When we go on a date or meet people for the first time we always get a first impression. However, that first impression may not always reflect what you think of that person once you get to know them.
You could meet someone and think, "holy cow, she is hot."
Then after an hour or two you start to realize this hottie is really a pain in the arse.
It could also be the other way around.
There are also people that you feel comfortable around yet you can't really put your finger on what it is that makes you feel that way.
This can also be said of vehicles.
You drive a car and it looks great, tons of options and gadgets, yet it just doesn't feel right.
You may also drive another car from a different manufacturer with similar options and have a much better feeling about the vehicle.
It is often the little things, the things behind the scene, things you don't notice that make the car
better.
Take for instance the new Toyota Yaris. When Toyota decided to redesign the vehicle for the 2012 model the engineers wanted to make a number of changes incorporated into four categories to make the Yaris a
better car.
Those categories were innovative exterior style; a compact exterior that maintains class-leading quality, great driving performance and manoeuvrability; excellent fuel economy.
Apart from the obvious exterior changes which you can't hide, very few of the other differences that make this Yaris better than the previous model can be seen, yet they are noticeable.
The car is five millimetres lower and has a 50 millimetre longer wheelbase, which you will never notice by just looking at the car, yet these changes have a positive effect on the handling, they make for better rear leg room and add 25 per cent more cargo space. That is a big difference from such small numbers.
How often do you look at the back of the driver's seat and think to yourself, 'hey, that seat back is thinner than the previous model's seat'"?
Well the seats in the Yaris are thinner making for more rear leg room. Keeping with the seats, the front side bolstering Toyota says is 10 times harder than before, making for better handling performance as you will not slide from side to side in the seat during hard cornering.
The seat also slides back further making the seating position more comfortable for taller drivers.
Acoustic glass has been used in the front window, there is better insulation in the engine compartment and Toyota has used fender liners, cowl insulators and a tunnel silencer to reduce noise and vibrations entering the cabin.
Additional spot welding and more floor bracing has been used to make the vehicle more rigid making for a better ride and
handling.
The list of improvements goes on with revised spring and shock absorber rates and better fuel economy over the previous model as well as more airbags including front seat cushion and driver knee bags.
Yet no driver or passenger would notice any of these differences.
They would just look at the car and go on first impressions. But it is these hidden changes that make the Yaris a better vehicle by far than the outgoing model.
You can actually feel the difference in the seats and the handling when you throw the little Toyota into a corner. There is little body roll and no need to adjust your bum after exiting the corner. The seat bolsters keep you where you are.
However, there is one big thing that you will notice and it is right in front of you and it is very cyclopse-esque.
With a little drizzle falling during my test drive I flipped on the wiper only to see one giant rubber blade flip across the window squirting water from under the wiper arm as it went.
It is a little like Unibrow in Austin Powers. It takes a few minutes and a lot of staring to get used to it, then you think, hey at least I only have to buy one wiper when it wears out.
But don't let the big wiper ruin your first impressions. Yes it might be odd. Yes you may end up staring at it for a while, and yes it may remind you of your mother-in-law.
And it may be a good idea to park the Yaris and turn on the wiper for a few minutes before going out on to the road so you don't get distracted by it when you should be
looking at the road.
But as I said earlier, although it may be a tiny bit lower and have a windshield wiper capable of clearing the snow off your street, it is the things you don't see that make the Yaris a much better vehicle.
Toyota Yaris
Vehicle type: 5 door sedan
Transmission 4-speed manumatic
Engine: 1.5-litre four cylinder
Horsepower: 106 @ 6,000
Torque: 103 @ 4,200
Mileage: 6.8 l/100 km 45mpg City 5.5 l/100km 51 mph hwy
Price: $20,000
