USED Toyota Yaris Hatchback (06 - 11)

My car

What a cracking car!

I have just purchased the 2006 Toyota Yaris 1.3 VVT-i three-door, and I think that it is a fantastic car.

I choose black, and was unsure if the colour would suit the car, but it looks great - like a mini Honda Type R!

When we collected the car, we had a 400-mile drive in it from the dealer in Manchester back to St. Albans. It was a very pleasurable car to drive in and felt no smaller in the cabin than the new VW Passat I drive in.

It is packed with cup holders and cubby holes and other clever working features. I believe one of the best features about the car is the futuristic speedometer in the centre of the car with the floating time next to it.

This car feels great to drive - like a go-kart around corners. The 1.3 VVT-i engine is very quick (only 0.1 second slower than the 1.6 Mini One!) and I would definitely recommend it over the 1.0-litre Aygo engine.

With the car having a five-star Euro NCAP rating and having an amazing nine airbags, including a driver's knee airbag, I feel amazingly safe in the car.

Overall, I am very pleased with the new Toyota Yaris, and really think that it deserves to win this year’s small car of the year 2006!

My car

I have had to change my orginial review of this car after having driven it for a year. I am finally getting rid of it and getting a Renault Clio, although I have lost £4000 on it! I made the mistake of getting the MMT gearbox and it is awful. I also have the diesel and the most I can get out of it is 47mpg, this was on a 200-mile motorway run at a steady speed.

It has been back countless times for the pathetic fuel economy figures and Toyota don't want to know and keep saying 'you bought an automatic - what do you expect?' Shame the brochure shows the minimum fuel consumption around town should be 53mpg!

However the interior is great and I shall miss that. It's roomy, seats four adults and luggage comfortably and the storage can never be beaten.

Here's hoping the Clio won't disappoint!