Test Drive: 2013 Toyota Yaris Hatchback 5-Door LE

Review and photos by Lesley Wimbush

I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who think our jobs consist mainly of swanning around the Côte D’Azur, serenely manning the wheel of the finest European luxury sedan money can buy.

The reality is that for us, just like the majority of Canadians, cars like the Toyota Yaris are the meat and potatoes, representing one of the most important segments in the industry. Let’s face it – while it’s fun to fantasize over the latest sports coupe from Zuffenhausen or Maranello, the average person struggles to stretch the budget around even the most economical of new cars.

And while I do love sports cars with all the passion a red-blooded auto enthusiast can muster, the cheap and cheerful hatchback segment is one near and dear to my heart. In one guise or another, there’s been one parked in my driveway for the past couple of decades. At last count I’ve owned eight – and when it’s time for my current one to pack it in, I’m sure it will be replaced by another.

The subcompact segment used to be the epitome of compromise – the transportation you were forced to settle for when you couldn’t afford anything else. Not any longer. Fierce competition – particularly from the Korean brands  – has lit a fire under this segment, resulting in tremendous improvements in style and quality.

2013 Toyota Yaris Hatchback 5-Door LE. Click image to enlarge

When shelling out big bucks for a luxury car, one expects premium luxury and style as a matter of due course.

It’s even more impressive when creative minds blend budget materials and great styling to come up with something you actually want to drive – at a price you can afford.

I’d driven the Yaris when it first debuted back in ’07 and had come away largely unimpressed. Fairly devoid of any personality, the original Yaris offered little in the way of driving dynamics, not much refinement, and suffered from a distinct lack of cargo space. Against a highly competitive crop of excellent small cars, the Yaris seemed dated and lacking.

Completely overhauled in 2012, the smallest Toyota is a much better car in every way.

Like many of my enthusiast friends, I’m guilty of making jokes at Toyota’s expense. The Yaris, Corolla and the Camry are the enthusiast’s nemeses, soulless appliances for those who find no joy in driving. And yet – I will readily admit that I recommend them to family and friends without hesitation. The very attributes that a car buff finds so intolerable are what make cars like the Yaris so attractive to the average commuter. Like those stodgy yet utterly reliable family members who bore us to death yet are the first we turn to in a crisis – Toyota’s economy cars have earned a reputation for rock-solid dependability.

First of all – the base price of my LE, at $14,890 is probably equal to the amount of options on the last Audi that I drove. Add $1,100 for the Convenience package, which includes air, power windows, cruise and keyless entry, plus $1,000 for the automatic transmission, and my tester, with taxes and freight, topped out at $18,550, all in.

For that kind of money, I was expecting a dreary mess of hard plastic and ugly cloth upholstery, done up in boarding-house grey and with the fit and finish of a basement government office.

While the styling isn’t apt to raise anyone’s pulse rate, my Yaris is a fairly neat little package in Lagoon Blue Mica. Available only as a hatchback, the Yaris offers three trim levels: the base CE 3-door, the mid-range LE 5-door, and the top-spec SE 5-door. My LE tester features standard 15-inch steel wheels, power windows, keyless entry, cruise control and six-way adjustable driver’s seat.

The interior, while decidedly no-frills, is a nice example of using creativity to make the most of budget materials. Sure, there are a lot of hard plastics. But they’re moulded into a fairly clean and uncluttered design in a two-tone colour scheme. The centre stack is plain, featuring simple round knobs that complement the round air vents and gauge binnacle hood. There is what passes for a stereo, and that’s all I’m going to say about that.

2013 Toyota Yaris Hatchback 5-Door LE. Click image to enlarge

There’s no centre console storage (okay, maybe you could call that one cavity a pencil tray; capacity: two pencils), but there are a few small odds & ends cubbies and cupholders for every seat.

The seats are upholstered in two-tone grey cloth, and while they don’t have a lot of bolstering, they’re quite comfortable for daily driving. The steering wheel, while formed of hard plastic, made me smile. Thick, grippy, and perfectly indented to encourage correct hand position, it also featured a sporty little flat bottom.  Wrap it in leather and it’s the kind of wheel you’d expect to find in a zippy little sports car. However, it doesn’t telescope and it’s connected to electric power steering that’s a bit on the light side.

Two people can fit fairly comfortably in the back, but adding a third is definitely pushing it. The 60/40 split rear seats fold flat providing up to 286 L of cargo space – which is better than the Mazda2 or Ford Fiesta, but not as good as the Honda Fit or Chevrolet Sonic.

2013 Toyota Yaris Hatchback 5-Door LE. Click image to enlarge

Under the Yaris’s snub little hood is a 1.5L four-cylinder engine that puts out 106 hp and 103 lb-ft of torque. The four-speed automatic transmission is primitive by current standards, and such a small engine would probably perform better matched to a six-speed or continuously variable transmission like those in its competitors. Nonetheless, while the 1.5L is a bit buzzy during acceleration, it’s sufficiently powerful enough to propel the Yaris around quite cheerfully. I found it quite maneuverable, and easy to get around congested traffic. I averaged a quite respectable 7.3 L/100 km in fuel consumption during a week of mixed driving.

The handling is more taut than I’d expected, and although a bit firm over rough pavement, the Yaris is nicely composed while executing passing moves or negotiating tight curves.

As far as safety features go, the Yaris has standard traction and stability control, active front head restraints, nine airbags and received high ratings for front and side impact and roof strength protection tests.

While decidedly an econobox, the Yaris is durable and economical with a reputation for low maintenance costs. It’s one of those rare little vehicles that I like to call an “honest” car, one that I’d feel happy recommending to a friend.

Pricing: 2013 Toyota Yaris Hatchback LE
Base price (5-door LE): $14,890
Options: 4-Speed Automatic Transmission ($1,000), Convenience Package ($1,100)
Freight: $1,425
A/C Tax: $100
Price as tested: $18,550

Competitors:
Chevrolet Sonic
Ford Fiesta
Honda Fit
Hyundai Accent
Kia Rio5
Mazda2
Nissan Versa

Crash test results
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)