2002 Toyota Yaris GS review from UK and Ireland

Nothing.

In March I made a bad mistake by replacing my faithful "F Reg." 1300 Astra Estate with a brand new Yaris Verso.

Mechanically it has been fine and has proved exceptionally economical with up to 45 mpg readily obtainable here in the Chiltern Hills! On motor ways it struggles to hold, (ahem), seventy five with 38 mpg at best, whereas the Astra regularly achieved 42-45.

I've now held a licence for over forty years and in all that time I've never come across such a wilful vehicle! The low speed torque us virtually non existent and we've to slip the clutch to stop it stalling. On the move you can forget economy and race the engine if you want to keep up with the traffic flow.

The map pockets over the sun visors are simply brilliant. Pity the visors themselves are too shallow to be of any use on such a deep windscreen!

The reversing lights illuminate the trees, but not the road behind!

But worst of all is its abysmal ground clearance. I now have to use the Wife's car if I want to exercise the dogs, as there is not a single picnic area within miles I can drive onto without hearing it scrubbing the ground!

In any case whenever I've used it for the dogs I've felt guilty as the ride in the back is atrocious.

I could go on and on about its foibles. But to summarise it's proved a bitter disappointment.