With all the focus on new small car offerings in the US, it is easy to forget that Toyota was one of the trailblazers into that segment with the Yaris. Recently refreshed, is it still up to the task of defending the turf it grabbed early on?

From the outside, we cant quite be so sure; the Yaris is starting to look a bit ‘dowdy’ when compared with the swoopy new Ford Fiesta and Mazda 2—especially in its most conventional, four doors n’ trunk configuration. But people don’t normally buy such cars for their looks, so inside we go. Things are quite nice herein: good quality materials that don’t feel cut-rate, tightly assembled (better, in fact, than most American-made Toyotas, all of which cost more). The seats offer plenty of support for long distance running, and the driving position is excellent—though the instruments, centered on the dash, take some getting used to. It is very roomy, too; Americans are downsizing their autos, and it time spent in the Yaris shows why Europeans have been content with such for years.

Present and accounted for in the test vehicle (equipped with the Sport package) are all the essentials, and some surprising extra standard equipment, such as traction and stability control, ABS, electronic brake force distribution, and brake assist (which applies extra pressure to the pads in an emergency).

The little Toyota isn’t too bad to drive, either; if it’s a bit noisy, so are almost all its competitors—and many ostensibly more luxurious cars like the Honda Accord. It rides quite well, which is important in a city car, smothering most of the broken pavement and expansion joints better than the Fit, for example. The tradeoff is that it doesn’t entertain like the Honda; it shows little genuine enthusiasm for corners. But it is competent, and continued improvements in steering feel since the Yaris’ launch insure strait tracking on the highway. Brake feel is fine, and the safety systems seem to stay out of the way when you don’t need them, something that couldn’t be said of the company’s products a few years ago.

The Yaris engine is decent, too. A 1.5-liter four, it produces 106hp and 104lb-ft of torque. Its usable powerband is wide, and it never becomes thrashy or unduly harsh. That’s important, mind you, as the 4-speed automatic is about two gears short of optimum—though it is smooth shifting most of the time. And, the Yaris is competitive in acceleration, hitting sixty in just over ten seconds. Fuel economy is very good (as you’d expect) with ratings of 29mpg/35mpg from the EPA. Also on the Toyota’s side is price; it undercuts competitors by 5-10%, which is critical in this segment.

With gasoline so inexpensive, the case for cars like the Yaris isn’t at its strongest right now. But as most experts don’t expect that to continue, the longer range forecast is very bright: here’s a frugal, safe, and reliable car with all the essentials, that will almost certainly provide many years of faithful service, good resale value, and low running costs—even into six-figure mileages. While certainly not thrilling, the Yaris still is worthy enough to challenge American preconceptions with the question of how much car do any of us actually need, and answers that query in a commendable style.

Price as tested $18,871

Here’s what Toyota says.

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