2012 Toyota Yaris User Reviews

Pros

Made by Daihatsu in Japan with better reliability repair record than Toyota in Japan...

Cons

None, although Toyota of Japan use Daihatsu of Japan as a source for cheaper Japanese labor...

Purchased As New

Replying to the previous angry poster, it is indeed true that Toyota Yaris (hatchback only) is a Daihatsu-made/engineered car. Toyota has always kept this as a secret since the beginning, since Toyota does not want the public to know that "Daihatsu" car manufacturer itself still exists in North America today. Toyota wants the public to continue knowing that Daihatsu exited auto sales from North America in 1992.

Daihatsu is a half-owned subsidiary by Toyota (51% owned by Toyota), which Toyota invest in Daihatsu only for the auto factory plants to expand production for Toyota-branded vehicles. Daihatsu, itself, is actually a private Japanese car manufacturer producing its own set of cars, mostly mini-kei cars, for the Japanese market. If Toyota did market the Yaris under the "Daihatsu" brand, it will have much difficulty selling, due to lack of public awareness, and sales number would be poor. People have already agreed that Daihatsu cars were discontinued in North America after 1992, so there is no need for Toyota to bring back the Daihatsu name and confuse the auto market. Because Daihatsu is 51% owned by Toyota (more than half or 50%), Toyota has the right to market the Yaris model under the Toyota brand without any penalty, and Toyota is not required to inform the public that the Yaris is made by Daihatsu.

Only the four-door Yaris sedan is made and engineered by Toyota, and the Yaris four-door sedan is the only subcompact car manufactured by Toyota, as well as Toyota's own least-expensive car. The Yaris sedan is now discontinued and sold only to fleets, and all Yaris cars, beginning in 2012 model year, are made by Daihatsu.

Although Toyota use Daihatsu's own auto plants as a source of slightly cheaper Japanese labor, Daihatsu, surprisingly, build more reliable cars than Toyota in Japan, due to more simplicity, fewer parts, and lighter-weight in every cars Daihatsu built. Toyota Yaris hatchback (made by Daihatsu) has always been rated more reliable than Toyota Yaris sedan (made by Toyota), according to Consumer Reports magazine in the auto reliability history section. Just because Daihatsu cars are cheaper than Toyota cars along with cheaper labor doesn't necessary mean Daihatsu cars are going to be less reliable. It can be the opposite sometimes, which happened many times in the past.

Hopefully, you find this review helpful and informative.