Ride Report - 2012 Toyota Yaris 5D
Sep 25, 2012, 10:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 65
Ride Report - 2012 Toyota Yaris 5D
Okay, second ride report! Man I just love doing these things… makes me feel like an auto journalist. Hahaha! So over the Summer of 2012, me and my other half decided to leave the super-hot (it peaked at 110, mind you) Des Moines to visit my relatives down South in Houston, Texas (and my cousin who’s in UT, Austin).
So I reserved a compact/economy car in hopes of excellent fuel economy but was upgraded to a midsize (Toyota Corolla) for free. After having read on Corollas, I was having second thoughts but after having scouted the lot for other potential rentals that I would be interested in, I settled for the Corolla. As I exited the rental lot, I noticed a car that I did not see the first time round – a Toyota Yaris! I quickly took it around and went back to the counter and asked if I could trade the Corolla for a Yaris... and the lovely lady working at the counter allowed me to do so!
So there I was, in a (almost) brand new 2012 Toyota Yaris!
As per usual, I will be using jzweighaft's ride report template. Thanks buddy!
http://www.toyota.com/yaris/
Car Description: 12 YARIS 5D
Car Class: B
It was essentially a 2012 Toyota Yaris 5-Door LE.
When I picked the car up, it only had 1202 miles on it. Talk about it being new! By the time I had returned it, it had 3821 miles. Yes, I took it over 2619 miles!
Powertrain:
I am personally not used to small 4 cylinder powertrains, and the Yaris came with a tiny 1.5L unit! Having said that, it being a new car, the engine pulled strong and it was pretty decently powered. I have little doubt that it would have trouble reaching triple digit speeds (which no one should attempt, of course). With only the two of us and almost two weeks’ worth of luggage, it was more than enough. In fact, we were aiming to achieve the best mileage possible, since the trip would cover more than 2500 miles. EPA estimates that this car would do 30/35/32 (City/Highway/Combined) and imagine how impressed I was when just after two and a half hours’ worth of highway driving, we managed to get it up to 39MPG! However, that soon dropped to an average of 36-37MPG combined throughout the whole journey so I was VERY pleased with my choice of the Yaris.
The Yaris comes with a 4-speed automatic transmission which I thought was very smooth and handled the gear shifts well. With an average cruising speed of 65-70, noise and vibration were at a bare minimum, making it a really comfortable and smooth journey.
Ride/Handling:
As with the Camry that I previously rented, the Yaris is also built very well! Doors shut with a solid thud and as mentioned above, NVH was at a bare minimum while at cruising speed. As this was a low-spec vehicle, I would attribute the smoothness to the 195/50R16 tires. Suspension was tuned more for comfort, but that’s not saying that it wobbled like a jell-o! Cornering was pretty decent but I wouldn’t recommend entering the apex at speed. Although the Yaris came with cloth seats, I have to say that the seats had GREAT support! 12 hour stint? No problem! We barely experienced fatigue sitting on these seats and I think Toyota has made a great decision on the seats.
Interior:
The dashboard arrangement is pretty funky. As you can see from the photos, it has a pretty unique design and although I did not like it at first, it kind of grew on me as time went by. Compared to the Camry, I dare say that the materials chosen for the interior of the Yaris are far superior! The whole dashboard and its surroundings were particularly nice to touch.
The dashboard cluster is really basic, with only the speedometer and fuel gauge. I would have loved to have a tachometer, if possible. But these were the basics, and are the two only things that really matter. I guess it was a smart move of Toyota to simplify the cluster to only show the things that the target audience (youngsters, I believe) really needs to care about – speed and fuel. The multi-information display had the usual information available – Mileage, Trip 1, Trip 2 and Average MPG so nothing much to shout about there.
The steering wheel was a particularly nice piece. It was very well sized and had an almost meaty feeling to it. It’s flat bottomed, similar to the wheels used by Ferrari and Lamborghini. I don’t know why, but this appealed to me very much! I couldn’t stop talking about how meaty and sporty the steering wheel is… and I probably will not if I do not move on. It has very basic audio controls – Vol +, Vol -, Next, Previous and Mode. They are pretty self-explanatory so I will not elaborate further.
Space wise, with only the two of us, was huge (relatively). I see no problem in ferrying five full sized adults as the back seats were still roomy even after I slid the drivers chair furthest from the front. There was not much space to fit miscellaneous items as there was only a 2-cup holder in front of the shifter, and a small compartment beside the parking brake. The centre console and glove compartment is pretty average sized too, so again, nothing to shout about. The boot was pretty small in my opinion, but then again, this is a small car.
In the multimedia department, this car came with what looks like a Sony OEM double-din unit. It had (this is pretty much the same as the one in the Camry) a CD slot (only one) with MP3/WMA playback capability, an auxiliary audio jack as well as a USB port with iPod connectivity and control. It also has hands-free phone capability, phone book access and even music streaming (!) via Bluetooth. I hooked up my iPhone to the car with ease and connected my iPod to the USB port. Funny thing, I was looking for the USB and AUX IN ports and funnily enough, they were hidden in the glove compartment, at a hidden spot up top! What’s up with that?! The speakers are pretty good. Trebles and bass were well controlled and quite impressive for an entry-level car! Having set the fader to push everything as far front as possible to get a better soundstage, I must say that I was impressed. Good work, Toyota! Also, the white on black text of the unit was really nice.
Exterior/Design:
Being a base trim car, it came in 'Super White' and I honestly didn't mind as it would mean that the car remained cool inside (white does not absorb heat as 'efficiently'). It being in base trim also meant that it came with 16" steel wheels with wheel covers. Else, nothing else that deserves a mention. Wished it was in a SE trim though, that looks good!
Value:
Using the USAA CDP, I was charged ~$25 per day, which I thought was slightly on the high side but pretty decent nonetheless. I actually almost upgraded to a Camaro SS which was sitting in the lot for a tiny upgrade fee (excellent customer representative at the counter) but that would have cost almost twice as much. The biggest drawback that I saw was fuel. I do not think a 6.2L V8 would be anywhere as fuel efficient as a 1.5L I-4. Once again, power vs. fuel economy and I let the more sensible side win. Thank God for that!
Summary
• 1.5l 106-hp; 103-lb.ft
• 4-speed ECT-I Automatic Transmission
• 30/35 MPG
Pros:
• Super low-mileage (~1200 miles)
• Very smooth powertrain
• Excellent NVH
• 36-37MPG combined!
Cons:
• Low trim level
• I didn’t get the Camaro SS!
Final Verdict:
I was very happy with this rental. It served me very well with no problems whatsoever! The only thing that I would want to mention is that if you are thinking of heading to Texas, get something bigger. I felt like a midget in the Yaris when in Texas – everything there is HUGE!
And that concludes my ride report. I hope I have covered the basics. Feel free to ask me anything about my rental/experience or something that I might have missed out.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Jeremy
So I reserved a compact/economy car in hopes of excellent fuel economy but was upgraded to a midsize (Toyota Corolla) for free. After having read on Corollas, I was having second thoughts but after having scouted the lot for other potential rentals that I would be interested in, I settled for the Corolla. As I exited the rental lot, I noticed a car that I did not see the first time round – a Toyota Yaris! I quickly took it around and went back to the counter and asked if I could trade the Corolla for a Yaris... and the lovely lady working at the counter allowed me to do so!
So there I was, in a (almost) brand new 2012 Toyota Yaris!
As per usual, I will be using jzweighaft's ride report template. Thanks buddy!
http://www.toyota.com/yaris/
Car Description: 12 YARIS 5D
Car Class: B
It was essentially a 2012 Toyota Yaris 5-Door LE.
When I picked the car up, it only had 1202 miles on it. Talk about it being new! By the time I had returned it, it had 3821 miles. Yes, I took it over 2619 miles!
Powertrain:
I am personally not used to small 4 cylinder powertrains, and the Yaris came with a tiny 1.5L unit! Having said that, it being a new car, the engine pulled strong and it was pretty decently powered. I have little doubt that it would have trouble reaching triple digit speeds (which no one should attempt, of course). With only the two of us and almost two weeks’ worth of luggage, it was more than enough. In fact, we were aiming to achieve the best mileage possible, since the trip would cover more than 2500 miles. EPA estimates that this car would do 30/35/32 (City/Highway/Combined) and imagine how impressed I was when just after two and a half hours’ worth of highway driving, we managed to get it up to 39MPG! However, that soon dropped to an average of 36-37MPG combined throughout the whole journey so I was VERY pleased with my choice of the Yaris.
The Yaris comes with a 4-speed automatic transmission which I thought was very smooth and handled the gear shifts well. With an average cruising speed of 65-70, noise and vibration were at a bare minimum, making it a really comfortable and smooth journey.
Ride/Handling:
As with the Camry that I previously rented, the Yaris is also built very well! Doors shut with a solid thud and as mentioned above, NVH was at a bare minimum while at cruising speed. As this was a low-spec vehicle, I would attribute the smoothness to the 195/50R16 tires. Suspension was tuned more for comfort, but that’s not saying that it wobbled like a jell-o! Cornering was pretty decent but I wouldn’t recommend entering the apex at speed. Although the Yaris came with cloth seats, I have to say that the seats had GREAT support! 12 hour stint? No problem! We barely experienced fatigue sitting on these seats and I think Toyota has made a great decision on the seats.
Interior:
The dashboard arrangement is pretty funky. As you can see from the photos, it has a pretty unique design and although I did not like it at first, it kind of grew on me as time went by. Compared to the Camry, I dare say that the materials chosen for the interior of the Yaris are far superior! The whole dashboard and its surroundings were particularly nice to touch.
The dashboard cluster is really basic, with only the speedometer and fuel gauge. I would have loved to have a tachometer, if possible. But these were the basics, and are the two only things that really matter. I guess it was a smart move of Toyota to simplify the cluster to only show the things that the target audience (youngsters, I believe) really needs to care about – speed and fuel. The multi-information display had the usual information available – Mileage, Trip 1, Trip 2 and Average MPG so nothing much to shout about there.
The steering wheel was a particularly nice piece. It was very well sized and had an almost meaty feeling to it. It’s flat bottomed, similar to the wheels used by Ferrari and Lamborghini. I don’t know why, but this appealed to me very much! I couldn’t stop talking about how meaty and sporty the steering wheel is… and I probably will not if I do not move on. It has very basic audio controls – Vol +, Vol -, Next, Previous and Mode. They are pretty self-explanatory so I will not elaborate further.
Space wise, with only the two of us, was huge (relatively). I see no problem in ferrying five full sized adults as the back seats were still roomy even after I slid the drivers chair furthest from the front. There was not much space to fit miscellaneous items as there was only a 2-cup holder in front of the shifter, and a small compartment beside the parking brake. The centre console and glove compartment is pretty average sized too, so again, nothing to shout about. The boot was pretty small in my opinion, but then again, this is a small car.
In the multimedia department, this car came with what looks like a Sony OEM double-din unit. It had (this is pretty much the same as the one in the Camry) a CD slot (only one) with MP3/WMA playback capability, an auxiliary audio jack as well as a USB port with iPod connectivity and control. It also has hands-free phone capability, phone book access and even music streaming (!) via Bluetooth. I hooked up my iPhone to the car with ease and connected my iPod to the USB port. Funny thing, I was looking for the USB and AUX IN ports and funnily enough, they were hidden in the glove compartment, at a hidden spot up top! What’s up with that?! The speakers are pretty good. Trebles and bass were well controlled and quite impressive for an entry-level car! Having set the fader to push everything as far front as possible to get a better soundstage, I must say that I was impressed. Good work, Toyota! Also, the white on black text of the unit was really nice.
Exterior/Design:
Being a base trim car, it came in 'Super White' and I honestly didn't mind as it would mean that the car remained cool inside (white does not absorb heat as 'efficiently'). It being in base trim also meant that it came with 16" steel wheels with wheel covers. Else, nothing else that deserves a mention. Wished it was in a SE trim though, that looks good!
Value:
Using the USAA CDP, I was charged ~$25 per day, which I thought was slightly on the high side but pretty decent nonetheless. I actually almost upgraded to a Camaro SS which was sitting in the lot for a tiny upgrade fee (excellent customer representative at the counter) but that would have cost almost twice as much. The biggest drawback that I saw was fuel. I do not think a 6.2L V8 would be anywhere as fuel efficient as a 1.5L I-4. Once again, power vs. fuel economy and I let the more sensible side win. Thank God for that!
Summary
• 1.5l 106-hp; 103-lb.ft
• 4-speed ECT-I Automatic Transmission
• 30/35 MPG
Pros:
• Super low-mileage (~1200 miles)
• Very smooth powertrain
• Excellent NVH
• 36-37MPG combined!
Cons:
• Low trim level
• I didn’t get the Camaro SS!
Final Verdict:
I was very happy with this rental. It served me very well with no problems whatsoever! The only thing that I would want to mention is that if you are thinking of heading to Texas, get something bigger. I felt like a midget in the Yaris when in Texas – everything there is HUGE!
And that concludes my ride report. I hope I have covered the basics. Feel free to ask me anything about my rental/experience or something that I might have missed out.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Jeremy
Sep 26, 2012, 12:43 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVPG, DL KM, Bee Six, Bonvoy Plat, Avis PC, Natl Exec, Greyhound Road Rewards Z"L
Posts: 16,710
I've been told this twice, but I think it's okay if I say it: thanks for taking one for the team
Although if it was this vs. a 2011 Corolla, I would have taken this too. You got really lucky with this since it had such low mileage. Can't believe Hertz would rent a car without a tachometer though. I can't believe how small it is -- look at the single wiper for the front windshield!
You didn't miss anything by skipping the Corolla; I'd go as far as saying this looks nicer. The Corolla engine (although I believe it's a good 30-40 horsepower stronger) is marginally larger, and does worse on gas. The entertainment system looks like junk in your photos but it sounds like it was actually really functional. The climate controls though were taken right out of a Corolla
By the way, was there a clock? If you saw my Corolla report I thought it looked like an aftermarket thing. I don't see a clock at all in your Yaris
Overall I really enjoyed reading your report. I think this is the smallest car that's been written up (other than a Fiat 500); it's great to know what you could end up with on a cheap reservation. I'm glad you have fun writing them like I do too I'm contemplating adding some comments to your Camry report or writing a full-fledged one myself -- I got one on an A reservation (!), and I have quite a bit to say about it 
-J.
Although if it was this vs. a 2011 Corolla, I would have taken this too. You got really lucky with this since it had such low mileage. Can't believe Hertz would rent a car without a tachometer though. I can't believe how small it is -- look at the single wiper for the front windshield!
You didn't miss anything by skipping the Corolla; I'd go as far as saying this looks nicer. The Corolla engine (although I believe it's a good 30-40 horsepower stronger) is marginally larger, and does worse on gas. The entertainment system looks like junk in your photos but it sounds like it was actually really functional. The climate controls though were taken right out of a Corolla
By the way, was there a clock? If you saw my Corolla report I thought it looked like an aftermarket thing. I don't see a clock at all in your Yaris
Overall I really enjoyed reading your report. I think this is the smallest car that's been written up (other than a Fiat 500); it's great to know what you could end up with on a cheap reservation. I'm glad you have fun writing them like I do too
I'm contemplating adding some comments to your Camry report or writing a full-fledged one myself -- I got one on an A reservation (!), and I have quite a bit to say about it -J.
Sep 26, 2012, 4:13 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 65
I've been told this twice, but I think it's okay if I say it: thanks for taking one for the team
Although if it was this vs. a 2011 Corolla, I would have taken this too. You got really lucky with this since it had such low mileage. Can't believe Hertz would rent a car without a tachometer though. I can't believe how small it is -- look at the single wiper for the front windshield!
You didn't miss anything by skipping the Corolla; I'd go as far as saying this looks nicer. The Corolla engine (although I believe it's a good 30-40 horsepower stronger) is marginally larger, and does worse on gas. The entertainment system looks like junk in your photos but it sounds like it was actually really functional. The climate controls though were taken right out of a Corolla
By the way, was there a clock? If you saw my Corolla report I thought it looked like an aftermarket thing. I don't see a clock at all in your Yaris
Overall I really enjoyed reading your report. I think this is the smallest car that's been written up (other than a Fiat 500); it's great to know what you could end up with on a cheap reservation. I'm glad you have fun writing them like I do too I'm contemplating adding some comments to your Camry report or writing a full-fledged one myself -- I got one on an A reservation (!), and I have quite a bit to say about it
-J.
Although if it was this vs. a 2011 Corolla, I would have taken this too. You got really lucky with this since it had such low mileage. Can't believe Hertz would rent a car without a tachometer though. I can't believe how small it is -- look at the single wiper for the front windshield!
You didn't miss anything by skipping the Corolla; I'd go as far as saying this looks nicer. The Corolla engine (although I believe it's a good 30-40 horsepower stronger) is marginally larger, and does worse on gas. The entertainment system looks like junk in your photos but it sounds like it was actually really functional. The climate controls though were taken right out of a Corolla
By the way, was there a clock? If you saw my Corolla report I thought it looked like an aftermarket thing. I don't see a clock at all in your Yaris
Overall I really enjoyed reading your report. I think this is the smallest car that's been written up (other than a Fiat 500); it's great to know what you could end up with on a cheap reservation. I'm glad you have fun writing them like I do too
I'm contemplating adding some comments to your Camry report or writing a full-fledged one myself -- I got one on an A reservation (!), and I have quite a bit to say about it -J.
I know! I am surprised manufacturers actually still make card without tachs! That was a big letdown, to be honest. And actually, the single wiper was huge! Don't let that food ya!
Well thank God for that! Moving to the Yaris from the Corolla, I could instantly tell that the materials and build quality were much much better! Indeed the audio system was a joy! You should try it out sometime, it is really not bad.
Nope the Yaris did not come with a clock, the only one being on the multi-information display on the speedo. And oh well, that's what parts bins are for, eh?
Haha thank you! I was hoping it wasn't going to be too boring.
Lucky you! Did you enjoy it though? I hope you did, as I did with mine. ^ Feel free to comment on my Camry thread, I could merge your review in with mine if you want to. (that way you wouldn't have to type EVERYTHING again hahaha)
Sep 27, 2012, 9:58 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: Hertz Gold
Posts: 108
Nice write up! I can always appreciate nice photos to go along with the write up.
Couple of things: no tachometer!! I'm just as surprised as you guys. Though honestly, most people will never look at it. I like having one but when I think about it, even while driving stick, I go by ear/feeling when it comes to shifting. I'm also impressed that it came with steering wheel audio controls (after my own Camry, with steering wheel audio controls and a power driver's seat, I gotta have that on my next car!) AND bluetooth calling plus audio streaming.
My personal car sustained some damage from falling debris from a fire, so I'm in the process of setting up a rental with a HLE. GEICO pairs up with Enterprise but I hate them with a passion so no thanks. I opted for the $50/day rental reimbursement coverage so I selected a 'premium' / PCAR @ $45.99 a day. I'll drive a small car but I'd prefer to take the fuel economy penalty and be in something at least midsize.
Couple of things: no tachometer!! I'm just as surprised as you guys. Though honestly, most people will never look at it. I like having one but when I think about it, even while driving stick, I go by ear/feeling when it comes to shifting. I'm also impressed that it came with steering wheel audio controls (after my own Camry, with steering wheel audio controls and a power driver's seat, I gotta have that on my next car!) AND bluetooth calling plus audio streaming.
My personal car sustained some damage from falling debris from a fire, so I'm in the process of setting up a rental with a HLE. GEICO pairs up with Enterprise but I hate them with a passion so no thanks. I opted for the $50/day rental reimbursement coverage so I selected a 'premium' / PCAR @ $45.99 a day. I'll drive a small car but I'd prefer to take the fuel economy penalty and be in something at least midsize.