2009 Toyota Yaris

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Summary

The Toyota Yaris is the lowest priced Toyota and the model that best represents the value of good, basic transportation. It boasts handsome looks, pleasant road manners, perky performance, and a well-tailored interior.

Full Review 2009

For 2009, the biggest change is the addition of a five-door Liftback model to the lineup, which includes the three-door Liftback and the four-door Sedan. This makes the Yaris the only vehicle in its category to offer buyers three distinct body styles.

All 2009 Yaris models now come standard with anti-lock brakes, front seat-mounted side airbags and front and rear side-curtain airbags. Cruise control is available on 2009 Liftback models and audio systems are satellite-capable.

All Yaris models combine an inexpensive sticker price, outstanding fuel mileage and the solid integrity that underlies every Toyota. We've found the Yaris practical and enjoyable to drive. relative to the price point and the seats are comfortable. The 2009 Toyota Yaris comes in three-door Liftback, five-door Liftback, and four-door Sedan body styles. All Yaris models are powered through the front wheels by a 1.5-liter engine with an output of 106 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission is standard with the three-door Liftback and Sedan, but not available with the five-door Liftback, while a four-speed automatic is standard with the five-door Liftback and optional for the three-door Liftback and four-door Sedan. Each body style is available in base and S trim levels.

Trims and Styling 2009 Yaris

The Yaris three-door Liftback ($12,205), five-door Liftback ($13,305), and four-door Sedan ($12,965) come standard with air conditioning, power steering, tilt steering wheel, intermittent wipers, rear center headrest, driver and passenger vanity mirrors, front and rear cupholders, digital clock, UV glass and a map light. Base Yaris models are pre-wired for a radio, but the sound system itself is an option. The Liftback's front seats are adjustable four ways, while the Sedan's are adjustable six ways. The Liftback's rear seat folds down while the Sedan's rear seat is fixed. 

The Yaris Liftback S three-door ($14,025) and five-door ($15,125) upgrade with sport seat fabric, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, AM/FM/CD audio with MP3/WMA and universal mini-jack, an amber-illuminated tachometer, rear window wiper and defroster, color-keyed front and rear under-bumper spoilers, special badging, and P185/60 tires on 15-inch steel wheels with full covers. The Yaris Sedan S ($15,080) is similarly equipped, but skips the leather wrappings for a 60/40 split fold-down rear seat.

A Convenience Package for Liftback ($680) and Sedan ($840) models adds the radio, 15-inch wheels and tires, rear defroster, and 60/40 split/fold-down rear seats for the Sedan and a rear wiper for the Liftback. There are a variety of Power Packages that add power door locks, windows, cruise control, upgraded trim, an LCD screen for audio, and mirrors and features such as a 60/40 split rear seat that slides, reclines, and folds completely flat. Safety features that come standard include dual-stage driver and front passenger airbags, front seat-mounted side airbags, front and rear side-curtain airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plus three-point seatbelts and head restraints for all five seating positions. Anti-lock brakes with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) comes standard.

The Toyota Yaris has an appealing look to it, especially the Liftback. The three-door Liftback was designed around the theme of powerful simplicity. Like everything else about the Yaris, the hatch's function feels just right. The Sedan is significantly longer than the Liftback, by 3.5 inches in wheelbase and nearly 19 inches overall. Standard running gear consists of P175/65R14 radial tires on 14-inch steel wheels, and the brakes are front ventilated discs and rear drums. The suspension is independent in front, with a semi-independent torsion beam in the rear.

Interior Styling and Features 2009

The Yaris is a marvel of space efficiency with clever cockpit packaging. The Sedan's front seats do feature a height adjustment, which helps the driver find a more comfortable position. And the Sedan's longer wheelbase provides about another two inches of legroom front and rear. 

Access to the Liftback's rear seat is provided by a walk-in lever in the shoulder area of the front passenger seat. The rear seats in the Sedan and Liftback are adequate to the task of hauling passengers over short distances, but the Liftback offers the advantage of a recline feature that increases the seatback angle from 10 degrees to 28 degrees. The Sedan's rear seating can also be ordered in a 60/40 split configuration, but there is no recline feature. 

Cargo space in the Liftback with the seats upright is 9.5 cubic feet, or 25.7 cubic feet with the seats folded down. The Sedan's cargo volume is 12.9 cubic feet with the standard rear seat and 13.7 behind the 60/40 folding seats. Folding the Sedan's seats adds volume. The wide rear openings, which extend down to bumper level, make the task of loading and unloading the Yaris easier.

Just as the two Yaris models differ in exterior styling, the instrument panels for the Liftback and Sedan are distinctive. Each features a center-mounted gauge cluster and an overall simplicity of design. Manual-shift Sedans, S-model Liftbacks, and automatic Sedans with the Power Package add a tachometer. Turn signals and lights are operated by the left-side steering column-mounted stalk; the right stalk is for the front wipers (plus a rear wiper on the Liftback). For those cars equipped with the MP3 stereo, the center console includes an auxiliary input. 

The Toyota Yaris excels as around-town transportation, price considered or not. The four-speed automatic works well, too. The optional 15-inch running gear sharpens handling and steering and makes the car an agreeable companion through the corners. The electric power steering rack adds to the confidence-inspiring road manners. Fuel economy for the 2009 Yaris is an EPA-estimated 29/36 mpg City/Highway (35 mpg Highway with the automatic).

2009 Conclusion

The Toyota Yaris proves that inexpensive should not be confused with cheap. From their well sculptured exterior lines to the tailored, upscale look of their interiors, little about the Yaris liftback or sedan suggests the cutting of corners. "This is an urban/suburban/go-to-the store car. And that's not a bad thing."  says Boston Globe "Having replaced the slow-selling Echo two years back, the Yaris has gained in popularity and, although it remains the smallest and least expensive vehicle in the Toyota brand line-up, it is still packed with value."  adds Kelley Blue Book The Yaris is practical and convenient. Agile and zippy, the Yaris excels around town and works well for commuting.