing a central digital dash, surely thats a first, coupled with the sliding rear seat and other innovations. I reckon its right up there with the old Mini, 2CV, and Beetle.

I think it takes a while before people really appreciate how good a design a car is.

[Demonic Angel]

Lovely little cars, I'm on my second. I wouldn't go as far as calling it an icon though for one simple reason. It is not recognised by the general public to that degree. Everyone (well, almost!) can name the examples that you gave. I'd say the same goes for the "London Taxi" and the e-type Jaguar.

I don't think the same could be said for the Yaris.

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I feel the same, its a good car, but its not a great car.....

[Clare bear]

Lovely little cars, I'm on my second. I wouldn't go as far as calling it an icon though for one simple reason. It is not recognised by the general public to that degree. Everyone (well, almost!) can name the examples that you gave. I'd say the same goes for the "London Taxi" and the e-type Jaguar.

I don't think the same could be said for the Yaris.

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I feel the same, its a good car, but its not a great car.....

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sorry this is nothing do with this topic just wanted ask u where u got ur toyota devil horn thigs from?????

ta clare :)

[Al J]

Doesn't even need to be a great car in our usual meaning of the word, to be an icon really...

Fiat 500, Citroen 2CV

Icons both though not what some of us would call "great".

And no, I'm not having a go (OK Alan Bradley? ;) )

[Gnome]

Renault 5 turbo....

[sigrid]

Lada Riva....... :D

[earpl]

its a god damn car, cars dont have soul........................

[Gnome]

Unless it's haunted....

WOOOOOOOO!!!!!

:D

[earpl]

yep true, other wise its just a shed load of sheet steel.

[cmarshall]

Come home to work to see a thread like this, how bizarre!!! Anyway welcome to TOC

[jaxx]

cars with soul? ok,,,,,

the yaris an icon..... no way

itll never be a DeLorean, Countach, 911 Turbo and so on and so forth

its hardly the kind of car an 11 year old aspiring lads gonna pin up on his wall

[alanbradley]

Doesn't even need to be a great car in our usual meaning of the word, to be an icon really...

Fiat 500, Citroen 2CV

Icons both though not what some of us would call "great".

And no, I'm not having a go (OK Alan Bradley?  ;)  )

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:censor:

Seriously though - I'm on my 3rd Yaris and they really are good little cars and, I also agree, about the only vehicle in the current Toyota range with character.

Al is quite right to point out that the "great" cars are the ones recognised by the general public as such. The trouble is that "greatness" is totally subjective and the French and Italians would doubtless claim that their respective iconic small car are "greater" than any other iconic small car...

Alan

PS The 2cv is a great car Al... :P

[clarky]

Ever opened a thread for a quick read and thought ... what?

[Al J]

PS The 2cv is a great car Al... :P

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Oh I know.....

in a cleverly engineered, cheap as chips, extremely versatile kind of way.

not in a vroom vroom sort of way. :P

Anyway, back to the topic....

So, where are we so far? The Yaris isn't an icon. Icons as far as cars go don't have to be fast, just recognisable to the masses. Cars don't have soul but some cars are at least worthy of being a poster on a young lad's wall.

I'm confusing myself now!

[Demonic Angel]

No I get what you mean Al....

They are good little cars and there's no denying it.... but the Yaris will never be as iconic as the Porsche 911 or the Aston Martin DB9....

Even the Golf you could consider an icon, because its been around for so long.... but not the Yaris

[alanbradley]

DB9 isn't iconic yet... now the DB5...

[Demonic Angel]

It is in my eyes! ;)

[JustJJ]

OK ok... whoa there.. calm down... where the hell did anyone get the idea of comparing a Yaris to a DB9!!! the shame of it!! FFS they are in totally different leagues, even in iconic stakes.... my gods people... have you all lost your minds!! :P

whether the Yaris will ever be an icon of sorts will be up to time mainly... it is funky, yes, and different, but it doesnt break any or the larger moulds that the mini broke for example.... also the mini back then probably wasnt considered to be an iconic car... it just came to be that...

I dont think the Yaris will make it into an iconic league... I dont think many modern 'everyday' cars will... unless they do something totally outrageous with them :P

Certainly a 'different' thread tho.. welcome to TOC

[jay dh]

i think the yaris is the modern day equivilant of the citroen DS, it has a couple of funky features as well as being ahead for its time. 20 or 25 years from now people will remember the yaris for 'wasnt it the yaris that 1st had...'

[Ryan1985]

Even the Golf you could consider an icon, because its been around for so long.... but not the Yaris

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Maybe the Mk1 GTi but thats it!

The Yaris will never be an iconic car unfortunately! :(

[Demonic Angel]

Even the Golf you could consider an icon, because its been around for so long.... but not the Yaris

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Maybe the Mk1 GTi but thats it!

The Yaris will never be an iconic car unfortunately! :(

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Yeah exactly..... thats what I meant.... Mk1 GTi Golf.... instant icon

And I wasnt comparing a Yaris to a DB9 JJ, I was saying that to me, the DB9 is iconic and the Yaris, well, bless its cotton socks, it just isnt!