SECOND-HAND SENSEAfter the rather spectacular success of the Starlet, Toyota had a hard act to follow when it came to its replacement. And, as importantly, the company needed a car that would shed the quintessentially Japanese supermini profile, and give it a more European appeal. Despite the Starlet's record the new car would have to have a more popular image, which just goes to show that looks can be almost everything.
It was no surprise, therefore, to discover that the chief designer for the Yaris was Greek. Coincidentally the man who designed the Mini was Greek too. But the Yaris was a big team effort and they certainly got it right - the car remains the benchmark by which all other superminis are judged. It is, in the tradition of the Mini, amazingly compact but roomy, and it is almost impossible to beat in terms of its smooth performance, economy, practicality and reliability.
In case you doubt one's praise for Toyota's quality of production, consider that for the third year in a row the company has come out top of the very challenging JD Power/Die Autozeitschrift survey in Germany. The Corolla, Avensis and RAV 4 led their classes, and the Yaris emerged second best in the small car class.
There are two versions of the Yaris, and they are so different in appearance that they are considered different cars. As with the Corolla and Avensis Toyota has built a more roomy derivative for those who need their cars for more practical purposes, such as converting for wheelchair use or carrying more than two children. So we have the standard Yaris in three and five-door format, and the Yaris Verso, which is a taller and more angular version. It is really a clever mini-MPV type vehicle.
The smaller is the better to drive. It is nippy and makes for an ideal town car, but some say it does not perform as well at high speeds - personally I don't think this is a high speed car to begin with. The short wheelbase pretty much determines its limitations.
The car originally scored only a two-star rating out of five, in the year 2000 Euro NCAP crash tests, but by last year had stretched up to a four-star rating, which is quite an achievement for a car of its size. The car has not emerged with any huge faults. There have been two recalls, but not affecting all cars, and the vast majority of cars have run trouble-free.
The Yaris name is good for premium pricing in the second-hand market. A four-year-old basic 1.0 litre model with 48,000 on the clock has an asking price of €9,495, while a two year-old with 19,000 on the clock has an asking price of €12,500. Both prices are of course negotiable, but don't expect big discounts.
- DONAL BYRNE