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Which New Budget Car Better? Fit/Yaris/Versa? - READ ONLY

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Hatchback

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#34 of 225 The xA is a killer value by b3nut Mar 25, 2006 (10:04 am)
but I still think a 5-door Yaris should have been an option as well, since some find the xA's look to be overly boxy (I don't, I think it's sharp, but what do I know hehe). The 3-door Yaris is cute, though. I just wish Toyota would get over that speedometer-in-the-middle silliness, it just looks wrong. The ugliest take on that mistake I've ever seen though was in the Nissan Quest...rode in a rental with the inlaws to Chicago once. YIKES what an ugly dash!   Todd in Beerbratistan
#35 of 225 I saw something by nippononly Mar 25, 2006 (10:48 am)
on Toyota's website last night that I found encouraging - the ability to "build" a Yaris hatch with a package that added a tach! They had said previously that a tach was not available in the hatch at any price, and that is how the specs page reads, but unless that was a typo, it may actually be possible.   Of course, the tach is only in the fairly pricey power package. Still, that's an improvement. I prefer the Yaris just for the principle of owning a car that reaches 40 mpg on the EPA highway cycle, whatever that actually translates to in the real world (in my current car, that actually translates to 40 mpg in everyday driving).
#36 of 225 And, nippononly... by iluvmysephia1 Mar 25, 2006 (11:41 am)
if Toyota had brought over the 5-door hatch Yaris I may have considered straying over to the Toyota brand.   OTOH, what am I talking about, because I am one that does like the Scion xA's bodystyle. I have thoroughly reviewed it's corners and angles and curves and I find the little car very appealing. Whether my wife would like it or not is another question. Sound familiar, b3nut?   We're a one-rig-at-a-time couple and she picked out the '01 Sportage 4x4 when I was going after the recently remodeled 2002 Kia Spectra. The first Kia Spectra sedan offered in the States was what I had researched for us.   The Sportage costs a couple grand more but she said she always wanted a Sportage so we collectively pulled the trigger on one. It's been a very nice rig for us.   But I spend a lot of time looking at new rigs and she doesn't. And the Sportage is at 110,000 miles, running great, so we're staying put for now.   I seriously don't know if she would dig the look of the Scion xA though. I have the Scion brochure I got after my test drive on our coffee table but she won't look at it. Replies to this message: b3nut (Mar 25, 2006 12:13 pm)
#37 of 225 Re: And, nippononly... [iluvmysephia1] by b3nut Mar 25, 2006 (12:13 pm)
Replying to: iluvmysephia1 (Mar 25, 2006 11:41 am) "Sound familiar, b3nut?"   Hehehehehe, yep! Gave my little Rio5 a bath and vacuum this morning, she's looking really sharp right now. We're going to haul butt to pay my little rig off so my wife can get a small SUV. She really digs the Nissan Xterra but she liked the little Sportage they had in the showroom when we were signing the paperwork for my Rio. If the little Rio holds up like I think it will maybe we'll end up with another Kia.   Todd in Beerbratistan
#38 of 225 speaking of budget cars by nippononly Mar 25, 2006 (12:19 pm)
how about a budget mini-SUV or two? I was looking at the Tucson 4WD last night, and with the stick it is pretty well loaded for under $20K. The only thing I wonder about with the new Sportage/Tucson twins is the engine: a 2.0 pulling around that big a car? I think you probaby NEED the stick in that application. The auto must suffer.   It does have the advantage of being one of the few "cute utes" that you can get in 4WD with a stick.   so iluv: you wouldn't consider the Yaris sedan, huh?
#39 of 225 nippononly... by iluvmysephia1 Mar 25, 2006 (2:10 pm)
I haven't totally X-ed it off of my further consideration, but, to me, it gives me the same impression as the same old Toyota Corolla look. When test driving the xA I even mentioned that to the Toyota/salesman and he agreed with me! Trying to be agreeable, that they will do.   No, I do think that one gets a lot of nice car in the Yaris sedan for the money, though. Don't they run up to about $14,500 or $15,000 for a well-equipped one with a stick, nippon?
#40 of 225 iluv by nippononly Mar 25, 2006 (3:18 pm)
Yup, an 'S' with the power package (which is about as fully loaded as they go) is about $15,2. I guess the automatic would be $16K. I don't imagine they will sell many of those though.   I assume the next-gen Corolla will go upmarket a year from now and its price will increase, and then perhaps they will sell a few more of those $16K Yaris sedans, I dunno. The Civic has already retreated to higher-priced territory, and I am sure the Sentra will do the same this summer.   OTOH, if you get the base Yaris sedan (giving up the silly-looking cladding, side skirts, and whatnot) with the power package, it prices out at about $14,5, again pretty much fully loaded at that price (with a stick. Figure $15,3 or so for the automatic).   Plus, the sedans have height-adjustable driver's seats, which the hatch doesn't.
#41 of 225 Yaris by mirth Mar 26, 2006 (1:48 pm)
Has anyone noticed that the Yaris front-end looks like it was stolen from a Mazda?
#42 of 225 I didn't think it looked too Mazda-like by b3nut Mar 26, 2006 (2:18 pm)
though I can see where the idea might come from, in a distant way. But most of these little vehicles are derivative of something. I do have to say, looking at my Kia Rio5, is if I had never seen one and someone photoshopped a VW logo onto the front of it and told me it was a new compact VW hatch, I would have believed it. It reminds me of a Volkswagen in a difficult-to-pin-down way, including driving it, and I mean that in a good way. It's very European in its execution, IMHO.   Todd in Beerbratistan
#43 of 225 Many here know by boaz47 Mar 26, 2006 (4:04 pm)
I am not a big fan of real small cars. I tend to hold to the idea that the Civic is about as small as is practical for most Americans with any kind of active lifestyle. But I have looked into some of the small offerings when thinking about getting a second car because the small cars should have a place in that part of the market. (only my opinion friends not a challenge to those who like small cars.) The new Rio 5 looks interesting and drives better than I expected. However I didn't expect much and I had "just' tried a test drive in a Aerio so the rio seemed a bit sluggish. Not that the Aerio was a pocket rocket. The problem isn't that Kia has come a long way the problem is the other cars have not stayed in place waiting for Kia to catch up. We have had time to judge Honda and Toyota and they have for the most part delivered what they have promised.   If I decided to get a small car for my wife Honda and Toyota might make the short list. But once we start making a list, if you are like me you start researching everything you can on the vehicles and the company. There is very little a person with a computer can do except to look at sites like JD powers and even CR and see what others have rated some of the vehicles your are interested in. Once you get that far into your study you quickly see that Honda and Toyota are pretty safe bets if you are going to place you bet on a new car and expect it to serve you well for whatever number of years "you" tend to keep your car. Once again Kia sits at the bottom of the pack.   Could I get a xA, Fit or the like and take care of it so it lasts as long as I want it to last? More than likely the answer is yes. I am not at all sure I could drop down in size from a Civic or Mazda3 but it is possible. Would I go against the odds and buy a car from the lowest rated company among my choices? I doubt it even if I was very interested in one of the old Metros and Sprints when they first hit the used car lots.   In a case like this it reminds me of a car race that you are allowed to bet on. The car that qualified dead last has a chance to win because at least it is in the race. But it would seem to be a wiser bet to place your money on someone closer to the top. For this race Toyota and Honda would seem a much wiser bet than Kia. (even if I would have to feel nippons smirk at my coming over to his style of car.)

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