2008 Toyota Yaris Bottom Line

By  Bengt Halvorson, Editor

2008 Toyota Yaris
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In compiling this review that covers the Toyota Yaris, the experts at TheCarConnection.com have found some of the best review information on the 2008 Toyota Yaris, then added more information on the Yaris to help make the result more useful.

Likes
-Very cheap price
-Good ride
-Excellent fuel economy

Dislikes
-Instrument panel design seems gimmicky
-Doesn’t handle very well
-Front seats are small
-Safety features are optional

Last year, the Yaris replaced the Echo in Toyota’s lineup as its least expensive new vehicle. As in the 2007 model year, two Yaris body styles are available for 2008: a three-door Liftback and a four-door sedan.

The 2008 Toyota Yaris rides on a very short 96.9-inch wheelbase and is one of the shortest new vehicles, at about 150 inches long. It’s ideal as a commuter that can fit into the tightest parking spots and also handle longer trips when the need arises. While it maneuvers well, though, its suspension is somewhat soft. The 2008 Toyota Yaris sedan has a wheelbase that’s 3.5 inches longer than that of the Liftback, which yields a more settled ride.

Standard under the hood of both vehicles is a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine producing 106 horsepower—adequate for a small, light (less than 2300 pounds) car of this type. Buyers can choose either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic on the 2008 Toyota Yaris; and the engine works quite well with both, though it’s a bit louder with the automatic. Fuel economy is very good, at 29 mpg city, 36 highway with the manual. All models come standard with 14-inch wheels and air conditioning.

The interior is a contrast of good and bad elements, as Toyota obviously was trying to make a fashionable, desirable cabin while watching price very carefully. The instrument panel itself in the 2008 Toyota Yaris has an attractive, almost gimmicky design, with the speedometer in the middle of the dash and a tall center stack of controls down the middle, but on closer look it’s made of hard, easily scratched plastics. Front seats are rather small and skimpy, while the back seat on the Liftback is tough to get into but decent for space; kids should be just fine back there. Base models are very basic, with manual winding windows.

The instrument panel used on the 2008 Toyota Yaris sedan is different than that used on the Liftback; it has a more robust design, and the gauge clister at the top middle of the dash incorporates a tachometer, which the Liftback doesn’t have. There’s evidence of cost-cutting, though, with hard plastics that look like they might be easily scratched. Front seats are rather short and skimpy, but they’re height-adjustable in the sedan; the back seat is rather easy to get into, though headroom is tight.

The 2008 Yaris Sport model is a new addition to the lineup. The Yaris Sport gets body-color bumpers and side rocker panels; in addition it adds sport seats, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and shifter knob, 15-inch wheels, a rear defroster, a rear wiper, and an audio system with MP3 capability and an auxiliary jack.

Toyota prices the five-speed manual Liftback from $11,300; the Sedan with an automatic transmission starts at $12,900. The new 2008 Toyota Yaris Liftback Sport with a five-speed manual is priced at $12,975.

The Yaris was one of the worst-performing cars in the federal government’s safety tests, with only three stars for side-impact safety, and the IIHS rated the Yaris ‘Marginal’ for rear impact. Major safety features such as anti-lock brakes and side-impact airbags may be ordered optionally, but electronic stability control is not offered on the 2008 Toyota Yaris.

The Bottom Line
The 2008 Toyota Yaris is one of the cheapest, and cheapest to run, of all new vehicles.

Other Choices
If you like the 2008 Toyota Yaris, also consider:

Kia Rio5
Honda Fit
Hyundai Accent
Chevrolet Aveo

The Hyundai Accent comes in a three-door hatchback model and thus is the closest rival to the 2008 Toyota Yaris. It feels a little more solid on the road than the Yaris, but its fuel economy isn’t as good. The Kia Rio5 offers a package that’s a little more spacious, and space-efficient, and is a bit more fun to drive. Also at the bottom of the price scale is the Chevrolet Aveo5, a small five-door hatchback made by GM Daewoo. The Aveo doesn’t feel competitive with the Hyundai, Kia, or Toyota; its interior is a little more spacious and comfortable, but it doesn’t perform as well. The most appealing vehicle in this crowd is the Honda Fit; although its quite a bit more expensive, the Fit is safer, more spacious inside—thanks to the wonderful Magic Seat design—and more fun to drive.

Buying Tip
If you like the way the 2008 Toyota Yaris drives but really want a five-door hatchback, you might consider the Scion xD, which is based on the Yaris platform but has a larger engine and more features.

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