Consumer Reports rates best and worst cars of 2012

[joshthorsc]

I bought my Yaris for reliability and as a gas saver while still seating four adults comfortably. At $16k, I'm not gonna expect it to be quiet and comfy like a luxury car. So far my Yaris has been great to me and I've no regrets and it's actually quite comfortable.

[Yaris SE Runner]

I took my SE from Niagara Falls NY. To the Outerbanks NC. (660 miles) to go hang gluiding 1 mile up. I got a solid 37 mpg doing 75 mph highway and small town driving, I'm happy with that with it only having 2000 miles on it should even get better.
As far as cabin noise, I found it to be very quiet, even at 75 mph. I did have the car undercoated when I bought it, that may have made a big difference. It didn't have anything to do with the 1000 watts of amps and 12 in sub. LOL.
As far as fun to drive, I found and find it very fun to drive, K&N Typoon, air bags and TRD rear stab. bar helps the fun factor. The air bags worked great 20 psi held it level and the rear was loaded to the max, I couldn't even tell there was a load it.
But that being said it should have come out more like the new Hyundai Elantra GT 148 hp 6 spd mt. I think the same mpg as the Yaris. That would have made it mad fun to drive.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Yaris SE Runner

I took my SE from Niagara Falls NY. To the Outerbanks NC. (660 miles) to go hang gluiding 1 mile up. I got a solid 37 mpg doing 75 mph highway and small town driving, I'm happy with that with it only having 2000 miles on it should even get better.
As far as cabin noise, I found it to be very quiet, even at 75 mph. I did have the car undercoated when I bought it, that may have made a big difference. It didn't have anything to do with the 1000 watts of amps and 12 in sub. LOL.
As far as fun to drive, I found and find it very fun to drive, K&N Typoon, air bags and TRD rear stab. bar helps the fun factor. The air bags worked great 20 psi held it level and the rear was loaded to the max, I couldn't even tell there was a load it.
But that being said it should have come out more like the new Hyundai Elantra GT 148 hp 6 spd mt. I think the same mpg as the Yaris. That would have made it mad fun to drive.

Wow. The Outer Banks. One of my main 'want to get to' places. My godson and his siblings and parents now live just south of Charlotte, so I'm hoping to make it to Charlotte, the Outer Banks, and other parts of NC in 2013. Is your SE one of the rare 5-speeds or is it an automatic?

[bentjazz]

Reliability and fuel efficiency----that's all I really care about and why I bought the Yaris. Yeah, okay, I care about safety and all that jazz, too. But everything else is really secondary to me. How often will I have to take this sucker into the garage once the warranty expires. That's the ticket, folks. I find the Yaris comfortable and quiet (not that I'd know any different, since I have moderate-to-severe hearing loss). My only regrets is buying a black Yaris and an AT. I was desperate for a car when I bought mine (but I did know I wanted a Yaris or Fit), went to my local Toyota dealership during a Toyotathon event in middle of winter during a brutal snow storm, and thought my Yaris looked cool. The Toyota salesman was clueless to where the other 5 door lb silver Yaris was on the lot, I was freezing to death, my toes were killing me and throbbing with numbness, so I just relented to the black Yaris. Ugh. Someone shoot me, please. At any rate, I'm not complaining and I'm owning my idiocy and despite me hating the color of my car, it's reliability and fuel efficiency more than make up for me being a complete moron.....

[Yaris SE Runner]

5spd MT traveled from Niagara Falls NY to Mass. to get my hands on my white SE 5spd. after waiting 8 weeks at ea. of three different Toyota dealers telling me they could get me a SE 5spd and taking a deposit. My 5spd is so fun to drive.
The Outer Banks was a very hot place to go to do things, hang gluiding 1 mile up, kayaking, body board surfing, hiking, had a place right on the beach. The SE was easy on gas, easy to drive small dark unknown roads, easy to park. That was all of the reasons I got it, to travel cheap, sport seat comfort and fun to drive. The SE drivers seat was very very comfortable for 12 hrs of straight driving.
Next trip is to Georgia for the all day rush at the largest, longest zip line and canopy adventure tour course in the world, so they say.

[Hershey]

We've always had small cars . Get numb to the noise over the years . Different tires can make a difference .

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Yaris SE Runner

5spd MT traveled from Niagara Falls NY to Mass. to get my hands on my white SE 5spd. after waiting 8 weeks at ea. of three different Toyota dealers telling me they could get me a SE 5spd and taking a deposit. My 5spd is so fun to drive.
The Outer Banks was a very hot place to go to do things, hang gluiding 1 mile up, kayaking, body board surfing, hiking, had a place right on the beach. The SE was easy on gas, easy to drive small dark unknown roads, easy to park. That was all of the reasons I got it, to travel cheap, sport seat comfort and fun to drive. The SE drivers seat was very very comfortable for 12 hrs of straight driving.
Next trip is to Georgia for the all day rush at the largest, longest zip line and canopy adventure tour course in the world, so they say.

Wow, your diligence did pay off though. IMHO, you have the holy grail of US spec Yari -- a white 5-speed SE. Now I know at least one was actually built and is owned by a private party. Another member compared looking for a 5-speed SE to looking for the last Dodo bird. I do wish the power windows on the SE could be 'downgraded' (but not in my mind) to hand crank windows.

[NJ Drive]

I averaged 41mpg to and from Lincoln, Nebraska this past week.
2700+ miles round trip.

What makes this even more impressive is that it was done on 205/50/16 Dunlop Direzza Star Specs.

It was the first time I ever used cruise control for gas-sipping purposes, and it works.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Hershey

We've always had small cars . Get numb to the noise over the years . Different tires can make a difference .

I've never understood why people consider noise a negative/anything to avoid. If you love cars and driving and sports cars why wouldn't you want to feel as at one with the road and the car as possible. Too much isolation from what is going on under the hood, IMHO, keeps one from being aware of clues that might help nip an issue in the bud. All of my friends growing up felt the same way.

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by NJ Drive

I averaged 41mpg to and from Lincoln, Nebraska this past week.
2700+ miles round trip.

What makes this even more impressive is that it was done on 205/50/16 Dunlop Direzza Star Specs.

It was the first time I ever used cruise control for gas-sipping purposes, and it works.

I'm going to be driving about 11,000-12,000 miles outside of Texas over the next 7 weeks and I hope I can keep up that same average I have even without cruise control. I do have the stock tire size, which will probably make that goal easier.

[Yaris SE Runner]

41mpg

[david_827]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

I've never understood why people consider noise a negative/anything to avoid. If you love cars and driving and sports cars why wouldn't you want to feel as at one with the road and the car as possible. Too much isolation from what is going on under the hood, IMHO, keeps one from being aware of clues that might help nip an issue in the bud. All of my friends growing up felt the same way.

+1, i feel the same way, being able to the hear what is happening under the hood can prevent a small problem from turning into an expensive one,

[Yaris SE Runner]

do you have any pics of the car with 205-50-16.

[mirapatec]

Consumer Reports is not as respected as it may have once been, in my opinion. I may view what they have to say and consider it, but my own experience is what I go with in the end.

[jpmck03]

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