Thinking about getting a yaris, anyway to improve the steering?

[singleslammer]

So yeah, I am thinking about getting an 08 yaris liftback S model with a stick and have been a little down on the steering. I know that it isnt a sports car but I was wondering if there was any hope for the electric steering and the numb feel? has anyone made this car more entertaining? I have a 93 mr2 and cant get around that fact that I cant feel the road in this car. Help!

[EchoHoLiK]

I sympathize with your concern. Although I'm not experienced in the Yaris e-steering experience, I get the same numb/disconnect feeling from driving the Gen5 Camry.

I think if you're settling for an 08 Yaris liftback, I guess you just have to live with it and learn to use it. There're some here that didn't like the e-steering (and the e-throttle), whereas others have gotten used to it, and actually preferred it now that they're used to it. So it's hard to say. Perhaps a different set of tires will do the trick? It'd be great for other Yaris owners to chime in.

I drive a 05 Echo hatchback (same as "liftback" but it's the Yaris's previous generation that was sold only in Canada), and I don't think you can buy one in the States (but you can still get the regular Echo sedan). Although you can buy the equivalent of that which are the Scion xA and xB (the 1st gen). Mine is a 5-speed manual with just regular power-steering, and this little car is full of feel. If you can get past the Echo's look, it's truly a driver's car.

So my advice to you is that, if you can't see yourself living with the e-steering of the new Yaris, maybe have a look at the older Scion xA or xB (since you can't get the Echo hatchback there), or even the Echo sedan if you don't mind a sedan and if you get past the looks.

I reckon though it's a "matter of time" thing. It'd be something that you'll learn to live with and get used to. It's hard to judge at this point when only test driving it for a few miles. For me, I can drive the Gen5 Camry pretty well after having "learned" the steering's numbness, and sometimes I even quite liked the "disconnectness" when driving on rough roads where you don't want to feel everything from the road. So it's hard to say.

Good luck on your decision.

[Ryu]

Sorry I was using an automatic but from my reading on yarisworld, they had get the shorten shifter to improve the driving feeling.
http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/sho...ight=short+NST

If you do have some question regarding yaris, I am strongly suggest that you can ask them in www.yarisworld.com

[EchoHoLiK]

^^^ The OP's concern was the e-steering, not the shifter. Nonetheless it's good advice for the OP to go check out yarisworld.com Probably more info/opinions over there that he can use to decide his purchase.

[thebarber]

ya, you cant change it...

maybe buy a honda fit?

[CDNVITZ]

Originally Posted by thebarber

ya, you cant change it...

maybe buy a honda fit?

Hope that was a joke^^

But yeah steering, handling not much to do except the obvious which is make it stiffer from strutbars, sway bars, lowering the suspension, and slap on some nice 15 x 8 +25 offset or 15 x 7 +35 offset wheels with a 205 50 15 tire for better handling.

Hope this helps better then buying a HON - DUH!

-Rick

[RningOnFumes]

I couldn't tell you how or why, but this could be a posiblity: http://yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=13047

[singleslammer]

Thanks for the link about the ball joints. Thats what I was wondering if anyone was trying to fix the junk steering.

I drove the fit as well and didnt find anything too exciting about it. The looks are too van like, not hot hatch.

Honestly, the biggest thing keeping me away from the yaris is the rear suspension. come on, who uses a solid axle on a front drive car any more?

[EchoHoLiK]

Originally Posted by singleslammer

Honestly, the biggest thing keeping me away from the yaris is the rear suspension. come on, who uses a solid axle on a front drive car any more?

Geez, not this complaint again

First of all, it's not a solid axle, but called a torsion beam.

Second of all, it drives just fine even with rear torsion beam. You might not get sports car like handling, but then again, it's NOT a sports car. The purpose of the Yaris does not justify the cost and complexity of IRS. And as a rebuttal on your statement "who uses a solid axle on a front drive car any more," the current Honda Civic (which has always had IRS for previous generations) is now rear torsion beam, and it's doing just fine in the handling department.

And with the supposed "shortcomings" of rear torsion beam in terms of handling, what you get in return are: more rear trunk space, natural anti-roll movement at the rear, simplicity, durability, and low cost in maintenance.

Last but not least, instead of complaining about the car, one might need to complain about the driver's skills instead

But hey, if such petty thinking keeps you away from the Yaris, honestly I think your best bet is the Honda Fit, seriously

[Lasse D]

Originally Posted by EchoHoLiK

Last but not least, instead of complaining about the car, one might need to complain about the driver's skills instead

But hey, if such petty thinking keeps you away from the Yaris, honestly I think your best bet is the Honda Fit, seriously

I will second that.

At first I thought it was a problem with the US version, since the one we get in EU has some of the best steerings feels in the segment (equal to the Mini IMO), but the later responses suggest that a Yaris will not be a car for him. I think the old version of the Aveo has IRS. I'm sure you can find one where the steering assist is broken as well.

[singleslammer]

nevermind. I think that I am just going to hold off for awhile, fix my cressida and do my v6 swap on my mr2. I dont think that I can handle driving something designed in the 50s that is numb and slow as dirt.

[EchoHoLiK]

Originally Posted by singleslammer

I dont think that I can handle driving something designed in the 50s that is numb and slow as dirt.

What? You mean your Cressida and your MR2?

[Ginza Wagon]

Originally Posted by EchoHoLiK

Geez, not this complaint again

First of all, it's not a solid axle, but called a torsion beam.

Second of all, it drives just fine even with rear torsion beam. You might not get sports car like handling, but then again, it's NOT a sports car. The purpose of the Yaris does not justify the cost and complexity of IRS. And as a rebuttal on your statement "who uses a solid axle on a front drive car any more," the current Honda Civic (which has always had IRS for previous generations) is now rear torsion beam, and it's doing just fine in the handling department.

And with the supposed "shortcomings" of rear torsion beam in terms of handling, what you get in return are: more rear trunk space, natural anti-roll movement at the rear, simplicity, durability, and low cost in maintenance.

Last but not least, instead of complaining about the car, one might need to complain about the driver's skills instead

But hey, if such petty thinking keeps you away from the Yaris, honestly I think your best bet is the Honda Fit, seriously

I agree with you 100%, except for the Honda Civic thing. it still has double-wishbone IRS.

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2008/hond.../standard.html

[EchoHoLiK]

Originally Posted by Ginza Wagon

I agree with you 100%, except for the Honda Civic thing. it still has double-wishbone IRS.

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2008/hond.../standard.html

Thanks for the link. You're right, but I wasn't entirely wrong.

I guess only the euro Civic hatchback sports the rear torsion-beam suspension. The opinions of that setup seemed to be split (you'd hate it if you're used to driving previous Civics with IRS, but it's of no concern to people that're used to torsion beam rear). http://www.autozine.org/html/Honda/Civic_8th.html

My thoughts are that only drivers that grew up driving cars with more superior IRS tend to complain about torsion beam. Plus a car like the Yaris has very short wheelbase, so the "bumpiness" will be magnified, which isn't entirely the rear suspension's fault. So my conclusion is that it's mainly the driver's skills issue.

[singleslammer]

Bring it on man Ill kick your ass in the cressida and not even have to break out the mr2. If you notice the mk2 mr2 has electronic power steering the doesn't suck, I am curious how it go worse over the course of 10 years. Heres the thing, you admit that it doesn't handle like a sports car, and that it never will. How do you expect to take on vehicles that were designed to take a corner? The mr2 (any gen) can kick even the most highly modified yaris all over the street in show room trim. I am done with this conversation, your car is a people mover only and has no potential to be anything but boring.