Small, tall and affordable for all, poetically sums up Toyota’s littlest hatchback

You don’t have to spend a lot to get a lot these days, at least when it comes to the Yaris hatchback. What this tiny Toyota mostly delivers is plenty of passenger and stowage space for your money, plus some usually optional safety tech added in for good measure.

The Yaris hatch has been around in its current body style since the 2009 model year, which is, like, forever in the auto industry. The Yaris sedan, however, called the iA, was originally badged a Scion and is supplied by Mazda.

For 2018, the built-in-France Yaris has been given a revised front end that’s really not much different than previous 2015-model-year nose job. Acknowledging that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the look can best be described as unique, expressive and unlike any other car on the road.

From the windshield back, the Yaris is your garden-variety hatchback and can be had with two or four passenger doors, which is a choice not offered by competing models. Considering most hatchback buyers are seeking maximum versatility, selecting the two-door version doesn’t seem to make much sense, other than to provide slightly better access to the front seats.

The interior is a relatively roomy environment for five adults, even with three in back, which is uncommon in a small car. The front seats aren’t particularly supportive (you perch upon, rather than sit in), but the control panel is well laid out, the gauges are easy to read and soft-touch material now covers the top of the dashboard. While the steering wheel adjusts up and down, it does not telescope, which three different drivers of the test car independently pointed out as a flaw.

The back seat folds nearly flat, which is atypical of many small hatches (i.e. the Kia Rio5 and Ford Fiesta). That, and a tall body structure result in stowage volume that more than doubles with the rear bench lowered. The Yaris is also quieter and feels more solid than before.

A twist of the key — no pushbutton here — starts the 106-horsepower 1.5litre four-cylinder engine. Horsepower is unchanged since the very first Yaris, which puts it at the bottom of the class. A curb weight of about 1,045 kilograms (90-135 kilograms less than competing vehicles) gives the Yaris good low-speed acceleration, however.

The car is quite peppy, but there’s more noise than thrust the harder you work the engine.

Toyota has done a superb job with the

In a small car such as the Yaris, you can expect a narrow and upright cabin, although the materials used inside are of decent quality. The steering wheel doesn’t telescope, so if you have long legs and short arms, you’re in for some comfort issues.