Plenty Improved But Facing Stiffer Competition Than Ever



Toyota lost much of its credibility with enthusiasts after killing off what few performance cars it offered years ago, and yet the average car buyer still seems drawn to most anything wearing one of its badges. Even so, there has been one vehicle in the Toyota lineup that enthusiasts and cars-as-appliance shoppers have seemingly agreed upon for all the wrong reasons: the Yaris.

The subcompact Yaris has never taken hold here in the U.S. like its larger Corolla and Camry stablemates - its awkward shape and unmemorable driving characteristics combined to keep this little Toyota from the top of the sales charts. The Yaris has always remained far behind the monthly sales talliess of the more engaging Honda Fit and practical Nissan Versa.

Toyota has gone back to the drawing board for the 2012 model year, combating the dullness of the old Yaris with a combination of more expressive styling and the promise of improved driving dynamics. It has even tuned the Yaris SE with a stiffer suspension and bigger tires as an olive branch of sorts to budget-minded enthusiasts, so we couldn't resist taking the reins of a five-door SE for a week-long test to see if Toyota's new, greener branch is worth taking.Continue reading 2012 Toyota Yaris SE

2012 Toyota Yaris SE originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.


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