Overview & Reviews

Looking for an inexpensive, entry-level new car at a Toyota dealership? In years past, you would've likely walked right by the Yaris' oddly proportioned predecessor, the Echo, and opted to shop for one of its worthy subcompact competitors. Thankfully, the Toyota Yaris is a better vehicle in just about every way.

Still, the first-generation of the Yaris was passable at best in what has become an increasingly competitive subcompact segment, as rivals offered more refinement, greater utility and a more enjoyable drive. But the latest version of Toyota's entry-level car boasts improvements in those key areas that, although still not making it a class leader, at least put it in the hunt. Further bolstered by Toyota's solid reputation for low ownership costs and stellar long-term reliability, the latest Yaris should prove appealing to those looking for practical and economical transportation.

Current Toyota Yaris
Toyota offers the subcompact Yaris as either a two- or four-door hatchback. There is no sedan version. Base L and uplevel LE trims are offered in either body style, while a sporty SE trim is offered only on the four-door. Standard highlights on the L include power door locks, air-conditioning, four-way-adjustable front seats, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, a CD player, USB/iPod connectivity and satellite radio. The LE adds power windows, remote keyless entry, a six-way-adjustable driver seat, a 60/40-split fold-down rear seat and an upgraded sound system. The SE trim gets a sport-tuned suspension, 16-inch alloy wheels, four-wheel disc brakes, a unique grille, foglamps, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and upgraded cloth upholstery.

For power, the Yaris comes with a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine good for 106 horsepower and 103 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard and a four-speed automatic is optional. Fuel economy, while not class-leading, is still very frugal.

In reviews, we've found the new Yaris easy to like. Although its four-speed automatic would seem to be a major downside alongside some rivals' six-speed units, it manages not to feel archaic. With its timely gearchanges it makes the most of the available power while merging onto fast-moving freeways or dicing with city traffic. Handling is also respectable, with a reassuringly composed demeanor when tackling a twisty road. The SE provides a sporty feel with its quicker steering and additional grip. However, its ride quality isn't as good, and its turning circle is noticeably wider as well.

Used Toyota Yaris Model
The current second-generation Toyota Yaris debuted in the 2012 model year. Compared to the first-generation model, the latest Yaris is about 3 inches longer, and that stretch has been utilized to provide more luggage space. With this Yaris you also get a restyled interior, improved driving feel and additional convenience and safety features. Since that 2012 debut, only minor changes to feature content have taken place.

The first-generation (U.S. market) Toyota Yaris was sold from 2007-'11. It came as a two-door hatchback, a four-door hatchback or a four-door sedan. Toyota made a serious effort to differentiate the sedan from the hatchbacks. As such, it features a different instrument panel, was almost 20 inches longer and has a longer wheelbase. This meant more room for rear passengers, though the hatchbacks did offer an optional adjustable rear seat, which slid fore and aft to increase passenger or cargo space as needed.

All these Yaris models were powered by a 1.5-liter, 106-hp four-cylinder engine that drove the front wheels through either a five-speed manual or an optional four-speed automatic. Either way, the Yaris delivered excellent fuel economy. Apart from air-conditioning, standard equipment was fairly sparse. Option highlights included a Sport package that added styling tweaks, 15-inch wheels, foglights, iPod integration and sport seats.

These Yaris models offered an adequate driving experience. The steering was light for easy parking maneuvers, and the turning circle was tight. The engine was peppy enough, though off-the-line acceleration can be sluggish with the automatic transmission.

Changes throughout the years were very minimal in terms of styling, features and powertrains. But anyone considering a used Yaris should note that models prior to '09 may not feature side curtain airbags and antilock brakes, as they were optional for the first two years. For 2010, stability control became standard and the S trim level was eliminated in favor of the optional Sport package.

User Reviews:

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  Good Car, Could Use Improvements - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Aaron T - October 5 - 8:56 am

  I have S 4 door manual, blue. Added sun roof and leather seats - nice look! It gets me consistently 34-35 mpg. I do a lot of stop/go (driving in San Francisco) and also highway driving. The car looks awesome with the blue color, like a sports car. You can get nice torque with the stickshift but its a very delicate stick and not easy to shift smoothly. I like the driving style, easy to handle, factory tires and breaks are good. The body quality is my main problem with it. I had a 2001 V6 Maxima before which had much higher quality interior and exterior, body was tough. Besides the cheap body, its also very light. A big car accident would obliterate it, I think.

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  Best value in a compact car - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By davedietrich - September 19 - 1:19 pm

  I have done extensive research before buying the Yaris. Reliability is bulletproof, low maintenance costs, drives like it is a bigger car. With the right tires (Michelin Defender) the drive is very smooth and quiet. Fuel economy is exceptional. Peppy for an auto with only a 1.5 engine. Surprisingly good room in the back and front seats. The seats are quite comfortable and supportive. Only negative is the small cargo area in the hatchback. Will be driving this car for a very long time. If you need a car that does not break the bank or your budget for as long as you own it, yo really can not go wrong with a Yaris.

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  Great Buy For the Money - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By PG - September 10 - 7:36 pm

  I own a 2008 Toyota Yaris Sedan with 62K on it and has been very reliable thus far. I purchased the Yaris when fuel went up to $4.00+ per gallon. Overall, it has exceeded my expectations in regards to reliability and value. This vehicle averages anywhere from 32-34 MPG per tank with normal city/hwy driving. The MPG does drop a bit in colder weather due to fuel additives put into the gas, youll lose around 1-2MPG. If youre doing strictly HWY driving, this model will allow you to drive 370-385 miles per tank before re-filling. The return is 37-38.5 MPG, before the fuel light flashes quickly meaning you have 1.1 gallons of fuel available.

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  40+ mpg on average in MI - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Cosworth - August 22 - 8:26 pm

  I bought the car as a commuter, and its been a great gas-sipping machine. On average, I average 40-42mpg on my commute (90% hwy/ 10% city). Its definitely not as fun as a Civic or Mazda 3, but gas mileage makes up for it. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a no-hassle commuter car that gets just as good, if not better, gas mileage as most hybrids in the market.

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  Love My Baby Yo - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By pauly651 - August 16 - 11:30 am

  Bought my Yaris hatchback brand new in 2007. Baby Yo (Baby Toyota) now has over 112,000 miles on it. Still drives like its brand new. Bought some 17 by 7.5 black with chrome lips on her n WOW!!! Also upgraded the sound systems, Pioneer Premier the whole inside. One minor problem though, Last winter gas gauge lied to me. Said I had two bars of gas left but when enter the hiway ramp it stalled. Checked the whole car with fine tooth comb, found nothing. Little bro added gas to tank, it started right up.

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  Happy with my decision! - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By Emily - July 7 - 3:00 am

  When my Chevy died on me, I wanted an affordable car with good fuel economy, as I commute a long distance. Ive been outstandingly happy with my Yaris. I average 38 mpg (mixed driving, both city and highway) and have a record of 41 mpg. While not the Yaris is not the quickest accelerator, I do not feel out of pace on the freeway. Not recommended for tall consumers. I am 55" and feel that this is the perfect sized car for me. The Corolla feels slightly too big, for comparison. The center gauges do not take long to get used to, and are not as distracting as you would think. Stereo is excellent, storage capacity good for a car of its size.

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  Review after 17 months of ownership - 2009 Toyota Yaris
  By Bill - May 25 - 11:53 pm

  I wanted a new car that I could reasonably expect would be economical (good mpg) & reliable (no problems). After 17 months of ownership & 15,550 miles my cumulative gas mileage is 42.7 mpg. Ive not had ANY mechanical or electrical problems with the auto. Ive taken it in for the 5K, 10K, & 15K routine maintenance & that is it.

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  Cute Little Car!! - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Amanda - April 22 - 5:13 am

  I have a 2007 Yaris Liftback automatic in Blazing Blue. I have only had the car about a week, but I am very pleased. It has great pick up and lots of "zoom". There is so much storage I dont know what to put in it. From what I can tell the back seat is pretty roomy too. (I think the doors have shrink-rays in them). The outside looks so small, but the interior is extremely spacious. Each day I am discovering more things - like the sun visor extenstions! The cd player can play mp3 cds and I still have to try out the auxillary audio jack.

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  Good little car - 2014 Toyota Yaris
  By Kristina Tavisora - April 13 - 10:40 pm

  This is a great little car. It has power comfortable and great for parking in the city.

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  Overall not bad - 2008 Toyota Yaris
  By Ian - March 31 - 7:53 pm

  This month is my Yaris first birthday and being my first new car, it has been a pretty decent experience after 15,000 miles. Very reliable car, no engine issues, manual is almost... fun sometimes. Air works well, and stereo is not bad. Only issues Ive had are the easily scratched panels, very annoying... also the panels where seat belts are get gauged. My Camry had a more resilient interior. Gas mileage is excellent, best I got was 360 miles to one tank on the hwy, and for an 11 gallon tank, that aint too shabby. The exterior damages way too easily also. Bumpers on this car are horrible and expensive to repair, try not to back into anything, its going to be over 500 to fix. Good car overall.