Toyota Yaris

rossm2

The wheelbase of the Echo/xA is 93.3, that of both the 3-door & 5-door Yaris is 96.9. That is official.

micweb

You said:

The wheelbase of the Echo/xA is 93.3, that of both the 3-door & 5-door Yaris is 96.9. That is official.

Yeah baby!

Don't know where you got that, but I couldn't find it before.....thanks.

(And I think that means the xA will grow too - but when? Spring '06? Fall '06? They just did a minor facelift on the xA, so I would be a little surprised to see a complete update as early as spring, especially if it takes away some of the Yaris's thunder. On the other hand, Scion has been releasing "Release 1.0" etc. xA's with a lot of the cosmetics of the '06 xA, so maybe the facelift wasn't as consuming of production line resources as I think.)

poorjudd

Why do you want the Yaris to be bigger? If you want bigger, buy a Corolla or a Matrix. The best thing about the Echo was its light weight and its gas mileage. You make the car bigger, and the weight gets higher, leading to worse gas mileage.

micweb

Well, the Corolla/Matrix have about a 102-104 inch wheel base. The Golf and last generation Jetta had 99 inch. My old CRX Honda was maybe as short as 87 inches. I do like small cars, but a short wheelbase has a harsh ride. Keep in mind even the xB has a 99 inch wheelbase! So what I'd like to see is an xA with the longer xB wheelbase, basically.

carmen1

Anyone know the price of the 2006 Yaris? I've been car-less for too long and wondering if I should hold out till Oct 14 or buy a new 2005 now.

Does the 2006 warrant the expected higher price tag? Money is also a concern for me. If the value of the 2006 is better than the 2005 then I will wait. Unfortunately, I've read the above threads and frankly, when one starts talking car lingo, I'm lost. I'm not a car buff so can someone please explain in layman's term the pros and cons of the 2005 and 2006?

Thanks.

micweb

Basically, there are three types of changes in the car world:

Minor annual freshening;

Complete updating;

Drop old name and come out with a radically different model.

For example, before this year, there were nothing more than minor annual freshenings to the Yaris (Canadian Echo?). Just a little styling change here and there.

This year ('06) the Yaris is being replaced by a completely redesigned Yaris. So it is well worth getting the '06 instead of the '05.

Dropping the old name is what happened in America when the Tercel got dumped and the Echo got introduced. That's not what's happening to the Yaris in Canada, but in America in the spring, the Echo will get dumped and the Yaris will take its place (so the same new car is in different categories of degree of change depending on which country you are in).

Toyota has been rated by Consumer Reports magazine as the best maker when it comes to keeping first year glitches under control. Given that, and the fact that a lot of major subsystems in the Yaris carry over from last year's model, I'd feel safe buying one.

mikecapone

I wonder how much difference low rolling resistance tires would make on the fuel economy of a car such as the Echo Hatchback/Yaris. Anybody here tried it (or with any other small car)? Gaining a few extra mpg would be fun.

For more info,

http://www.gotoreviews.com/archives/cars/review-low-rolling-resistance-tires.html

carzzz

It is a good idea to put the low rolling resistance tires. However, does it increase the stopping distance of the car, particular with Echo/Yaris?

Also, from reading the spec of 2006 Yaris, the fuel economy got slightly "thirstier" than 2005 Echo, is it because of the increase dimension = increase weight?

mikecapone

"Also, from reading the spec of 2006 Yaris, the fuel economy got slightly "thirstier" than 2005 Echo, is it because of the increase dimension = increase weight?"

I'd guess that the small increase in weight played a part, and maybe the engine tuning (went from LEV to ULEV II).

It's still quite excellent fuel economy for a non-hybrid, though.

griswald

Right on! Sounds great, want to start a car company? Any financial backers out there?

mikecapone

I think that color will only be available in Japan (where the Yaris is known as the Vitz).

As for the number of doors, I know that here in Canada we get both models (3 doors and 5 doors), but what I've read leads me to believe that in the US you're only getting the 3 doors version.

lexi4life

There are already various reviews of the all new Yaris in Canada (and the name is official now, so the title of the discussion can be changed). The car is arriving at the dealers in about the 2 weeks! For the moment, there are 2 versions offered: 3 doors and 5 doors. They get the same 1.5 engine, rated at 106hp SAE. The sedan arrives later, though. Acceleration times are a little slower and fuel economy is a little worse but the overall performances of the car are about the same than before. Also, there's obviously more interior space than the Echo hatchback.

307web

Why would the title be changed until we officially know what the name will be in the U.S.?

rossm2

The official name in the US is Yaris - that is certain, just go to Toyota.com!!! Having said that, I don't think the name should be changed (at least yet) since it is obvious a lot of people are not aware of the fact and will look for "Echo" rather than "Yaris".

Kirstie_H

Exactly - there's no rush to change the title of this discussion, since people can find it by looking for either name. This way, those who aren't aware of the new name can still locate the discussion about the vehicle that interests them!

backy

U.S. will get only the 3 door initially, with another configuration to come "later." I hope it's the 5-door instead of the sedan.

marika

>Does anyone else feel this way?

Gosh, yes, exactly. I've always loathed the idea of using gas to get around, and everything that it implies. It makes me sick that the most efficient cars are still so darned inefficient and that virtually no progress has been made in over a decade.

I have only ever bought one car in my 42-yo life: a new 88 Accord Dx manual coupe with a 1.8L 4 rated at 27/32 mpg (but I got more like 36/40 out of it with the way I drive). I gave it away after 13 years. Everything else has been hand me downs, gifts, or being carless. For all this time I have refused to buy another car unless I could double the mpgs of the old Accord.

I am still waiting!

I am not willing to pay $20K for a hybrid that isn't significantly better than the alternatives.

I am currently considering these as compromises, although I am not sure that any of them meet with my criteria:

$13-14K? new honda fit: not sure what the mpgs will be, but they will probably not be as high as I like
$12-14K? new toyota yaris: ditto
$15.5K 2006 civic dx coupe. The auto gets only 30 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, this is a HUGE step down from the HX of 2005. What were they thinking?
$17.5K 2006 golf tdi: These are also less efficient than the 2003-2005s. This model is getting heavier, bigger, and less efficient instead of more. Why don't we get the Polo or Lupo TDIs here? Why not hybrid biodiesels?

To say that I am disappointed with what we have offered is an understatement, especially when there are so many brilliant alternatives in Europe and the rest of the world.

I am beyond disappointment, beyond disgust. I just wish that someone would get it and offer something really worthwhile: affordable, truly efficient with ultra low emissions, reliable, and relatively safe. If the rest of the world has it, why not the US, too? We certainly need it!

iluvmysephia1

so that purplish color of Vitz in my above post is only coming to Canada. I can live with that. The Yaris coming to Canada may or may not be called Yaris in the U.S. but it looks like it will. We are getting closer to fine all the time in this mystery that is courtesy of Toyota.

My guess is the Yaris coming to the U.S. will be the 3-door version we've seen plenty of pictures of already on the net and the 5-door model will look a lot like the Vitz in my post above, with possible differences in the grille or something. Maybe a few different option/feature packages applicable to the U.S. market, for very good reasons, I'm sure. Right. I'm starting to feel like my questions are getting answered now about Toyota's mystery-mobile, this little Echo, I...I mean Yaris...I mean Vitz. I mean Yaris.

rossm2

You are very confused!

1. That purplish colour will NOT be available in Canada.
2. The car will be called the Yaris in BOTH countries - beyond question. Canada is likely getting an Echo sedan later (your Yaris sedan). Vitz name is not used outside Asia, as far as I know.
3. The US will get the 3-door and the sedan, probably NOT the 5-door, at least at first. Canada gets the 3 & 5-door in 3 weeks.
4. Option packages are completely different in the 2 countries.

iluvmysephia1

anybody reading your post with an open mind would see why I and about 6 billion other people in the world besides, you, of course, would be confused. Not might be confused, mind you, I said would be confused.

What a charade. Still an interesting new offering from Toyota, this Echo/Vitz/Yaris, or what have they this month!

wheelz4

Certainly, a decrease in mpg is disappointing. I'll have to check the official figures but it seems the new Yaris is on par with the Corolla now, so it might be more of a hard sell, with only a cheaper price of entry going for it. With this larger, heavier Yaris/Echo, maybe Toyota will see fit to bring us the Aygo or somehting based on the Endo concept. Surely either of these would approach 60 mpg(imperial) on the highway. It will be interesting to see how Honda's upcoming Fit compares w.r.t. mpg.

mikecapone

"There are already various reviews of the all new Yaris in Canada"

Do you have any online URLs for us? I haven't found any reviews of the Canadian 2006 Yaris yet.

lexi4life

Unfortunately, I don't have any link, since allthose reviews I saw were from books or magazines. I really don't know why there aren't ones on the internet, though.

griswald

Here is a link to a 3 page Yaris preview, I'm not sue if its been posted here before.
http://www.auto123.com/en/info/news/previews,view,Toyota.spy?artid=49115

agalas

Base Price in America= $11,250-$15,700

Fuel economy is said to be equal to or better than echo, so that makes life bearable for now.

The interior looks freakish with its polka dot look, but if Yaris is as comfortable as they say, like a Corolla, and gets 40 mpg in combined real world mileage than I will buy one immediately, unless the Fit gets better or equal with more comfort and a better interior.

I am concerned about the $15,700 price. This I assume is the 5 door wagon, but it is the price of a well equipped Corolla. I hope Toyota dosn't let me down on this.

Right now news of the Yaris and Fit is all that keeps me going. I couldn't live knowing that sub 40 mpg cars were heading for our shores.

307web

You cannot simply convert Canadian dollars to U.S dollars to determine the MSRP for the U.S..
U.S. price probably isn't set this far in advance. Even the Canadian price listed in the article as listed as an "estimate."
You can be sure they are not going to price it about the same as a same-year Corolla with the same options.
Also, the polka dot interior seen in earlier photos probably is not coming to the US. Maybe not Canada either. They often go wild with concepts and preproduction models.

carmen1

Someone mentioned polka dots interior. What are the other accessories available?

I've ordered a 2006 silver 3-door hatchback LE Yaris. Is there a change in the LE from 2005 Echos?

rossm2

I don't really understand the question. They are completely different cars. It is a VERY extensive remodelling. Interior and exterior dimensions are larger, the interior and exterior design are different - much upgraded, the standard equipment and packages are different.

jileto

Anyone seen this site?

It this an inkling of how the Yaris will be marketed in Canada?

barnee61

The title of the thread doesn't really matter (Echo, Yaris, hey, it's 6 of one, half dozen of the other). But why would you object to the title being changed "until we officially know what the name will be in the U.S." ???

Hate to tell you this, but the U.S. is not the absolute centre of the universe....there are people here on this forum from many other countries as well. God bless America and all that (I travel there frequently, and the patriotism displayed by U.S. citizens is second to none). But there's a big world out there.

The mod's change to "Echo/Yaris" works fine. And I'm glad the new version of the hatch, which Canada has enjoyed and embraced for several years, will finally be offered to enlightened U.S. consumers in spring 2006.

Cheers all
Barnee :shades:

dona83

Anyone in Canada preorder their 2006 Toyota whatchamacallit yet?

For those who don't know, $1000 deposit subject to it being within an agreed price range, and the car is officially released on October 17th. The dealers know every detail except the official name (they're just calling it a 2006 Echo hatchback) what it looks like and the price. The dealer I spoke to listed electric blue, bajou blue, and copper-orange metallic as three of the quite a few colour choices available, and you can order it in base, base + Package B (A/C, Power Windows, Keyless Entry, ABS brakes), RS, or RS + Package B, in 3 or 5 door for base, 5 door only for RS. Power Door Locks remain standard, but sad to see ABS go.

rossm2

The official name IS the Yaris - just look at Toyota.ca in the news section!!! Dealers do NOT yet know the price. Mine (2006 Yaris RS 5-door, "B Package") has been ordered, built, and is on the ship to Vancouver, BC where it is scheduled to arrive on 7 October. ABS is standard on RS models rather than on all - a shame I agree. Models are 3-door CE, LE & RS, 5-door LE & RS. "B Package" is available across the range.

Kirstie_H

While we realize/realise that the US is not the absolute centre/center of the universe, this site is focused on the US-based consumer, and thus our vehicle & discussion titles are likely to reflect this focus

lexi4life

I totally agree with barnee61.

carmen1

I have a print out from internet that reads, "The new Yaris can be customized with several option packages, or by choosing from nearly 50 accessories that can be selected individually to create a totally unique package."

So does that include polka-dot seat covers? What else does it cover?

carmen1

I have a print out from internet that reads, "The new Yaris can be customized with several option packages, or by choosing from nearly 50 accessories that can be selected individually to create a totally unique package."

So does that include polka-dot seat covers? What other accessories are there and can they be added after having ordered the Yaris 2006?

rossm2

That information is not yet available to Canadian dealers. It will be known about the same time as the pricing list, I would imagine. Probably another 7-14 days.

bottgers

.....about the new Yaris is how it will be priced. It's my personal belief Toyota had the Echo WWWWAAAYYYY overpriced and I think this was a huge contributing factor to its low sales figures. The Echo and Yaris, in my personal opinion anyway, are $10K cars. If Toyota goes overboard on the pricing ($12K-$15K) with the Yaris as they did with the Echo, I'm affraid its not going to sell either. I don't understand why Toyota can't see that people aren't going to be willing to pay as much, or almost as much for these cars when the Corolla can be had for the same amount. Smaller car should = lower price.

backy

It depends a lot on how the base Yaris will be equipped. For example, many new designs now come standard with at least six airbags, ABS, CD stereo (some even with MP3 and/or satellite radio), A/C, and height-adjustable driver's seats. Put all that on an ECHO and the price would be well over $10k. Consider also that the competition--and I am thinking Fit, Versa, Accent, and Rio primarily here--will start at about $12k at the bottom (announced base price for Versa, conjecture for Fit; Rio starts under $13k; Accent will reported start around $12k. The Aveo will have to sell on price alone, as I expect it will be outclassed by all of these newer designs including the Yaris.

So I really think the Yaris will start closer to $12k, with a modicum of equipment, than $10k. Unless Toyota wants to try to compete head-to-head with the Aveo and offer a stripped model for around $10k. But my thinking is Toyota will see the Fit and Versa as its main competitors, and price and equip the car accordingly.

swng

My wife has just paid $1,000 to reserve a Yaris. We are in BC, Canada. The dealer still cannot tell anything about pricing. We booked a 3-door CE hatchback with C Package which means A/C, ABS with electronic brake force distribution, 4 speakers, splash guards, power mirrors, rear window wiper/washer and keyless entry. It has an automatic gear box. Subject to a reasonable price, we may request for an upgrade to the RS configuration any time before delivery. The dealer said we can. According to the salesman, there will not be side airbags on the car but I have heard different things about that from other sources. The salesman also said that he will have his first few cars around 10 Oct. I will appreciate fellow members' comments on, but not limited to, the following:

a) Can the cute antenna survive a car wash at a gas station?
b) Is any extended warranty worth the money(about one thousand for five years, first few oil changes included)?
c) Will the suspension of the RS make the ride less comfortable because of its sporty nature?
d) Will the spoiler and the heavier weight of the RS worsen the fuel consumption figures?
e) Is insurance generally more expensive for the RS?,
f) We decided in favour of theYaris after visiting showrooms of the Smart for 2 and the Mini, based on our needs. Any comments?
g) Are alloy wheels really better than steel ones, apart from the look? and,
h) Does the Yaris have a limited slip differential to help it out in snow?

Thank you for your information/views in anticipation.

rossm2

a) no problem
b) I wouldn't think so. You are, after all, getting the successor to one of the MOST reliable cars in the world according to Consumer Reports.
c) the RS suspension is the same as the others. The tires are lower profile so they may be very slightly harsher, but I did not notice any meaningful difference when I drove an LE and an RS Echo hatch.
d)The weight difference between the 3-door CE auto and RS is listed as 20 lbs.
e) Call ICBC, but there will be little if any difference.
f) If you are interested in reliability, practicality, and resale as I am, I think you chose wisely.
g) Alloys can be slightly lighter and that helps in a number of ways and you will be getting 15" wheels rather than 14" which helps in handling, but ride may be a tiny bit harsher and the tires are a bit more expensive to replace.
h) no.

swng

To rossm2 and those who will respond to Posting #300, a sincere thank you. To rossm2 in particular, thanks for your insight.

rossm2

I hope it is of some small help to you. I am cheerfully awaiting the arrival of my silver 5-door RS. I'm hoping to get it before the official release date, but that depends on Toyota Canada. It will be landing on the 7th in Vancouver. My dealership (small - in Port Alberni) has sold out its initial allotment as has at least one other Vancouver Island dealer. They should be a hot item in BC. Hope you enjoy yours!

Ross

bottgers

I could possibly see $12k for a nicely equipped Yaris, but keep in mind, this is a true sub-compact and it should priced as such. The Yaris and its competition are supposed to be affordable for everyone and pricing them close to the next model up (in Toyota's and Honda's case it would be the Corolla and Civic) doesn't make any sense. Whose going to spend $13K-$14K on the smallest model when you could spend $1K-$2K more and get a Corolla or Civic? I sure wouldn't. These car companies need to stop being so greedy and price these things where they should be priced. I believe this is the only reason ultra-small sub-compacts haven't been selling in recent years. Look at Chevy's Cavalier. The car's an absolute piece of junk, but there's a billion of them on the road because Chevy sells them at the right price. I guarantee if Toyota, Honda, and the others selling these ultra-small sub-compacts were selling them at $10K, they'd be selling them faster than they could make them, and making a healthy profit to boot!

kneisl1

Small cars have nearly the same labor and incidental costs as larger cars. Thats why they cost nearly the same as larger cars. We were lucky to get cheap VWs and Toyotas in the 60s and 70s because of the favorable exchange rates. Now we're on the other side of the coin. Cars are probably the most competively priced things there are. I saw in Europe that Toyotas new Eyego (a one liter minicar) sells for $16,000.

dona83

The Echo sedan in Canada starts at $14,080 to $16,575 while the hatcback was $12,995 to $17,405. (All Canadian dollars), We're hoping beyond hope that the price will not go more than that as all the other cars seems to be around that price, Accent and Rio around $12,995, Aveo/Wave/Swift+ are around $13,800 regular price. Mind you that $12,995 CE Echo hatchback does not have power steering (yesh the only modern car not to have power steering in North America haha), rear windshield wiper, and only 2 speaker AM/FM, although it did have ABS. So overpriced I think not, they do have less features for the same price but hey it's a Toyota. It is mighty nice of Toyota to actually start designing nice cars to match the reliability.

Besides, while I've seen quite a few Aveo and Co., I have not seen as many Accent and Rios, but I still see more Echos especially the hatchback than those cars combined. Try convincing those people that the Echo is overpriced. Echo's also the most fuel efficient, and gas in Vancouver is around $3.50-$3.65USD per US gallon right now, $4/gallon in Quebec??

backy

You'll see a big increase in the prices of the Rio and Accent up in Canada (and in the U.S.) when the '06 models come out. The old cars in base form were small, cramped, basic boxes--no power steering, for example. So they could list for around $10k to start. The '06s will be much larger (inside anyway), more refined (nicer interiors, 6-speaker sound systems), more powerful, safer (six airbags, standard ABS on the Accent, stronger structure etc.) so they will cost more--$12-13k to start. If Toyota can make a car in Japan of similar size and features for thousands less than these Korean-made cars, it will be a miracle. Even if they make a stripper model with no power anything and 2-65 A/C, they will still cost more than current cars because of the need to include more safety features than before, to keep up with latest crash tests and also to keep up with what the competition is doing.

giantkiller

Well, I think the reason why the Echo wasnt as successful here in US than in Europe is because Toyota gave us the sedan version which IMO is ugly.

rossm2

The Echo sedan was very successful in Canada even though it was ugly. The Echo hatch was even MORE successful. Canadian tastes in cars tend more toward the European model. We tend to prefer smaller, more efficient cars. There is less tendency to equate large with good, small with cheap and disposable. Many Canadians wish for more sub-compact but upscale car options as one finds in Europe and Japan.

iluvmysephia1

Toyota Echo/Yaris/Vitz combo selling for less than $13,000 to start in the U.S.

backy's right, they have to engineer in safety now, as well as upgraded interior materials and snazzy molded plastics and body pieces. If they price it much higher than that, though, they're gonna halt up their own sales too much.