Of all the vehicles I’ve tested during my career as an automotive journalist, I think the car I've driven most often is the Toyota Echo or its replacement, the Yaris.

For 2009, the Yaris hatchback retains its familiar styling, but gains some new equipment options. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

And every time I’ve been behind the wheel of one, I’ve had a great time. Whether I was going to work, taking a long drive or running errands, Toyota's smallest North American car has never disappointed me, and I don’t anticipate it ever will.

Unlike its four-door sedan sibling, which receives a completely new grille design and new shade of silver-coated upholstery fabric for 2009, the Yaris hatchback received only a few minor changes to its lower front bumper and its only new standard feature is an electric rear window defroster with timer. The bigger news is in the optional packages, which get a few tweaks and saw the introduction of the optional TomTom GPS navigation system. In all other respects the hatchback is a carryover from 2008. Heck, that’s not a bad thing since the Yaris three-door is quite a popular car with or without a new grille!

There are so many great things about this car. First off, it’s easy as pie to drive. My test car came equipped with the standard 5-speed manual transmission, which shifts very smoothly and has a light clutch action, making bumper-to-bumper traffic more bearable. Trust me, I’m speaking from experience — I sat in traffic for over two hours one afternoon

The Yaris doesn't scrimp on its standard audio system, which includes an auxiliary input jack. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

just to go a few blocks. Okay, some people sit in that kind of traffic day in and day out (I’m not looking for sympathy here!), but I wasn’t cursing the clutch at the end of my gridlock adventure.

Better yet, while waiting in the treacly trail of traffic I had the pleasure of listening to my iPod because the Yaris’ stereo system comes standard with an auxiliary jack. The two-speaker stereo also includes an AM/FM radio and a CD/MP3 changer, and it’s not a bad little stereo for a car with an MSRP of $13,315. My test car, a three-door Yaris CE, was the base of base models, coming with no optional features, and I mean no optional features! I jokingly told the Toyota rep that I was "slummin’ it" for the week as everything on this car was manual including the doors, window and mirrors. But really I didn't feel like I was "slummin’ it" at all, as I loved this car to bits. It was actually very refreshing to know that I could have such a good time in an inexpensive car. After all, the reality of it is that not everyone can dish out tens of thousands of dollars for reliable transportation, and they don’t have to either.

Along with its easy-to-drive characteristics, the Yaris is amazingly easy to park since it’s so small. I can’t tell you how many times I come across parking spots in my area that are just a tad too small for a sedan or SUV but the perfect size for a subcompact. During my time

The central instrument pod is somewhat unusual, but it makes for clear forward visibility. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

with the Yaris, those tad-too-small spots that I would normally pass up were just the right fit. I loved it. And when you’re constantly battling for a parking spot like I am on my street, it’s a great feeling to know that the Yaris is a go-anywhere, fit-anywhere kind of car.

Speaking of going anywhere, whether I was driving around-town or out-of-town the Yaris was a perfect companion because it was exceptionally good on gas. At one point I had to make an out-of-town trip — one of those long, obligatory jaunts that you'd rather not make when fuel prices are climbing again — and found that my round-trip cost was less than $20 for over 400 kilometers. This impressive bang-for-the-buck comes thanks to the Yaris’ economical 1.5L, 16-valve, DOHC, 4-cylinder engine, which produces 106 horsepower and 103 lb-ft of torque. It uses an estimated 6.9L/100km in the city and 5.5L/100km on the highway. Now that’s music to my ears, and money in my wallet!

At highways speeds, the Yaris three-door performed quite well. Its front MacPherson gas struts and rear torsion beam suspension made for a smooth ride without feeling flimsy or unstable. Furthermore, the P185/60R15 tires (mounted on steel rims with full wheel covers) did a dandy job of

There's room for four passengers, and a fair amount of luggage to boot. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

keeping me stuck to the pavement in tight corners and at highway speeds. Interior noise was minimal so I could, once again, enjoy the musical stylings so carefully assembled on my iPod. Better yet, I didn’t have to compete with wind, road or engine noise to make my voice heard as I belted out the lyrics to some of my favourite songs (it’s just something I do!)

I can’t really say anything negative about the 2009 Toyota Yaris three-door. If pushed, I will admit that I’m not a big fan of the centre-mounted instrument cluster, but it’s not a deal breaker for me. It does open up the driver’s visibility so it’s not a bad thing, it’s just not my kind of thing! Who knows, maybe in a few years the concept will grow on me —  I’ll just have to wait and see.

Overall, I loved the Yaris as an everyday commuter car. It’s definitely something I could see parked on my driveway (I mean street!), especially because of its modest price tag. It’s great on gas, fun to drive and easy on the wallet. Heck, it even comfortably houses my 6-foot-3-inch fiance, in the rear or front seats, so it scores points for that in my book. Come to think of it, it scores points in most chapters of my book. Long live the Yaris!

Specifications (2009 Toyota Yaris 3-Door):

• Price Range (MSRP): $13,315
• Price as Tested: $13,315
• Destination Charges: $1,220
• Body Type: three door hatchback
• Layout: front engine, FWD
• Engine: 106-hp, 103 lb-ft of torque, 1.5L, 16-valve DOHC I-4
• Transmission: 5-spd manual (opt. 4-spd auto)
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/drum (opt. ABS)
• Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 3,825 / 1,695 / 1,525 / 2,460 mm (150.6 / 66.7 / 60.0 / 96.9 in)
• Curb Weight (auto):1,064 kg (2,345 lbs)
• Cargo Capacity (seats up/down): 221 / 728 L (8.1 / 25.7 cu-ft)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 7.0 / 5.6 L/100 km (manual)
• Warranty (mo/km): 36 / 60,000 comprehensive - 60 / 100,000 powertrain
• Direct Competitors: Chevrolet Aveo, Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Nissan Versa, Pontiac Wave, Suzuki SX4, Volkswagen City Golf
• Web site: www.toyota.ca

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