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Toyota Yaris III, the car that was adored by delivery drivers, broke college students, geriatric people, driving schools, Titus Steel, Aubrey Plaza, and half of Toyota fans. And yet, why don’t we see so many more of them on the streets of our homeland?

The first-generation Yaris is still popular among those who don’t have money for a car but enjoy what their parents or grandparents handed them down. As proof to Japanese reliability, these wheeled washing machines are still travelling the roads, whether paved, cobbled, muddy, dusty, rocky or all of themc obined. Whether you weighed 35 kgs or 165 kgs, the Toyota Yaris I is a car for anyone who has no automotive inclines in life and just wants to drive around. However, why you wouldn’t get an cheaper, ancient Ford Mondeo, I don’t know. Same money, more metal. Reliability doesn’t matter anyway when you buy cars priced in 2-3 digits. Some kitchen oil there, a wire there, duct tape here, nothing there, and so on.

Then came the Toyota Yaris II which was a questionable car to say the least and came at a slightly unfortunate time. In 2005 the Aygo-C1-107 triplet was delivered and basically stormed the whole market for kebab and pizza delivery cars, which on every Friday night delivers to drunk and very drunk people who were spilling their bodily fluids everywhere, including on the poor delivery guy. By the way, have you ever seen women working the delivery? Anyway, the fact that the Yaris was no longer the official pizza delivery chariot and the fact that they were very expensive limited their clientele to only ladies and young ladies intimidated by the size of an X3 or a Rav4.

And that’s what you see in the rest of the story, the Toyota Yaris III. The Toyota Yaris III remains mostly reserved for the ladies, more exclusive than a beauty parlor where guys with naked ankles come visit from time to time. It’s too expensive to be a delivery car, it’s too small to be a taxi and it’s too harmless looking for men. Toyota Yaris III – the envelope bag of the automotive world.

But at least it gets you from home to kindergarten then to work then back to kindergarten then to the mall then to the salon, simply, efficiently, and without the worry of the car breaking down in the middle of the junction and without the worry of getting stuck on the ramp or in the IKEA parking lot. It’s simple to drive, simple to maintain, and appealing to women. If I were to compare it to another car, then the Toyota Yaris III would be a luxury Suzuki Swift.

Toyota Yaris III Engines

Petrol

• 1.0 1KR-FE 67 horsepower – Same 1.0 from the Aygo and nobody really cares if this engine exists or not. Oil pump issues and heart and muscle failure even for a car of the Yaris’s size.


• 1.2 3NR-FE 86 horsepower  – An engine simpler than the mind of a 25-year-old dude who wants nothing more than to dance on the table and drink vodka in the club on other people’s money, but without performing anything and doing things from the waist down. He has no aspirations in life, but at least he’s preparing to face his existential crisis with lots of vodka. Reliable, but Thailand exclusive.


• 1.33 1NR-FE 100 horsepower – Some drink beer at 0.33 litres, and the Toyota Yaris III has a 1.33 litre engine. By far the most popular Toyota engine that somehow made it all the way to the Auris, this engine just has a oil drinking problem later in life, occasionally the EGR clogs, sometimes the water pump breaks down and in cold weather refuses to start – just like us humans. A legendary engine that’s ready to satisfy even your most mediocre automotive fantasies.


• 1.5 1NZ-FE 110 horsepower – Simpler than a summer band’s music, this engine needs only quality oil changed on time and will last you longer than many summer bands career. Like Axl Rose, this engine tries to stay relevant even today, even if it struggles.


• 1.8 2ZR-FE Turbo of 212 horsepower – Little did we know, but Toyota was working in secret to up the madness from the previous Yaris SR and released the Yaris GRMN (Gazoo Racing by Meisters of Nurburgring). 212 horsepower, 6 speed manual, limited slip differential, ventilated discs and bespoke Sachs dampers. In an Yaris. Mind you, an 40.000 euro Yaris, but still an Yaris. Not exactly my spin as on the used market is more expensive than an Golf GTI, but it’s nice to know it exists. And it’s really reliable.

Diesel

1.4 1ND-TV of 87 horsepower  – The same mechanical failure that BMW has accustomed us to, this failed attempt at an engine so far has had issues with the cylinder head gasket, turbo, and oil consumption. Has it fixed them in the meantime? No, it’s just picked up additional issues with the particle filter. Still, why would you get a Toyota Yaris III diesel?

Hybrid

1.5 1NZ-FXE of 100 horsepower – I’ve talked about Axl Rose and that he’s trying to stay relevant in these times, and he is the human expression of this engine. Just like Axl Rose, this 75 horsepower 1.5 naturally aspirated engine understood that it had to adapt to the times and got a 25 horsepower electric motor for 100 horsepower combined punch. Too bad it only comes with that CVT automatic gearbox and a price worthy of the latest Adam’s culinary experience, but atleast it’s expensive to buy but pennies to run. Seriously, it’s very reliable and the fuel consumption is laughable. By far the best engine for the Yaris. 

Toyota Yaris III Reliability Issues

• Still, the European Toyota Yaris III’s biggest issue remains the CVT automatic gearbox that breaks down at every kerb, pothole, junction, or any time when you’re in a tight spot really. Fortunately, the european automatic Yaris is so expensive that people buy the manual version outright and avoid the issues. The North America, Canada and Australia models however receive an classic 4-speed automatic, sourced from Aisin and that one is as good to buy as edible underwear.


• Like any modern Toyota, good luck understanding how the infotainment works, when it actually works. They’d should’ve just left an empty place where you can put a tablet yourself, but if they did that then they couldn’t charge you absurd amounts of money for an antique system.


• Much how I wish you luck seeing anything at night outside town, as many Toyota Yaris III owners have complained about almost non-existent visibility at night. Obviously, the headlight bulbs were bought from the nearest supermarket near the factory, and the employee was ordered to buy only bottom-shelf bulbs.

Toyota Yaris III verdict

Abit expensive, in Europe atleast. And indeed the Toyota Yaris III is much more expensive than a Clio IV or a Suzuki Swift. Still, it remains a popular car among ladies because it looks good and harmless and, most importantly, it’s reliable and easy to drive. And a Clio is good-looking, reliable, and easy to drive, but it’s not Toyota. Because women know that Toyota is a superior brand, kind of like the Matfer Bourgeat of cars. Or an envelope bag. Or an envelope bag made by Matfer Bourgeat.

Which engine do I recommend? 1.33 petrol and a manual gearbox is all the car you’ll ever need in the urban jungle and on the occasional long drive when visiting relatives or going home to your home village. But if you are the ultimate cheapskate and want to visit the petrol station once every 3 years, then the hybrid Yaris is one fantastic piece of work.