Toyota Yaris Measuring Session Participants Weigh-In

At the Toyota Yaris Measuring Session in May, SEMA members had a chance to view, measure and dissect the new compact car aimed directly at young consumers. Toyota offered two samples of the vehicle to be fitted for specialty equipment—a three-door hatchback and four-door sedan. Both cars share the same platform, but many of the parts are distinct for each model. The variations are so different that it seems the only commonality is the name. While this may seem to present a challenge to accessory manufacturers, Toyota has made room for tuning.



The brand is notorious for aftermarket accessibility, and their commitment continues with these cars. Mark Chung, the strategic marketing director for Yokohama Tire Corp., notes that many OEMs generally receive poor marks for not engineering their cars with aftermarket compatibility, especially in regard to electronic components. However, the perspective of participants at the measuring session was positive. Zachary Yamada of Kenwood USA had this to say about the Yaris:

"It is definitely a commuter car. I don’t think that it would appeal in any means as a compact- performance car, although the look is aggressive for a Toyota. The [Honda] Fit was sportier, and seemed to be better aimed at the young buyer looking for a 'cooler' car to have. If I had no choice but to by one of these vehicles, I would still choose the Yaris because it would be easier for me to change the radio and 'add' a few upgrades like navigation without spending a lot of extra time and money integrating compared to the Honda and Versa."



Likewise, Coverking's Lance Pham agreed with the Yaris' humble approach, and stated that it was a "simple commuter car for younger kids," illustrating that the Yaris does not share the same mentality of the edgy Scion brand. According to Saatchi & Saatchi, the media house in charge of advertising for Toyota, the global auto manufacturer is looking to "bring more youth into the brand. Toyota wants a third of their sales to be to people under 30 years old." The Scion brand cultivates an urban attitude with extensive consumer customization, but the Yaris "showcases design, simplicity and practicality."

Joyce Leung, a measuring session participant from Myron and Davis, echoed this idea: "I think the Yaris will appeal to consumers trying to conserve money and for consumers who commute to work. The Yaris is a good economy commuter car, but I don't feel that it has as much potential in the aftermarket world like the Honda Fit does."

The compact market is becoming dense with automotive manufacturers tossing in economy cars poised to attract frugal buyers and entry-level consumers. Rich Brown, from American Racing, summed up the market:

"With the gas prices these days, I think more people will be looking at these cars. They will be great as go-to-work, run-to-the-market cars. Both have nice lines and an interior you would not expect in a small car. Both have great ads on TV aimed at gas mileage. If gas prices stay high it could be a shoot out between these two cars for buyers."



These differences in product design and marketing should signal to SEMA members that the marketplace for these vehicles is growing, but also variable. Accessory parts for cars within the same niche can be advertised to different customer bases. Consumers purchasing one compact vehicle might have a differing mindset than a consumer interested in another compact vehicle. Nonetheless, as these cars become widely available, the demand for specialty equipment should spike.

(Sources: "Scion Knows How to Sell Accessories," WardsAuto.com, Steve Finlay, May 22, 2006; "Toyota's Got Game and 'Mobisodes,'" Adweek, Gregory Solman, April 25, 2006; SEMA Research and Information Center)