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I've had the US model Yaris liftback a few days now, and like it. Some
comments:

1) In daytime the speedometer looks a bit dim, exacerbated by glare
reflected from the semicircular gray "shelf" in front of it. At a craft
shop I found a sheet of stiff black felt and cut a piece to cover that
"shelf." The reduced reflection on the speedometer's face resulted in
enhanced contrast. Toyota should reward me for this design improvement
:^)

2) My Garmin 2610 GPS unit (beanbag mount) sits nicely on the dash just
above the steering wheel, and thanks to its speed readout I rarely need
to glance over at the central speedometer. In fact if you don't really
pay attention to the idiot lights on the speedometer, you might as well
put the Garmin right on the shelf in front of the speedometer and boast
of your "digital" speedometer. I do find that when the 2610 is placed
above the steering wheel, its shiny top is reflected in the windshield
when the sun is bright, and can be a distraction when you're looking
straight down the road.

3) Position of the driver's seatbelt anchor is not adjustable. Because
of my 5'11" height I racked the seat all the way back for a pleasant
stiff-arm driving position, but found the belt too near my neck. A cheap
belt clip allowed a more comfortable fit on my shoulder.

No MPG figures yet, still on first tank. Couldn't find a stick liftback,
had to settle for auto but enjoying the car all the same. With rear seat
folded down it's a great cargo hauler for its tiny size. I'm totally
satisfied; the car met my requirements for a small car with good MPG but
still with some "personality." The tight turning radius is great. All
dealers in my area are asking MSRP price, treating the Yaris just like
Scion. Still in very short supply in northern Virginia.

--
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Charles Gillen -- Reston, Virginia, USA