Toyota Yaris

The search for any car is a tiresome search, at best, but trying to find a reliable smaller car that a normal sized human can actually fit inside is a whole different ballgame.  All too often, the hunt for a compact  or subcompact is akin to trying to shove yourself into shoes that don’t fit.  There’s the painful process that is, most of the time, a great deal like the Goldilocks story, and at the end of the day we are left feeling frustrated about our height, or the length of our legs.   Tall people searching for a compact, fear no more, the Yaris is here.

While Toyota has been a reputable manufacturer of reliable and affordable vehicles, they’re probably better known for their SUV array than anything.  However, not only does Toyota make the Corolla; a car that has been around since 1966, but they also began producing the Yaris in 1999.  The Yaris is the hip, younger car on the Toyota compact lineup.  Yes, technically, it is considered a subcompact, but in name alone.  The Yaris offers plenty of room for fun, while remaining small enough for maneuverability, and efficient enough to be kind to your wallet.

One of the main reasons for choosing a vehicle from the compact or subcompact array is because you’re looking for something that will be efficient, low priced, and easy to get into or out of small spaces.  The Yaris certainly fits the bill for all of these desires, but it does so in a stylish and somewhat trendy fashion.  Without trying too hard, the Yaris manages to be funky enough to attract a younger demographic, but still practical enough for older adults.  Offered in six different colors, and at a lower price point than others in its class, the Yaris delivers.

Highly stylized on the outside, the Yaris clearly draws somewhat from European design and partially from its own unique architecture.  Available in both three and five door styles, it is equipped with a curvy, but eye-catching exterior that draws largely from the oversized grille.  There are two trim levels available for the three-door style, but three different five door models.  Obviously, the five door model is going to give drivers a little more space than the three door design, but if you’re not looking for a sedan style vehicle, three doors will suit you. 

For those who favor the feeling of control that accompanies driving a manual transmission vehicle, you’re going to have fewer options that the five aforementioned choices.  The manual transmission is only available on the base model 3 Door L model or the sporty 5-Door SE.  Across the board, however, is the 1.5 liter, 4-cylinder engine, and a price that falls under $18K, even for the top trim level.  The price will creep up closer towards the $20,000 mark, however, with the more options that are added to the base.  A base model 3-door with no additive will come in around $15K, an attractive price for someone just getting started.

Sometimes safety can be a major concern in smaller cars, as there simply isn’t enough car to absorb the kind of shock that comes from a collision.  This isn’t the case in the Toyota Yaris.  Part of Toyota’s philosophy about their vehicle design is offering safe and reliable cars to their drivers regardless of price point.  The Yaris comes standard with nine airbags, including the popular driver knee airbag.  It is also outfitted with seats that are manufactured to reduce the incidence of whiplash if a collision should take place by reducing the amount of motion between the head and body.  Safety is top priority for most drivers, and they can rest assured as it is for Toyota as well.

Sometimes arriving at a function with a compact car full of friends is similar to watching sixteen clowns pour out of a VW Beetle at the circus.  The Yaris offers plenty of room for not only your friends, but for hauling whatever you enjoy as well.  If you’re a gardener with a stash of plants to get home, a yard sale junkie that just discovered the perfect find, or an amateur musician with a guitar to get in the car, the Yaris will work for you.  With 15.6 cubic feet of cargo room in the five door model, and a 60/40 seat split design there is a configuration that will work for almost every cargo need.

Choosing the right compact car doesn’t have to be complicated, or well, cramped.  The search can be as simple as choosing which Yaris you like best, and you’ll be backed by Toyota’s dedication to quality and the maintenance of their stellar reputation.  Also accompanying the purchase of the Yaris is a no-cost maintenance plan that covers all routine work for two full years or 25000 miles, whichever milestone is reached first.  This takes the guesswork out of how much a car with cost to maintain on a yearly basis, and frees up a little more money to add that package you totally want.