2015 Toyota

Review: 2015 Yaris Offers Big Moments

Written by CreativeAuto

Zooming in and out of tight spots is normal for race car drivers. There are moments when the average driver needs to take this race track etiquette to the streets, alleyways and parking lots of the city. The Toytoa 2015 Yaris SE Liftback, which features sport-tuned electric power steering, allows you to do this with ease.

The 5-door, 5-seater includes a 4-speed automatic transmission, 1.5 DOHC 16 Valve 4-Cylinder VVT-i and16-inch machine finished alloy wheels with P195/50R 16 tires.

When the Blue Streak Metallic package arrived for my test drive, the bold color outweighed the fact that this was indeed a small package, just less than 13 feet long. Honestly, I released a sigh of relief the moment a 5-foot-9 friend sat in the fabric-trimmed front seat and announced the impressive amount of leg room (39.3/37.6 inches) and head room (40.6/33.3 inches). Shoulder room is not too shabby either at 52.5/51.8 inches. Add to that the storage space flexibility with the 40-60 split rear seats, and you’re ready to make most anything fit.

The usable space inside douses any fear that you and a few of your good friends couldn’t take a short road trip and still be friends at the end of it all. You’ll have a good laugh the moment you remember to turn off the child protector rear-door locks to let them out. Hopefully it is before your almost-former friends start banging on the windows, yelling for you to let them out.

Equipped with sport-tuned independent McPherson strut and a front strut with a stabilizer bar, this magical package gets you so hyped about the ease of maneuvering through city streets that you think you’re taking that same momentum with you as you make your way on to the highway. Not so. It will take a few more seconds to hit your optimum speed, but once you do you will coast with no problem.

This efficient, safe and respectable ride offers a six-way adjustable driver’s seat while nine airbags offer security for everyone. When driving it’s always easy to focus on the road ahead, but when I encountered an unexpected rain-snow mix I reveled in the moment I remembered the back appeal of this Yaris: rear wiper and defogger. Yes! Let the trumpets sound.

2015 Toyota Yaris MSRP: $17, 620. Combined city/highway MPG: 32.

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