As most readers are probably aware, I was recently forced to buy a new car. I talked about it a bit after a couple of days and a few hundred miles, and at that point, I kinda liked it, but was still in the “getting used to it” stage.

A couple of weeks in, and thanks to my larger than average commute, my odometer just turned over 1800 miles, and I’ve driven the 2013 Toyota Yaris SE under all sorts of conditions. I still rather like it, though as I alluded to earlier, it’s just similar enough to the old car (both being small cars primarily engineered by Toyota), that it’s taken a little getting used to.

First of all, let’s talk about the stuff I like. The gas mileage on this thing is truly excellent for a traditional internal combustion engine* – so far, I’ve averaged around 37.5 mpg all around, and a hair over 40mpg when you factor out “city” driving – this is well above the reported 30 city/36 hwy/32 overall on the sticker. I couldn’t be happier. The Vibe did pretty well, averaging about 33 mpg overall – this extra little bit is already saving me money. The engine is a bit smaller, of course, and it’s got a little less power, though the car itself is only a hair above 2200 lbs, so there’s a bit less to pull around. In any case, it won’t win any high-speed titles, but it’s got enough “go” when you have stomp on it to merge with freeway traffic or pass by an obstacle.

I’m also a fan of the steering response – it’s got very direct steering, with very little play in the wheel – you turn the wheel, it goes. I like that. Being the SE model, it’s also got stiffer “sports inspired” suspension than the standard model, which gives a pretty flat turn with minimal body roll. I’ve seen some folks online talk about tightening things up further by adding a TRD rear sway bar (surprisingly inexpensive), though I haven’t felt the need just yet. It’s plenty fun around corners as it is, with it’s small footprint and wheels well out to the corners, although it doesn’t really feel any smaller than I’m used to (except when I’m backing it out of the driveway and looking over my shoulder – the fact it’s a few inches shorter is much more apparent to me).

Of course, I’m mostly not driving it like I stole it, thanks to the ECO light. It’s a little light that stays on when you’re driving within optimal efficiency parameters. This little light, combined with the average and real-time mpg calculators, have effectively gamified fuel efficiency. You really want to keep that light on and those numbers as high as possible, which leads to steady pedal pressure and reasonable speeds, which really drives you toward the best fuel economy possible – it’s a simple thing, but it’s just as interesting as a piece of social engineering as any of the mechanical engineering involved.

In terms of interior comforts and such, it’s pretty spartan (yet still attractive) inside, which, oddly enough, I’m okay with. The instrument cluster is simple and largely analog – speedometer, tachometer, and gas gauge, with a digital odometer with a couple of trip counters and the mpg calculator – and it’s right where the driver can see it, and there aren’t any of the fancy (and mostly distracting) LCD information centers and media screens. The last generation of this car had a weird center-mounted instrument pod; I’m glad things are a little more traditional now. it’s still got the power locks, mirrors, and windows, which is nice, and the radio is self-contained and not spread all over the dash, while still having nice things like bluetooth phone integration (really a must-have for me now – a really nice feature), HD radio, and USB and AUX jacks (hidden in the glove box). Despite being several inches shorter, it’s got roughly the same amount of passenger space as the old car – I can get three kids across the back without a problem (defined as “no more complaining than usual”), and the seats are comfortable and generally supportive. I give up a little bit of cargo space in the back, but that’s to be expected – it no longer passes the “guitar in the back hatch” test, though it is more than capable of hauling groceries and the usual non-guitar cargo.

Plus, it’s pretty and red and has nice alloy wheels and four wheel disc brakes and lots of airbags and is rated to hold up well in a collision, which, given the cirucmstances leading to my buying it, is somewhat important to me right now.

Now, the stuff that takes some getting used to, of which there are only one thing. The main one being the fact that it’s an automatic transmission; a four-speed automatic. Again, as most of you are probably aware, all things equal, I’d prefer a manual transmission. I’m used to them, and I like having that level of control. While I’m geting used to it (and my left knee generally appreciates the auto in DC stop-n-go), I still find myself reaching for the clutch and the stick (with my muscle memory taking my hand to the place where the stick used to be in the old car – an area of open air in the Yaris), and the car doesn’t always shift where I think it should. Part of this is my manual transmission mental programming, and part of it is the fact that most modern automatics are running six gears or CVT (which is what Japan and Europe, the primary markets for this car, get), which tends toward better use of the power band and even greater efficiency. I understand Toyota was aiming to a price point with this car, making use of a more proven (and more simply engineered) drivetrain, and still coaxing excellent mileage out of it, but it kind of irks me that it could do even better with some slightly more advanced technology. Oh well, I’ll get used to it – mostly, I’m just a stick snob.

And that’s really about it. I’m largely happy with my purchase, and expect to continue to be, beyond a few little issues that are largely mine, rather than the car’s. Toyota makes a quality automobile, and I couldn’t be happier with the customer/owner experience (special shout out to Mike Davis and Haley Toyota – it was a pleasure). I expect to have a nice, long relationship with this one.

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* – I nearly bought the Prius C instead, which is built on the same basic platform as the Yaris, and looks pretty much the same except for some tweaks in the rear end. I really was almost swayed by the promise of 50 mpg, though it’s really not designed for the kind of driving i do. that 50 mpg comes primarily from short trip urban driving where it can really make use of the hybrid drive train. I probably wouldn’t do that much better than I get with the Yaris. Also, at the rate I’m going, I’d blow through the 8yr/100k battery warranty in three years, and I’d rather not have to replace a battery (a pretty steep expense) out of warranty. However, when Colleen’s in the market in a year or two, we’re pretty much settled on this or it’s successor.