Vehicle: 2007 Toyota Yaris sedan with 4-speed automatic and Aero Package
Price as tested: CDN$18560

Performance: Just like its hatch silibing, Yaris sedan is powered by identical 1.5L DOHC VVT-i that is good for 106 hp and 103 lb/ft of torque. With maximum torque of 103 lb/ft available as low as 4200 rpm, with our tester’s optional 4-speed automatic. This little motor is no sloush. There are plenty of get-up-and-go in the bottom end. As one would expect from an economy car, the engine becomes noisy once pushed through the high rpm. On the other hand, engine refinement and NVH remain as one of the top helm of the class. However, I highly recommend to go with 5-speed stick shift if you are going to get one of these 1.5L economy car. The stick shift gears a lot better out of this little mill.

Handling: One of the biggest shortcomings of previous Echo sedan was its handicapped dynamics. While Yaris sedan doesn’t have the sharpness of its hatchback silibing, it handles much superior than its predecessor. Gone are the floaty chassis and terrible handling/ride compromise. In with the much more comfortable ride quality. On the other hand, its suspension hangs on to those corners with ease even with 15″ tires. As one expected from Toyota, its electric power steering is devoid of driver feedback despite it got more than acceptable response. Body rolls remain significant but understeer is more tamed than before.

Brakes: The biggest surprise of Yaris sedan in relative to its hatch sibling is the standard ABS. In the hatchback, you have to go up above LE in order to get it as an option. In the sedan, ABS is the standard fare even in base 14k version. That’s unfair to those who are buying a hatch with similar option. Despite that, Yaris’s brake pedal feels more than capable for daily driving. The stopping distance and modulation are up to the task. Even with 15″ wheels, ABS won’t intervene until absolutely necessary.

Interior: Interior is another area with huge improvement in Yaris sedan in relative to Echo sedan. Echo sedan was notoriously for its poor use of materials with decent finish. Yaris sedan finally got the materials worthy of the Toyota name. Although you still find plenty of hard plastic as one expected from econocar, those are of high-quality without hallow sound. Another worthy improvement is it finally got the space it needed. Just like its predecessor, center instrumentation has to get used to. The center console is very well laid-out with excellent ergonomics and lots of storage space.

For an econocar, Yaris sedan’s cargo space is more than acceptable. Although the liftover is high with instrusive trunk hinges to save costs; its 40/60 split fold-down gives some extra versatility.

Conclusion: Sedan is a welcome addition to popular Yaris range. It not only looks far better than its Echo predecessor, it also solved many of its shortcomings.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2007 TOYOTA YARIS SEDAN
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Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 3.5/5