First Drive: 2006 Toyota Yaris

[Tideland Prius]

With gasoline prices being what they are, the introduction of the economical Toyota Yaris hatchback comes at a propitious time. Even though the 2006 Yaris is slightly bigger and heavier than the car it replaces, the 2005 Echo Hatchback, the Yaris is still one of the most fuel-efficient cars in Canada. Equipped with the standard manual transmission, fuel consumption is a miserly 6.9 L/100 km (41 mpg) City, and 5.5 L/100 km (51 mpg) Highway. That compares to the Echo Hatchback's 6.7 L/100 km (42 mpg) City, and 5.2 L/100 km (54 mpg) Highway.

The change from 'Echo' to 'Yaris' is surely going to confuse some consumers, but it's part of a Toyota plan to harmonize the car's name around the world. The subcompact hatchback is now called the Yaris in Europe and North America while in Japan, it's still called the "Vitz" - at least for now.

In the Canadian market, the 2006 Yaris Hatchback is available in two- and four-door hatchback bodystyles in three trim levels: CE (two-door), LE (two- and four-door) and RS (two- and four-door). The 2005 Echo four-door sedan will still be available until the end of this year, but as of this writing, a decision hadn't been made on whether to offer a 2006 sedan.
There's good news for American buyers: while the Echo Hatchback wasn't available in the U.S., the Yaris Hatchback will be - but only in the 2-door bodystyle.

Full Article: http://www.canadiandriver.com/testdrives/06yaris.htm

[toydon]

I like that two doo hatch ...any approx. date to the US/ California? Thanks

[REN69]

Trust me.. the 4dr is better.. it's got more options like 4speaker systems the 2dr only has 2speaker systems available.

[echo_hrs]

USA is only getting the 2 Door Yaris, Canada gets both the 2 Door and 4 Door...

[jdgriswald]

Originally Posted by toydon

I like that two doo hatch ...any approx. date to the US/ California? Thanks

Spring of '06 as an '07....http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/yaris.html

[Tideland Prius]

lol jeez and we get an 06 Yaris. Seriously, why are they labelling them like this? It's really annoying.

[swng]

The 07 Yaris to be sold later in the US will have side and curtain airbags, may be as options. That is what I have heard. May be the 07 models in Canada will have them too. But I don't know, and I cannot wait so long!

[Why?]

Originally Posted by Tideland Prius

lol jeez and we get an 06 Yaris. Seriously, why are they labelling them like this? It's really annoying.

That is just the way they do things now. All new model introductions are labeled as the next year.

Canada gets theirs in 2005, so it is a 2006, and the US gets it in 2006, so it is a 2007.

That is how most auto manufacturers do it.

[Tideland Prius]

yeah but that's in Sept 05 as an 06 model. The only reason they're launching it in Jan is so that they can legally label it as an 2007 instead of an 06. What difference does it make?

[echo_hrs]

The 2007 in Canada will not get released until fall 2006, since the current model was just released...

[Why?]

Originally Posted by Tideland Prius

yeah but that's in Sept 05 as an 06 model. The only reason they're launching it in Jan is so that they can legally label it as an 2007 instead of an 06. What difference does it make?

It is prolly going to be released in March or April in the US.

But you are right, they are prolly waiting just to give it the model year 2007.

At this point we don't know enough about the differences compared to the Canadian car to say anything else.

[05_Echo]

I test drove a Yaris and found the handling and performance to be the same as the Echo we bought and I was told there will be a sedan in 2 years.

[toysarefun]

I thought they said they'd have the sedan ready the next year.

[Why?]

From what I've seen there is no official date yet on the sedan, it is just coming later.

[echo_hrs]

At the SEMA Yaris Hatchback launch the Toyota speaker said the new Yaris Sedan will be officially unveiled at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show in January...

Cheers