2008 Toyota Yaris Hatchback Reviews

I have a background in performance cars - I used to own a supercharged BMW and a twin turbo RX7.  The Yaris is incredible fun to drive.  Handles like a go-cart, and can do twisty mountain roads exceptionally well, despite being FWD.  It only packs a 1500cc four-banger putting down 106 HP, but it only weighs 2000 pounds.  It'll run a 16 second quarter mile with no modification, which means in practice that it can keep up with most stock Mustangs and Camaros pretty well.  In the twisties, it handles as well as my BMW or Mazda did any day, which in practice, means I pass most people on mountain roads with no problems.  It gets better: with the worst possible driving for economy -  going as fast as possible and WOT as often as possible, it still gets 35 MPG.  The car is inexpensive to buy (around $10,000), and with a little effort can get 45 MPG, making it inexpensive at the pump.  In terms of utility, the car has more nooks and crannies to stash things than any other car - ever.  With the possible exception of the VW Passat (umbrellas in the doors?).  The Yaris can seriously carry as much as most small pickup trucks or SUVs.  Or, it can carry 4 adults with luggage in comfort.  The car is a Toyota, and feels well built.  Toyota is renowned for reliability, and with a little care, I feel confident that this car will last a VERY long time.  My only real complaint is that the driver seating position is a little van-like - I feel like I should be a little closer to the ground.

When I bought the Yaris I tested out a couple of other economy cars, but the Toyota Yaris was far more appealing.  The engine is snappy, the automatic transmission is highly responsive, the I-pod hook up is a great option, and the fuel efficiency is great as well.  

It still gets comments from people about how cute it is, and questions about the mileage (avg. 35-38).  

My only complaint about the car is that because it has a nice entry height/ground clearance (5.5"), it doesn't have the best cornering ability.  I am willing to deal with the compromised cornering in order to get in and out of it with ease.  It is also easy for my disabled mother/grandmother to get in and out of.

I would recommend this car to anyone who wants snappy, inexpensive, feature packed, comfortable, and unique looking vehicle

I rented the base model (two-door) for one day.  I know Yaris comes with hatchback version and a sedan version.  It runs pretty well, saves gas, even able to make U-turn in a narrow street (not K-turns).  Parking alongside the street, sure, is not a problem.  Great for city-driving.

It's super cute, great mileage and relatively low priced.
Acceleration is not very good, but it is only a little 4
cylinder. It handles pretty well and breaks are fine. It is
fun to drive although it takes a heavy foot on the gas
to get it going.

Amazing car. So many memories already as the jelly bean and the baby car. The turning radius is amazing and it fits a unique personality. You can get into any spot and you don't look like one of those ridiculous smart cars. It is extremely inexpensive for what you get and fun to drive because you can manuever anywhere and also know you aren't guzzling gas. With all the essentials and the ability to seat 5 people in a car that gets about 35mpg without being a hybrid is pretty amazing. I love this car and recommend it to someone looking a an inexpensive hyper miler.