What Changed for 2008:

• Hatchback “S” Sport model added


• Standard tire-pressure-monitoring system


• Parking brake-unlock reminder system

Overview
The Toyota Yaris was introduced in 2007 as a replacement entry-level model for the Echo. The Yaris was styled at Toyota’s European design studio, ED², in order to compete with the other small Euro-based sedans from Volkswagen and Audi that are selling well in the States. The Yaris has been on sale in Europe and Japan longer than it’s been offered here, and enjoys a fair amount of success on the other two continents.

Model Lineup
The 2008 Toyota Yaris is available in both 4-door sedan and 3-door hatchback models in base and “S” trim. Standard features include air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, intermittent wipers, and an Audio Prep package consisting of 4 speakers and wiring, but no stereo. The Yaris “S” sedan includes sporty body trim as well as a CD/MP3 player, a rear defogger, and a split-fold rear seat, optional on all Yaris models. An optional Power package includes an anti-lock braking system (ABS), cruise control, power windows/locks/mirrors, a CD/MP3 player, larger wheels, a tachometer, and a 60/40 split-fold rear seat. Remote keyless entry, alloy wheels, fog lamps, and a rear spoiler are available separately but require the Power package. Side air bags and ABS are the only true stand-alone options. New for 2008 are minor changes like a tire-pressure-monitoring system, parking brake-unlock reminder system, and the “S” or “Sport” nomenclature added to the hatchback model. The Sport adds a front and rear spoiler, amber Optitron instrument gauges, sport seat fabric, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and “S” badging.

Powertrain
There’s only one engine regardless of trim level or body style on the 2008 Toyota Yaris: a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder model that produces 106 hp and 103 lb.-ft. of torque. While a 5-speed manual transmission is standard, a 4-speed automatic transmission is available. EPA fuel economy estimates for the 2008 Yaris are 29 mpg city/36 mpg highway with manual transmission and 29 mpg city/35 mpg highway with automatic transmission.

Safety
Standard safety features for the 2008 Toyota Yaris include dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags, optional seat-mounted side air bags for front-row occupants, side curtain air bags with roll-sensing, seat belt pre-tensioners and force limiters, seat weight-sensing system for the front passenger seat, and a tire-pressure-monitoring system. ABS is optional on all 2008 Yaris models. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Yaris hatchback 5 stars for the driver side and 4 stars for the front passenger side in a frontal-impact crash test. The Yaris sedan got a 4-star rating for frontal impact for the driver and front seat passenger. All models received 3 stars for all occupants in a side impact. The Yaris got 4 stars for the rollover test. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has given the Yaris a “Good” rating for offset crash tests in frontal impact, and a “Poor” rating in side-impact testing.

Technology
The 2008 Toyota Yaris offerings include an in-glass antenna and electronic brake-force distribution that works in conjunction with the ABS by electronically distributing braking force to the wheels that need it most. With automatic transmission, the Yaris features an uphill/downhill shift logic that helps reduce gear hunting when climbing or descending hills.