Compare the2018 Volkswagen BeetleVS 2018 Toyota Yaris

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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The Beetle has standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Yaris doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Beetle Coast/SE’s blind spot warning system uses digital cameras monitored by computer to alert the driver to moving objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Yaris doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing safer, the Beetle Coast/SE’s cross-path warning system uses wide-angle radar in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Yaris doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Beetle SE has standard Car-Net, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Yaris doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Beetle and the Yaris have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and available rear parking sensors.

The Volkswagen Beetle weighs 685 to 957 pounds more than the Toyota Yaris. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volkswagen Beetle is safer than the Toyota Yaris:

	Beetle	Yaris
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	22%	31%
Neck Stress	227 lbs.	341 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.7 inches
Neck Injury Risk	39%	46%
Neck Stress	202 lbs.	227 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	395/294 lbs.	541/337 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Volkswagen Beetle is safer than the Toyota Yaris:

	Beetle	Yaris
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	59	157
Chest Movement	1 inches	1 inches
Abdominal Force	239 G’s	257 G’s
Hip Force	427 lbs.	440 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	363	450
Spine Acceleration	47 G’s	81 G’s
Hip Force	766 lbs.	824 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
HIC	235	353
Hip Force	804 lbs.	943 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Beetle is 3.1% less likely to roll over than the Yaris.

Warranty

The Beetle comes with a full 6-year/72000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car. The Yaris’ 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 3 years and 36,000 miles sooner.

The Beetle’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the Yaris’ (10 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

The Volkswagen Beetle’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Yaris’ engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2017 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Volkswagen vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Volkswagen 10th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 2 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 13th.

Engine

The Beetle’s 2.0 turbo 4 cyl. produces 68 more horsepower (174 vs. 106) and 81 lbs.-ft. more torque (184 vs. 103) than the Yaris’ 1.5 DOHC 4 cyl.

As tested in Car and Driver the Volkswagen Beetle is faster than the Toyota Yaris (automatics tested):

	Beetle	Yaris
Zero to 30 MPH	2.5 sec	3.5 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	10.2 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	12.7 sec	18.7 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	21 sec	37 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	8.5 sec	10.4 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.9 sec	5.5 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	5.6 sec	7.3 sec
Quarter Mile	15.8 sec	17.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	89 MPH	78 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Beetle has 3.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Yaris (14.5 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Volkswagen Beetle higher (7 out of 10) than the Toyota Yaris (3). This means the Beetle produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Yaris every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Volkswagen Beetle as a “Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle” (PZEV). The Toyota Yaris is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

Transmission

The Volkswagen Beetle comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Yaris.

A six-speed automatic is standard on the Volkswagen Beetle, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a four-speed automatic is available for the Yaris.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Beetle’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Yaris 3dr:

	Beetle	Yaris
Front Rotors	11.3 inches	10 inches
Rear Rotors	10 inches	7.87” drums

The Volkswagen Beetle has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Rear drums are standard on the Yaris. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes which work much harder than conventional brakes.

The Beetle stops shorter than the Yaris:

	Beetle	Yaris
70 to 0 MPH	176 feet	185 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Beetle has larger standard tires than the Yaris (215/55R17 vs. 175/65R15). The Beetle’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Yaris (235/45R18 vs. 195/50R16).

The Beetle’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Yaris 3dr’s 65 series tires. The Beetle’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Yaris 3dr’s 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Beetle has standard 16-inch wheels. Smaller 15-inch wheels are standard on the Yaris 3dr. The Beetle’s optional 18-inch wheels are larger than the 15-inch wheels on the Yaris 3dr.

The Volkswagen Beetle’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Toyota Yaris only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Volkswagen Beetle has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Toyota Yaris has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Beetle has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Beetle flat and controlled during cornering. The Yaris’ suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Beetle’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Yaris (100 inches vs. 98.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Beetle is 4.2 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Yaris.

The Beetle’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (59.3% to 40.7%) than the Yaris’ (60.9% to 39.1%). This gives the Beetle more stable handling and braking.

The Beetle Dune Convertible handles at .81 G’s, while the Yaris SE 5dr Liftback pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Beetle Coupe a Compact car, while the Yaris 3dr Liftback is rated a Subcompact.

The Beetle Coupe has .1 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front legroom and 2.8 inches more front shoulder room than the Yaris 3dr Liftback.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Beetle. The Yaris doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Servicing Ease

The Beetle has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Yaris doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

Ergonomics

The engine computer on the Beetle disables the starter while the engine is running. The Yaris’ starter can be accidentally engaged while the engine is running, making a grinding noise and possibly damaging the starter and ring gear.

To help each driver find a more comfortable driving position, the Beetle has a telescoping steering wheel. Much better than just a tilt steering wheel or adjustable seat, this allows a short driver to sit further from the steering wheel while maintaining contact with the pedals. The Yaris doesn’t offer a telescoping steering wheel.

The Beetle’s standard front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Yaris’ power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The Beetle Convertible’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches.

The Yaris’ standard power locks don’t automatically lock the doors. The Beetle’s standard doors lock when a certain speed is reached. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights. (The power lock’s automatic feature may have to be activated by your dealer.)

Keyless Access optional on the Beetle allows you to unlock the driver’s door and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Toyota Yaris doesn’t offer an advanced key system.

The Beetle’s standard variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The Yaris’ fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent. The Beetle’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Beetle SE/Dune/Convertible to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Yaris doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Beetle offers an optional automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The Yaris doesn’t offer automatic headlights.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Beetle (except S/Coast) offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Yaris doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Beetle has standard power remote mirrors. The Yaris L doesn’t offer either a remote driver side or passenger side mirror. The driver will have to roll down the windows and reach across the car to adjust the mirrors.

The Beetle’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. The Yaris doesn’t offer heated side mirrors.

The Beetle’s power mirror controls are mounted on the door for easy access. The Yaris LE/SE’s power mirror controls are on the dash, hidden behind the steering wheel, where they are awkward to manipulate.

The Beetle’s optional rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Yaris doesn’t offer the luxury of an automatic dimming rear view mirror.

The Beetle offers optional heated front seats, which keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the Yaris.

The Beetle SE/Dune’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Yaris doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

The Beetle SE/Dune’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Yaris doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Optional App-Connect for the Beetle allows the driver and passengers access to select programs on their smartphones, including reading text messages aloud and other connected activities without taking their eyes off the road or their hands from the wheel. The Yaris doesn’t offer factory integrated smartphone program access.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Beetle is less expensive to operate than the Yaris because typical repairs cost less on the Beetle than the Yaris, including $30 less for a fuel pump.

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