Toyota Yaris GR4 4x4 Rally going into production.....

[Jester*]

I just rang and spoke to the sales guys, they said £1000 secures the build slot and allows the test drive, I then panicked and rang again yesterday asking did that £1000 really get me a build slot or do I also need to pay the additional 6k now and the sales guy confirmed the car was ordered for me when I paid the £1000 and he gave me my order number. He then set me up on the APP so I can track the cars progress and current ETA is around middle of March, think he said new orders are now looking at around May time. He said the balance to pay will be closer to delivery. Interest free is for 24 months and 1.9% is 42 months, I am just gonna go with 24 month option and will just purchase the car at end of it as suspect in two years time if they no longer make them for whatever reason they will still be worth north of 25k. Special cars hold their money and that is when I am happy to buy new like I did with the Mustang which lost me pretty much nothing.

I just ordered mine through the Toyota website. Paid the £250 which secured the build against the 0% finance. The £250 gets refunded just before delivery/registration and then I pay the deposit for the finance.

Just cut out my dealer, all I've done is use them as the collection point for the vehicle. What I will do is contact them, and get them to get me in when they have one in so I can look round. I am in no rush as the car isn't due for 6 months!

 

[Jester*]

Yeah, 25,000 sounds a lot. But when you split that between Asia, Aus, Europe etc it not that many per country.

There's been over 40,000 FK8 Type R's sold (although lots in the USA i suppose), and they're too ugly for anyone to want to own apparently!

What is also worth mentioning is that the 25,000 isn't all GR Yaris's. I believe there are lesser models in Japan that will count towards the 25,000 build number.

 

[sandys]

13.7 is not close to 12s that is pretty much normal for that power and weight in a hatchback.

I should qualify that with my scrabblewagon (147GTA) with 247bhp and 1360kg did the same time with me behind the wheel at Santa Pod, so whilst the Yaris is quick I kind of expected more with 4wd, he did say there was a slope.

EDIT - just played through againg and saw the draggy, missed that bit when the door bell went, that is a bit more like it

 

[DarrenM343]

A Yaris should not be so close to getting into the 12s at quarter mile lol.

Toyota have made an absolute bundle of fun, good in a straight line, totally bonkers in the corners and all being well a Toyota so reliable, minor service is £145 and major is £375 so its cheap to run for the kind of performance, though that award still goes to my SVR which was under £400 for a major service at Jaguar for a 100k car that does 60 in 3s.

The test around Castle Combe was good recently, had quick flick through that, came 2nd with two other cars joint first (McClared and Atom I think).
Did you decide on the colour? For a long term keeper I'll be going with white if I decide to make a purchase, the pearl white. I like the red too and probably will sell less of those which is a good thing for long term I think (might be a greater demand in the future on the used market) but think white less maintenance to think about (reds still fade these days?). You previous note about price increases has been a bit concerned though. I want to make mind up mid-Dec.

 

[Nasher]

13.7 is not close to 12s that is pretty much normal for that power and weight in a hatchback.

I should qualify that with my scrabblewagon (147GTA) with 247bhp and 1360kg did the same time with me behind the wheel at Santa Pod, so whilst the Yaris is quick I kind of expected more with 4wd, he did say there was a slope.

The 3cyl probably doesnt have the muscle at high speed.

 

[sandys]

The 3cyl probably doesnt have the muscle at high speed.

.I missed the dragy bit due to door bell, 13.29 is a bit more like it

 

[Chris1712]

I would strongly recommend not buying one because you think it will gain or even hold value. 25,000 cars is a LOT and that’s the minimum they will make. The factory can make 1100 a month, fast forward two years and there will be ~2-3k on the UK roads and you’ll probably be able to walk into a dealer and drive away in one. I don’t think they’ll hit the frankly appalling GFV Toyota quote but they will be more low 20s than mid.

I’m still waiting on a call to arrange my demo but have a build slot for March also.

 

[Gibbo]

The test around Castle Combe was good recently, had quick flick through that, came 2nd with two other cars joint first (McClared and Atom I think).
Did you decide on the colour? For a long term keeper I'll be going with white if I decide to make a purchase, the pearl white. I like the red too and probably will sell less of those which is a good thing for long term I think (might be a greater demand in the future on the used market) but think white less maintenance to think about (reds still fade these days?). You previous note about price increases has been a bit concerned though. I want to make mind up mid-Dec.

Flat white, as I feel flat whites are brighter in all weather and the fact its free, so my choice. I am planning to wrap the car in a metallic orange, similar to orange Lambo's come in, to make it even brighter.

 

[daz]

I really do fancy one of these but I don't drive my 'fun' car enough as it is.

 

[Stu999]

4:09 for the actual race. Yaris helped by the conditions.

 

[sandys]

Yup the Type R would have it on a dry day and on a circuit, two different sectors really if you ignore price, very close though.

 

[Gibbo]

Yup the Type R would have it on a dry day and on a circuit, two different sectors really if you ignore price, very close though.

Very close as a fun back road all weather car I don’t think much will beat the Yaris on enjoyment or ability. The Honda even in rolling races is behind until 100 only into triple digits the Honda shows it’s muscle and the race is over by then on a public road anyway.

But I will say that Honda has improved in looks since they come out looks less like it crashed into Halfords Ripspeed department these days.

 

[Stu999]

Very close as a fun back road all weather car I don’t think much will beat the Yaris on enjoyment or ability. The Honda even in rolling races is behind until 100 only into triple digits the Honda shows it’s muscle and the race is over by then on a public road anyway.

But I will say that Honda has improved in looks since they come out looks less like it crashed into Halfords Ripspeed department these days.

Yep, Yaris should be a great B road blaster in the real world.

 

[pioneer2000]

Very close as a fun back road all weather car I don’t think much will beat the Yaris on enjoyment or ability. The Honda even in rolling races is behind until 100 only into triple digits the Honda shows it’s muscle and the race is over by then on a public road anyway.

Really not getting this, you’re saying it doesn’t matter that the civic is faster above 100 yet it matters that the Yaris may be quicker within legal speeds and at the same time the speed doesn’t really factor as it’s more “enjoyable/able”, yet the civic is quicker on a track. You’re skewing your argument to support your purchase.

If a type R didn’t look quite so mental it’d surely be the far better purchase here. It’s got the better engine and gearbox, the more able chassis and is simply more metal for the price.

Honda should remarket the type r as a rally variant with an even more aggressive styling and everyone would be going nuts, lol.

 

[Stu999]

@pioneer2000 - surely he’s just pointing out the difference between road and track use?

 

[pioneer2000]

@pioneer2000 - surely he’s just pointing out the difference between road and track use?

Sure maybe, though if you’re not buying a GR for track use then surely you’d be better off with something else then? I.e. Golf R / Focus etc.

 

[mikeyw85]

Sure maybe, though if you’re not buying a GR for track use then surely you’d be better off with something else then? I.e. Golf R / Focus etc.

I'm often dubous when i see motoring journalists claiming a certain car is the best they've diven and the most fun they've had in a year for years, all while they're powersliding it around a race track.

In this case I have no doubt this Yaris is great to drive though.

 

[Gibbo]

Sure maybe, though if you’re not buying a GR for track use then surely you’d be better off with something else then? I.e. Golf R / Focus etc.

Im not buying for track use I’m buying it as a fun road car that will work great in all weather and I’ll probably put it on track to see what’s it like but compared to what else is in my stable I think some of my other cars will be more fun on track of course I could be wrong on that.

Just fancy a small AWD hot hatch with good reliability and warranty that should be a riot and engaging to drive. The only other real option was go and buy an EVO X manual but had one of those and it’s bigger and heavier than Yaris.

Who know might drive the Yaris and find it junk but I seriously doubt that to be honest spoke to a mate who works in press who has driven it and he said it’s literally one of the best cars he has driven in years for engagement and fun, so it must have something about it and it’s a pretty safe buy anyway would be easy to flip it for what it cost but that’s not my plan.

I’ve owned Hondas and they are epic and the new Civic is great but I simply don’t want a Civic and for me the Yaris is more ideal.

If I was buying a car for track work I’d not be looking at road cars be straight to Caterham and if I wanted a road car for track work I’d be straight to Porsche and a GT3 I am planning to buy late next year or after but I’m in no rush as I’ve got five cars and I am just updating the fleet, the 458 is a keeper as is the S2000, the Abarth will be changed for Yaris, the M5 for an Alfa QF and in a years time I plan to change Aston for a GT3 I’m waiting simply as I think I wanna go 991.2 GT3 manual which is an extra 40k over the 991.1 GT3 so am just gonna wait until I’ve got the cash to buy outright.

 

[sandys]

Very close as a fun back road all weather car I don’t think much will beat the Yaris on enjoyment or ability. The Honda even in rolling races is behind until 100 only into triple digits the Honda shows it’s muscle and the race is over by then on a public road anyway.

But I will say that Honda has improved in looks since they come out looks less like it crashed into Halfords Ripspeed department these days.

I know where you coming from I have been testing all sorts of things to replace my daily and keeping trying all these high powered hatches and find they are so well resolved, yes, they are much betters cars than anything I have but they aren't much fun until at silly speeds, I get more from my MX5 and Abarth as they are light and have good turn and braking and can be enjoyed on a b road even if they are fundamentally slow by todays standards, though the cars I beat in competition with them suggest otherwise hoping the Yaris can trade that middle ground where it has more usable power but still small and chuckable fun.

I do agree with @pioneer2000 I don't see it as a circuit car despite the name, if you have to have one do all car the Honda would be better most days on circuit unless your local track is something tight and twisty and subject to a lot of bad weather, say three sisters etc. but can see the car being great for the average wet, muddy and bumpy country road, reckon it could also be an interesting car for hill climbs and solos where the boosted engine and 4wd put it in a class in the southwest at least that is competitive.

It just needs to be OK at the mundane daily stuff for me, when you are not on boost at maximum attack, I'm not someone who chops and changes so 5yr warranty for its initial daily and odd trackday use appeals.

Honda has grown on me also, time heals, will be the same for the new BMWs.

 

[Gibbo]

I'm often dubous when i see motoring journalists claiming a certain car is the best they've diven and the most fun they've had in a year for years, all while they're powersliding it around a race track.

In this case I have no doubt this Yaris is great to drive though.

All the drives are mainly on road and my mate who has had one who has had lots of nice cars absolutely loves it, the sung it such high praises and he ain’t easily impressed.