Filed under: Car Buying, Economy, Hatchbacks, Toyota
Still ugly: Toyota gives Yaris the Emperor's New Colors
Click above to for hi-res gallery of the new Yaris colors and models
Yaris: Not really cool or good looking for that matter. Factory photography: the cure for uncool. Toyota has released a couple of new colors for the Yaris Liftbacks - Yellow Jolt and Carmine Red Metallic. An ochreous or insect-derived hue doesn't instantly remove the Joe Camel nose or the S version's tacked on bodykit, but there's something sharp about the accessorized penalty box that Toyota's showing off here. The Yaris sedan gets a couple of more subdued colors - Zephyr Blue Metallic and Blue Streak Metallic. Of course, new colors don't make the Yaris any better, but we must grudgingly admit that while it doesn't stir our souls, it's a decent lob over the plate. Though the price can get uncomfortably close to $20,000 (yikes!). Take a look at the gallery below, which also includes shots of the new five-door hatch model in faux sporty S trim. Indeed, the Yaris has never looked better, and likely never will.
Gallery: 2009 Toyota Yaris
[Source: Open Road]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
P.V. 11:34AM (8/08/2008)
Still ugly as ever...
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MKIV 1:20PM (8/08/2008)
Well the color is a bit off but I like the styling of it a lot.
Polly Prissy Pants 1:24PM (8/08/2008)
You guys think this is ugly yet call the Ford Flex stylish. Oh the irony...
tankd0g 2:21PM (8/08/2008)
Is that a 3/4" chrome exhaust tip? lol
geo.stewart 4:20PM (8/08/2008)
actually exterior looks pretty good.
a near 20K sticker and a cheap center pod kill it all to h e double hockey sticks
BlackCanary 11:39AM (8/08/2008)
The five door is the nicest looking and the rims on the yellow one are a big improvement. The interior is still hideous much prefer the Fit.
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Gregg 11:47AM (8/08/2008)
I think it's cute. The sedan, however, looks like a shrunken Camry. Here's a question...how come the hatchbacks have little vent windows by the mirrors and the sedan does not?
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BlackCanary 11:51AM (8/08/2008)
Cute is the problem.
Doug 12:41PM (8/08/2008)
Every time my girlfriend sees one she can't shut up about how much she wants to hug it... Which is only one of the many reasons I would never even consider buying it.
djSyndrome 2:58PM (8/08/2008)
Because technically they're two different cars. The Yaris sedan is actually the Belta, but they're all called Yaris in the US for marketing reasons.
http://toyota.jp/belta/index.html
bluestate 11:54AM (8/08/2008)
Ugh - I hate that there appears to be two versions of the instrument panel. I greatly prefer the dashboard layout of (what appears to be) the sedan, with the knobs laid out more conventionally, rather than lined up vertically. What gives?
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gotsmart 11:56AM (8/08/2008)
I wish Toyota (and to a lesser degree, Honda) would do a better job with their "sporty" body kits. Maybe do properly integrated front and rear bumper covers?
Those kits always look like they're stuck on a base model car with double-sided tape.
Probably because they ARE stuck on base-model cars with double-sided tape.
I suppose it's one way to economize at the factory by having the "sport" packages be dealer-installable options.
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Cellien 2:17PM (8/08/2008)
Haha, I always thought the same about the Toyota body kits. They don't look factory, they look aftermarket. I don't like it, I'd rather have the car without them.
Joshua 11:57AM (8/08/2008)
yaris does what it was designed for well and looks great. aside from what appears to be chrome, the main article image of the yaris also looks great. $20,000 seems fair to me for upper end trim.
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Pipepr 1:36PM (8/08/2008)
The problem is, for 20k you can get a more mid-size Mazda 3 5-door hatch with a lot of premium extras. Or a Subaru Impreza 5-door hatch AWD with 170hp with lots of goodies as well.
$20k Yaris 5-door hatch, 106hp... WHAT. It needs to be around $12k for what you get.
The MPG between them all are close enough to not sway any buyers one way or another, either.
brn 11:58AM (8/08/2008)
I hate to beat the same drum, but unless these new colors are somehow more "green", why would this be posted on ABG?
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brn 12:09PM (8/08/2008)
Crap. Wrong board.
Nevermind.
Farris 12:12PM (8/08/2008)
......this isn't AutoblogGreen.
Farris 12:13PM (8/08/2008)
What the heck... when I clicked "Reply," you hadn't responded yet. My apologies.
bajabusta 12:00PM (8/08/2008)
I went to 'hot import nights' here in seattle last weekend and saw the coolest' Yaris ever, (shut it), rear drive toyota truck powerplant, and it was set up to drift! It was w/o hesitation , 'the coolest yaris ever'
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