Highway Driving Question

[Partsguy19]

Thank you for the reply. Being the "S" model it has 15" tires (I would guess that's a plus).

I haven't owned a small car in about 20 years but my new drive to work is forcing me to "make sense" with my commute and save a ton of money!!

As far as tire choice goes, I have learned over the years you can't beat Michelin tires. Pay the price for them and they will prove their cost.

[ern-diz]

Originally Posted by Partsguy19

Thank you for the reply. Being the "S" model it has 15" tires (I would guess that's a plus).

I haven't owned a small car in about 20 years but my new drive to work is forcing me to "make sense" with my commute and save a ton of money!!

As far as tire choice goes, I have learned over the years you can't beat Michelin tires. Pay the price for them and they will prove their cost.

I agree, the wider wheel/tire combo of the S trim should help, and I'm also with you about Michelin. Best all-season tires I've ever ran.

[Captain Yaris]

Congrats on the car! I drive about 90% highway and I will tell you that I had complained about wandering issues at 70+ mph before. Many members steered me the right way. I am still working on the issue but the conclusion that I’ve come to is that these cars are so light, they are influenced by every small imperfection in the road and tread pattern matters. Kimona is a member on here who has good advice. My current wheel setup is 16x7.5 inch wheels with 205/50 series tires. I plan on adding a rear sway bar, lowering springs, and switch to a 3 ribbed tire pattern. I really don’t want to experiment with front/rear spoilers, diffusers, or canards but I will attack that after. It’s funny but I just picked up my mother from the airport today and with myself, her, my 8 yr old son and her 2 suitcases with a full tank of gas, the car tracked straight and true.

[kimmysawi]

Originally Posted by Captain Yaris

Congrats on the car! I drive about 90% highway and I will tell you that I had complained about wandering issues at 70+ mph before. Many members steered me the right way. see reviews of phenq diet pillsI am still working on the issue but the conclusion that I’ve come to is that these cars are so light, they are influenced by every small imperfection in the road and tread pattern matters. Kimona is a member on here who has good advice. My current wheel setup is 16x7.5 inch wheels with 205/50 series tires. I plan on adding a rear sway bar, lowering springs, and switch to a 3 ribbed tire pattern. I really don’t want to experiment with front/rear spoilers, diffusers, or canards but I will attack that after. It’s funny but I just picked up my mother from the airport today and with myself, her, my 8 yr old son and her 2 suitcases with a full tank of gas, the car tracked straight and true.

Don't you think that diffusers was far better ?

[maui]

These little cars are terrible on the highway for several reasons

1) they only have 4 speed auto boxes, and they start buzzing at about
50mph, road noise is unacceptable, some have pulled interiors and
soundproofed. Manual trans may be better.

2) even with premium 195/60/15 Michelins handling at speed is just ok
Tires help dramatically with the econobox.

3) they have very little road presence and other drivers give them little if any
respect

Have 8 years of experience with both sedan and hatch, mostly maintaining
but driving on occasion. Comparing with 5 series BMW and E class
Mercedes is not fair but even Camry was significantly better and we are
talking '03, 01, and 00 vintage.

On the positive note they handle just fine at speeds less than 50 mph and
are super easy to maneuver and park. Maintenance could not be easier
or less expensive. Great fuel economy.
With a good ceramic tint, are much nicer inside especially with dark 6"
band across top of windshield.

[ern-diz]

Originally Posted by maui

These little cars are terrible on the highway for several reasons

1) they only have 4 speed auto boxes, and they start buzzing at about
50mph, road noise is unacceptable, some have pulled interiors and
soundproofed. Manual trans may be better.

2) even with premium 195/60/15 Michelins handling at speed is just ok
Tires help dramatically with the econobox.

3) they have very little road presence and other drivers give them little if any
respect

Have 8 years of experience with both sedan and hatch, mostly maintaining
but driving on occasion. Comparing with 5 series BMW and E class
Mercedes is not fair but even Camry was significantly better and we are
talking '03, 01, and 00 vintage.

On the positive note they handle just fine at speeds less than 50 mph and
are super easy to maneuver and park. Maintenance could not be easier
or less expensive. Great fuel economy.
With a good ceramic tint, are much nicer inside especially with dark 6"
band across top of windshield.

I wonder if it's a road thing? I've had my hatch for over 10 years now and I regularly bomb around these SoCal highways and byways at 80 MPH and it feels good. More visceral than a luxury sedan, of course, but I don't mind that. I'm not trying to say it's a drivers car by any means, but I wouldn't call it terrible either.

We test drove a Hyundai Sonata back in 2011 and it felt like it was on water while going down the road. Bouncing and rolling all over the place. I'd take my Yaris hatch over that heap of shit every day of the weak and twice on Sunday.

[Captain Yaris]

Originally Posted by kimmysawi

Don't you think that diffusers was far better ?

I haven’t done any diffuser mods. To be honest, the rear sway bar did 70% of the job. I think lowered with stiffer suspension could iron out the rest.