2011 Toyota Yaris Inter-review ft. Rajeeb Dey

If you're an avid Car Throttle fan, you'll know that we have a strong tendency to not do things "by the book". Take a simple car video review. Our "in-depth" research on YouTube has found far too many boring car reviewers (read: 50-year-old, bald blokes) who love to spout performance figures, chassis materials and snigger subtle digs at manufacturers who produce car fodder.

Whilst there's a room in the reviews market for lateral G-ratings on a skid pan and all the knowledge that the older generation may bring to the table, us young Throttlers are developing videos which give a more rounded view of new vehicles, combined with some attempted banter and searching storylines. And where possible, we like to give individuals other than myself, the opportunity to get inside the latest vehicles and share the experience with us.

Given this, we drove Toyota's new 2011 Yaris all the way to the other side of London - Angel to be precise - and it was here that we met Rajeeb Dey, Founder of Enternships.com and all-round top banana. The resulting "inter-review", a new term coined by Team CT, is a combination of a review of this third generation Yaris and an interview which showcases entrepreneurial flair and two individuals with a rather similar Toyota car history...

Watch the 2011 Toyota Yaris Inter-review ft. Rajeeb Dey on YouTube

So, to the car. Toyota UK had kindly sent us a T Spirit 5 Door version of the popular Yaris. And when we say popular, we mean that it's managed to produce 2 million vehicles in Europe alone since its inception in the late 90's, a truly phenomenal achievement. The lads at Top Gear even recommended the Mark I Yaris, which both Rajeeb and I have, as one of the best subcompact cars on the market for its time.

The Mark II version of the Yaris certainly didn't lose its flair with an even more well-rounded front end and the quirkiness that came with owning a small but zappy vehicle. Where the critics appeared to come out of the woodwork however was when this latest gen hit the market, particular in discussions regarding the exterior styling of this Mark III. The nose for a start is much more angular, much more sharp. Gone too are the round bug headlights which have been replaced with sleek pieces of glass that extend towards the driver's and passenger's windows. The silver sliver of chrome grille with a proud Toyota badge on top indicates perhaps metaphorically that this hard, edgy front is aimed at edgy individuals. This is confirmed through Toyota's marketing materials - a young lad rapping about the Yaris makes it easy to spot which market Toyota are trying to crack.

Walking round the side and there are a few more styling cues to spot which indicate that this is the top spec model, sitting above the T2, TR and SR trims. Front foglights, 8-spoke 15" alloy wheels and Eclipse Black metallic paint makes this car look the business, although we would have preferred the more noticeable Chilli Red paint job. All in all, this isn't a car that would make you stop and turn your head if one whizzed past you in a City Centre. But maybe that's not the point, the Yaris does what it says on the tin; it's small and compact and practical - perhaps why it sells so well here.

Jump inside and the first thing that strikes you is how roomy the interior appears to be. The fact that myself and Raj throughout the whole interview had ample shoulder space and there was enough room for our camera guy and Raj's employee in the back (you probably caught that throughout the interview) indicates again how practical the Yaris is as a transporter. What really emphasises the space however, is the amount of light flooding into the cabin. The T Spirit is equipped with a panoramic roof and two-tone cloth seats. With extra light comes the perception of extra room. And that's simple but clever engineering.

Behind the wheel, gone is the bizarre digital-dial hologram that managed to find its way into the original Yaris. I always quite enjoyed the fact that no-one else could see how fast I was driving, but evidently Toyota thought it was time to modernise. The new gauges are large with tinges of angry red, and the steering wheel is well-proportioned and multi-functional. As this is a CVT Auto (Continuously Variable Transmission) there are flappy paddles behind the steering wheel and also the ability to flick the gear-lever into manual mode, enabling shifts by pushing and pulling the quite large "manual-esque" stickshift. If I had to moan about something, t'would be that everything in the Toyota cabin has become too standardised. Gone are the character traits we used to adore and instead both Raj and I found ourselves sitting in a pleasant subcompact which unfortunately verges on the inane and unremarkable.

The saving grace on the inside sits smack in the middle of the centre console. Dubbed the "Touch and Go" this is Toyota's attempt at a fully-functional in-house-built entertainment unit. The touchscreen origins of it means that it is firstly teen-worthy and appeals to the right segment of the market Toyota is going for.

However (and this is where my tech nerdiness starts to show) the UX and UI is incredible, making this one of the easiest to use media units I've come across so far. Bluetooth pairing is included which means iPhone music streaming and clever Google maps hookups allowing you to reroute yourself to the nearest restaurant all via a 6.1" screen. The satellite navigation also is very simple and provides a nice 3D viewing angle. One small improvement would be to angle the screen slightly more towards the driver for ultimate ease-of-use. At £500 as an optional extra though, it's affordable and comes endorsed by yours truly.

Other tech delights include dual zone auto air conditioning, rain sensing wipers, dusk sensing headlamps, an electrochromatic rear view mirror, Smart Entry and Start, Vehicle Stability Control and Brake Assist. Phew.

The next question on the tip of your tongue understandably: it packs in some technology heat, but does it drive well? Yes and no is my budget answer to that.

At low speeds the steering is light which makes parking a doddle. And coupled with a rear-view camera when reverse gear is engaged, parallel parking really is a cinch. However when the four-pot engine burbles into life and you find yourself cruising around the M25, the electric steering fails to add substantial weight which makes the Yaris slightly nervy at gassier speeds.

So is the car best suited for urban driving? Again, whilst the automatic is a lifesaver in the heavy London traffic, the gearbox can never really decide what gear to rest in. It's always fiddling and messing, attempting to squeeze the last bit of economy from that last bit of benzine. As a result, the Yaris 1.33-litre unit will achieve a tasty combined economy of 55.4mpg. In our day in London, we managed to get around 50mpg, rendering me quite pleased that for once manufacturer economy figures proved to be quite accurate. There is a drawback, in that when speed is needed, you need to plant your foot to the floor in order to encourage the 'box to slip down a couple of gears and draw on its 98bhp and 125Nm of torque for overtaking speed. That's not really enough power for fierce manoeuvres and at times, I was left frustrated by the Yaris' inability to perform.

As we were giving Rajeeb a lift to the London Business School where he had a meeting with the Business Department from Angel, our journey was a short one at a smidgen over 3 miles. Factor in London traffic and the journey time was an arduous 30 minutes, which did give me enough time to summarise the Yaris' core selling point. My conclusion?

For a car that starts at just over £11,000, and can be optioned up to £15,835 the new 2011 Yaris appeals directly to the first-time buyer/driver segment. It's in Insurance Group 9E which means that premiums won't be out-of-this-world and the tasty fuel consumption thanks to the CVT means you won't be reaching into your student loans account to top up the tank. It might not have the WOW Factor to razzle and dazzle your buddies, but it will allow you to be the "designated driver" with its roomy interior and revvable 1.33-litre engine. We would probably advise against the 1-litre 68 horsepower unit, as its lack of power will prove to be troublesome with extra weight in the vehicle, but purchasing the Touch and Go option will be your best decision as it will save you time and boost your cred.

Our smart money really is on the Toyota Yaris.

2011 Toyota Yaris Gallery