2012 Toyota Yaris

Smaller cars are becoming more popular as gas prices stay high and the economy sputters. For the past few years, the Toyota Yaris subcompact sedan and hatchback have been trying to compete in this market against newer and more recently redesigned models. Now, for 2012, Toyota has redesigned its Yaris; the new version is slated to go on sale in October.

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The 2012 Toyota Yaris has improved looks, ride, handling and cabin materials, but it's hurt by its highway performance and by gas mileage that doesn't match its segment's leaders.

Exterior

The new Yaris has a wheelbase that's 2 inches longer than the previous version, and the car is 3 inches longer overall. The first thing you notice, though, is that, like a teenager, it's shed its baby-like appearance and now sports more chiseled, angular features.

Toyota gave the Yaris a downward sloping belt line, so the car looks more aggressive when viewed from the side. I thought the old Yaris was cute, but the new Yaris looks more like a real car, frankly, and that's a good thing.

Toyota has ditched the sedan version of the Yaris, saying buyers chose hatchback versions 70 percent of the time. The Yaris will be sold in three trim levels: L, LE and sporty SE, with the L and LE available as two- and four-door hatchbacks with 15-inch steel wheels.

SE versions are available only with four doors, and they also get fog lights and different front styling, plus a rear "diffuser" treatment, chrome tailpipe and rear spoiler. They also get smoked-lens headlamps and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Interior

The interior is one area where the new Yaris is clearly and vastly superior to the old one. I felt the previous model was a bit plain-looking, and many of the controls felt spindly and cheap. Even on 2012 L models, things are improved. I still wouldn't put the Yaris at the top of the class, but now I wouldn't disqualify it from competition.

That said, Toyota does tend to have conservative interiors, and the Yaris is no exception, but materials are competitive with the segment. You're aware you're in an entry-level car, but nothing looks really cheap — with the exception of the plastic trim in L models in place of the higher trims' soft-touch pieces. That material has a weird texture and isn't pleasant to look at.

All Yaris trims get standard air conditioning and a CD stereo with auxiliary and USB jacks. In this version, Toyota dumped the controversial center-mounted gauges in favor of a conventional layout. The switches and controls feel solid and well-connected. SE models stand out for their leather steering wheel and gearshift. Both are among the best in this class and are a clear step up from the lower trim levels, which have a rubber or plastic coating and are just average.

L trims have four speakers, manual windows and a fold-down rear bench seat. LE and SE models get power windows, a six-speaker stereo, 60/40-split folding rear seats, steering-wheel audio controls, and soft-touch dash and sill inserts. (Those inserts are hard plastic in the L.)