Autoblog: Revised Yaris to debut this year

[Lewis]

I sure hope we get the start-stop, CVT option and heaven help us - could we hope for direct injection? That's what the car needs to stay competitive mileage wise if they keep the current motor. Absent these things I'll be sticking with my 2009.

The big problem with the Yaris in the USA is that it comes from Japan and competes with cars built in Mexico and Korea making it impossible for Toyota financially to give us the content it needs to be a first class competitor in it's segment.

Until Toyota decides to get behind the C segment in the USA and invest in a USA or Mexican plant for the C segment the Yaris will always just be a place holder for them.

I think they would at this point rather sell you a Corolla.

[Kal-El]

Originally Posted by Lewis

I sure hope we get the start-stop, CVT option and heaven help us - could we hope for direct injection? That's what the car needs to stay competitive mileage wise if they keep the current motor. Absent these things I'll be sticking with my 2009.

The big problem with the Yaris in the USA is that it comes from Japan and competes with cars built in Mexico and Korea making it impossible for Toyota financially to give us the content it needs to be a first class competitor in it's segment.

Until Toyota decides to get behind the C segment in the USA and invest in a USA or Mexican plant for the C segment the Yaris will always just be a place holder for them.

I think they would at this point rather sell you a Corolla.

Exactly right.

Building in Japan is expensive, and building the Yaris with barely any margin for profit is extremely tough for Toyota.

I had heard rumors about Toyota moving production to the US. Thing is, reliability is superb out of Japan which is one of the reasons why the Yaris is one of the most reliable cars ever created. Some of that quality may suffer if moved elsewhere.

For the US, yes, the Yaris has to be priced low. Otherwise, everyone just goes for the Corolla. It's not like being in Japan or Europe where people pay good money for small cars.

I don't mind them carrying over the engine, the thing is bullet proof. But like you said, they need serious efficiency upgrades for it. Everyone's doing 40 mpg now, Toyota is expected to beat that.