How Much Stuff Can You Fit in a Toyota Yaris?
The Yaris fit more than you’d think, actually, but first let’s go back to 2007, when it first hit the market. I drove it then and was underwhelmed by its pokey powertrain, lack of ride composure and high level of road noise. It scored points, however, for its decent fuel economy and its maneuverability.
A lot has changed since then—more with me than the car. I carry a lot more stuff now. As a homeowner and mom, I have more baggage than I did in 2007, which means there’s always a child-safety seat in the backseat, a diaper bag in the trunk, and when we grocery shop, we fill the car’s cargo space to the brim. Last weekend was like any other, except the Toyota Yaris is one of the smallest vehicles I’ve tested in a long time.
In the four-door model, available cargo space behind the rear seats is 15.6 cubic feet. Not bad when you consider that the Mazda2 only has 13.3 cubic feet of space, but it’s crummy when you look at what’s available in the Chevy Sonic and Hyundai Accent—19 and 21.2 cubic feet, respectively. The Yaris’ cargo room expands when the 60/40-split folding backseat is down—unless you’re in the base version. Then you’re out of luck; the L model’s seat only folds in a single piece.
In total, I drove the Toyota Yaris 160 miles over two days and four outings of various cargo necessities. Here’s how it performed:
Trip One: On our first trip out, the Yaris only had to take my daughter and me to brunch. Her rear-facing convertible child seat took up a lot of space in the second row, stealing several inches of front passenger legroom. For this trip, that seat was empty, so the two of us had plenty of space. My daughter’s regular stroller was too large for Yaris’s cargo area, however, so I had to downgrade to the smaller umbrella stroller for the trip. It easily fit.
Though it’s still slow, loud and just about every bump is heard and felt throughout the cabin, this tiny, 153-inch subcompact Toytao hatchback swallowed just about everything we threw at it. Were we comfortable? It depends on who you ask, but for such a small vehicle, the Toyota Yaris handled the weekend better than expected and better than its size indicates. Maybe it’s redeemed itself a bit since our Shootout.
