My 2010 Toyota Yaris has fantastic fuel mileage. I get 25 to 28 miles per gallon on the highway, and I get closer to 30 for in-town driving. The ride is smooth and quiet. I have not had to replace any major component of the vehicle. Maintenance for the Yaris has consisted of replacing windshield wipers and regular oil changes. I only have two criticisms of the car. The first criticism concerns the speed of the windshield wipers. The control does not have adequate intermediate speed controls. It either runs very slow or very fast. I have difficulties choosing the right speed during a rainstorm. Secondly, the seal around the hatchback has begun to separate from the body of the car.
I loved being able to take my son and his stroller in the Yaris to parks and other attractions. Before his sister was born, I could easily travel to the Henry Ford Museum and the Greenfield Village with him in tow. We would spend the morning and afternoon looking at the trains inside the museum and riding the train outside around the Greenfield Village.
The fuel efficiency and the size of the car are my favorite features. I have saved money because of its relatively low fuel use. Also, I find the car is easy to drive because of its small size and compact nature. As a young mother, I have been able to put not only my son and his car seat into the Yaris, but I have also been able to pack a jogging stroller into the hatch (trunk).
The size can also be a negative aspect of the car if you have two adults and two children in the car. If the Yaris carries my husband, my three-year-old son, my four-month-old daughter, and myself, we feel like sardines in a can. We can still transport some groceries as well, but the ride is a little cramped.
2007 Toyota Yaris - The Yaris is too small but great on gas.
The Toyota Yaris is very good on gas. It doesn't take much to fill up the tank, and a full tank goes a long way. I have had the car for four years and the maintenance cost has been very low. I did not like the size of the car. It was very uncomfortable on long trips. Passengers are elbow to elbow, and if you are taller than 5'10" this isn't the car for you. The look of the car was O.K., But it sort of looked like a roller skate, or an egg. It looks better in black. The acceleration was fine for a car that size, and it handled well. I did not feel very safe, mostly due to the size, but also in part due to the cheap quality of the doors and hood. There's also the downside of having to go to a Toyota dealer to replace the rear windshield wiper. I haven't found an auto parts store or oil change place that carries that size windshield wiper.
My friends joke about calling my vehicle a dinosaur egg due to it looking like a very large, grey egg. Whenever any of them are in the car with me and we pass by a large truck, like a Hummer, they joke about my car evolving into that one day like a Pokemon.
The most positive thing about the Yaris is the gas mileage. It was very efficient and I didn't have to worry about the price at the pump as much. The sound system was also pretty good and didn't rattle the vehicle.
The size makes it very uncomfortable for long rides. The speedometer is in the middle of the dash, making it so the driver has to look towards the middle of the windshield to check the speed.