Rental: Toyota Yaris

AKA atomicalex

I love rental cars. Not for the hoonage they frequently inspire, but because they are the opposite of press cars. Press cars tend to be higher-end models—the point is to impress the press, after all—whereas rentals are the base-model strippers that no one would ever pretend to own. The Toyota Yaris I picked up outside of LAX last week is a great example of why Americans will never willingly WANT econoboxes. Think of every bad Saturn Ion review you’ve read and pick out the worst parts. Throw in rock-hard seats and rattling interior trim, and you have the base Yaris. And don’t get me started on the gauge pod: at least the one in the Ion faces you. This one faces the cop behind you. And what’s with the cool coolant light in there? Can’t I already tell there’s no heat yet? Rental recommendation: ask the counter staff if you can size up, or at least swap it out for a different econo.

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Posted at 10:18 pm in Katherine, Rental Cars, Yaris

Comments

Brandon
Nov 19, 2008 at 3:37 pm

I love my Yaris and being 5′8″ I find it very comfortable and well built. I had a aveo rental and THAT is what you were describing. Kinda getting tired of you guys crapping on the Yaris.

Go rent a damn hummer.

CUBE
Nov 19, 2008 at 4:23 am

James,
Agree,
Also AVIS have free complimentary XM Satelite radio on all Hyundais.

James
Nov 18, 2008 at 9:57 pm

CUBE – I have to say, a Hyundai Accent sedan with the automatic is MUCH nicer than the Yaris. Needs a bigger fuel tank tho.

melville248
Nov 18, 2008 at 3:35 am

I’ll stick with the Passat Wagon that we drove in Italy this summer, amazing!

artie99
Nov 18, 2008 at 2:50 am

I don’t want to hear it unless you are driving a right hand drive Daihatsu Charade. Had to do that in Grand Cayman a couple times, and driving that is taking your life into your own hands. Who needs air bags, after all?
It didn’t have enough interior panels TO rattle.
Here’s what it looked like:
http://www.valuemd.com/attachments/saba-medical-school-classifieds/6954d1203886050-2007-daihatsu-charade-automatic-sale-img_1476.jpg

Schitt Shmears
Nov 18, 2008 at 2:22 am

RENTA’ SOLARIS BEFORE A YARIS!

CUBE
Nov 17, 2008 at 11:48 pm

By the way, I think you got lucky, most of the time, if some event going on in town there only Aveos and Accents left on the lot.

CUBE
Nov 17, 2008 at 11:37 pm

I kinda like Center mounted Gauge Pods (Yaris/scions), especially at night, because they are not glare and blinding you. After driving with it for a while, “normal” car will start to irritate you at night. As for the “coolant” light, it is just temperature sensor showing you that engine is not warmed up to the operating temperature yet (it should be gone in 3-5 minutes after you start the car).
I travel alot and upgrading the rental sometimes is not very good idea. Once I was “upgraded” for free to Nissan “Armada” at one of the New York Airports. I hated that trip…..

kap0w
Nov 17, 2008 at 10:35 pm

I have a feeling John is having a different experience with his Aveo, but the one I rented 3 years ago in Hawaii had a clock that actually GAINED time when you drove it. I do like the lack of attachment I have with rental cars – there isn’t anything that I won’t subject them to. Even so, the thing that keeps it from being really fun is that although you’ve got low-end everything, you still have to suffer through an automatic transmission. Having the option of manual would make them much more fun to drive, but I suppose that’s too much to expect in the US.