Toyota Yaris, anyone? Or Scion XA?

[mauve]

Hey people, how would you like to help a girl with some car trouble, hmm? Of course you would.

I'm in the market for a car. I am, however, in an odd situation. I lack monies to buy anything major, but I have an aunt who works for Toyota who can get me a kickass deal on new Toyotas. I've been searching around, and I've been looking seriously at the new Toyota Yaris Liftback. It's cheaper than most used cars in its class. XD Plus it gets great gas mileage. I'm also looking at the Scion XA, which Toyota also manufactures. It is also pretty cheap.

Has anyone heard anything, good or bad, about either model? I know that the Scion is about to be retired, and that the Yaris is replacing the Toyota Echo. I also know that the Scion has a whole bunch of really nice standard features that the Yaris can only get as add-ons. At this point, they're both about the same price. I have to make a decision really quickly, and I could use some help if anyone knows anything.

And before you ask, I have test-driven both of them and have done some online research. I've got a pretty even list of pros and cons for each model, so I'm having some trouble choosing which one would work better for me. I'm just wondering if anyone has any personal insights on these cars.

Thanks!

[Whale Biologist]

Yaris, definitely. Scion is being retired... so what happens in a few years when you need a non-standard timing belt?

Yaris, on the other hand, is being marketed not just to North America, which means it's a brand that's going tobe sticking around (as well as Toyota having the second-highest resale value / second lowest depreciation of any foreign car).

True, Scion is a Toyota, but it's a niche car. Yaris is a super-efficient car with an unkillable engine.

My two cents anyways, with three car-INSANE in-laws talking about cars all the time.

[Azisien]

I drive a 2000 Echo, and I've heard the Yaris and Echo are somewhat similar in their specs (any truth to this?) though obviously they look much different. And by 'they look much different' what I really mean is 'my Echo looks like a piece of shit.' I'd go for the Yaris in your position as well. As for mileage, well my Echo is going on six-seven years and still pulls 700km to a tank, city driving. Yaris is probably about the same, you'll be generally happy about gas.

And this is just rumor but, I've heard the Yaris is pretty good for emergency scout missions if your castle is under attack, or maybe in your case a...uh...pirate fort or something.

[Demetrius]

If its one of those two I'd go with the Yaris... barely. The Scions have been around a few years so the new model kinks are mostly sorted out, but the XA is butt ugly, if you haven't checked it out the Tc is dead sexy, but depending on what your situation is exactly the XA has a good amount of room to it and it does have good features etc. So I dunno I love 'Yotas though and I'm glad you will be getting one either way.

[Fifthfiend]

Yaris, definitely. Scion is being retired... so what happens in a few years when you need a non-standard timing belt?

Yaris, on the other hand, is being marketed not just to North America, which means it's a brand that's going tobe sticking around (as well as Toyota having the second-highest resale value / second lowest depreciation of any foreign car).

True, Scion is a Toyota, but it's a niche car. Yaris is a super-efficient car with an unkillable engine.

My two cents anyways, with three car-INSANE in-laws talking about cars all the time.

The xA isn't being scrapped, just redesigned, it'll probably still be pretty much the same shit under the hood. I mean from what I can tell from the (http://www.toyota.com/yaris/specs.html) specs (http://www.scion.com/showroom/xa/features/), it's pretty much the same engine in both cars. So it's really down to whether you're more after looks/milage or capacity/utility, and even then there's not that much of an edge to one over the other.

I'd say go with the Yaris, if for no reason than Scion commercials annoy the shit out of me.

[TheSpacePope]

What, you don't like techno?

Or transformers?

Or Butt-ugly cars?

That is just goddam un-American!

Seriously, though, NO Scions.

[Buddha Fett]

I'd have to go with the Yaris as well. Scion is an annoying company, who make funny-lookin' cars. At least, that's what I think.

[mauve]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I am indeed going with the Yaris, thanks to all of you. This means I'll finally get to retire the 1998 pickup truck with all it's 144,500 miles on it with the broken clock and half-working radio and stuck side-view mirror and no CD player and messed-up cruise control. It'll be sad to see it go.



And I dunno... I don't think the XA is that funny-looking. XB, hell yes that thing is ugly. But the XA kinda looks like the Toyota Matrix to me... But what do I care? I'm getting a Bayou Blue Yaris Liftback!

[Fifthfiend]

Glad you decided! And yeah, I never got the xA hate.

So, the hatch? Man I have to say, that thing just screams "toy car" somehow. But in a good way! But hey - blue? What, no not-quite-purple (http://www.hicesewing.com/images/mauve.jpg) option?

Ah well. But hey do me a favor, see what kind of deal your auntie can get a guy on a tC, yeah?

[mauve]

So, the hatch? Man I have to say, that thing just screams "toy car" somehow. But in a good way! But hey - blue? What, no not-quite-purple option? Meh, mauve or pink on a little car like that would make it look like a throat lozenge or something. And I like the toy car look. Well... er... the hatchback is cheaper than the sedan. :sweatdrop.

Ah well. But hey do me a favor, see what kind of deal your auntie can get a guy on a tC, yeah? Oh-ho, so THAT'S why you've been so nice in your above posts, hmm? Sorry fifth; the only way you'd get a deal is if you were a member of my family. And no, I won't marry you.