Sales of the Toyota Yaris (called Vitz in Japan) took a header last year in the American market, dropping almost 40 percent over 2009, which was one of the worst sales years in forever. To say that Toyota needs to give its small car some love is an understatement, and that makes the U.S. debut of the new 2012 Toyota Yaris all the more important . “We need to stand out more,” says deputy chief engineer Yoshinari Toyomura. “That is one reason why the new Yaris has grown in size and taken on an edgier look compared to its predecessor.” Recently, we had a chance to check out the Japanese-spec version of the new car, and we immediately saw what Toyomura meant. The new B-segment bigwig is 3.5 inches longer with a wheelbase that gains 2 inches. Toyota is hoping the new car’s more aggressive edges will appeal to a larger audience (read: males). The car does feel bigger, but the company’s efforts to minimize costs while improving packaging are met with mixed results. The engine lineup gets new versions of the 1.3-liter and 1.5-liter gas variants as well as a revised 1.4-liter diesel for Europe (expect the 1.5-liter version to continue as the base engine for the U.S., although a 1.8-liter and a hybrid model are also rumored). The highlight of the lineup is undoubtedly the car we tested: the 1.3-liter Smart-Stop Package. Taking just 0.35 seconds to restart after seamlessly cutting the engine at idle, the smart-stop works to improve fuel economy by some 2 mpg, thus achieving 61.5 mpg in the Japanese mpg cycle. But the start-stop is only offered on the 1.3-liter due to its hefty $700 price tag. More strikingly, VSC and TRC traction controls, which are standard on the 1.3-liter version, are not even offered as options on other models, although we’re guessing that will change for the U.S. market version.
Tuned for optimum fuel economy and CO2 emissions, the 1.3-liter was adequate but by no means quick. Mated to a revised CVT, it pulled sufficiently from around 2000 rpm and stayed strong enough through the mid-ranges — we think, because our car did not have a tachometer. We expect the five-speed manual and a tach to continue to be offered in the U.S. Although it’s unclear if the CVT will come stateside, we wouldn’t bet against it, especially given the aging four-speed automatic on the present car. To keep up with rivals, the Yaris has stiffened body rigidity, a more compliant ride, and a better weighted, more responsive steering feel. While the new Yaris is more spacious, handles better than the old model, and looks considerably smarter, it’s been shortchanged on a few interior elements, and performance is middling at best. It’ll need those missing toys to stand out from the crowd when it arrives here, reportedly later this year
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