America is getting big on going small. It’s true: with pocketbooks shrinking, fuel prices rising and commutes growing, more people than ever are looking for economy alternatives. With the Los Angeles Auto Show debut of the 2007 Toyota Yaris, their new subcompact sedan and liftback, Toyota is planning to meet that need with a large-enough version of the kind of small people are looking for.

Built on a larger new platform, the Yaris will likely improve on the outgoing Toyota Echo that it replaces. The Echo failed to gain much traction in North America, its weird design condemning it to a last-resort teenager car. But Toyota does nothing if not learn from past mistakes – theirs and others – and the Yaris corrects several issues that consumers had with the Echo: styling, with a more subtle, professional design, a more roomy interior, better powertrain and, most importantly, choice. Shoppers who arrive at a Toyota dealership in March, when the Yaris arrives, will get to pick from a sedan, a sport sedan, and a liftback. Base prices start at an MSRP of $10,950 for the liftback, $11,825 for the sedan and $13,325 for the sedan S. All base models come with a manual transmission.

Features include a 1.5-liter four cylinder engine that produces 106 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 103 lb. ft. of torque at 4,200 rpm. The engine is mated to either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual transmission. Fuel economy is rated by the EPA at 34 city/39 highway miles. The Yaris is certified as a Ultra-Low Emission vehicle.

Standard equipment includes air conditioning, tilt steering wheel, tinted glass, and more, and options include ABS brakes and side and side curtain airbags. Fifteen-inch wheels are also available.

Photos by Ron Perry