The Toyota Yaris will probably never be memorialized in poetry or song. “She'll have fun, fun, fun ’til her daddy takes the Yaris away,” just doesn’t have much of a ring to it. But then, entry-level cars aren’t meant to stir the soul.
What they are meant to do, which Yaris does very well, incidentally, is provide safe, competent transportation at an affordable price.
Yaris isn’t the least expensive car on the road, it is a Toyota after all, but it’s well worth its price. Packed with all manner of standard features, even the sub $16,000 base three-door L has its share of creature comforts like power windows and door locks, air conditioning, trip computer, Bluetooth connectivity, and a six-speaker audio system with iPod interface, and a 6.1-inch touchscreen.
My test Yaris was a top-of-the-line five-door SE. Toyota offers this hatchback with two or four doors. Adding the two extra doors increases the bottom line by $1,100.
There are two grades of the two-door: L and LE. Only the four-door qualifies for SE trim decked out with larger wheels, a rear spoiler, four-wheel disc brakes, and leather-wrapped steering wheel, and shift knob. The front suspension in the SE is a bit tighter as well.
Other standard gear on the LE and SE includes power outboard mirrors, cruise control, redundant steering wheel-mounted audio controls, and remote keyless entry.
Toyota doesn’t overwhelm shoppers with a dazzling array of color choices. It comes in red, black, blue, gray, silver and white. If it matters to you, this is fewer choices than offered by key competitors Honda Fit and Nissan Versa Note.
You may choose any color interior as long as it’s black. The total lack of interior-color choices is common within this class of cars.
There are even fewer choices when it comes to what is under the hood. Every Yaris gets its spunk from a 106 hp 1.5 L 4-cylinder engine. A 5-speed manual is the standard transmission.
