Better still, fuel economy is outstanding. And he's finally gotten the hang of the tightly gated shifter. Front seats, clad in black leather, are quite comfortable over the long haul, but when larger adults are occupying the front chairs, the rear seats are effectively useless. When the rear seatback is folded flat, an odd storage bin normally serving duty in the trunk area spans the space along the bottom of the seatback, precluding a flat load floor.
Interior design is pleasing as well, with major controls located at the driver's fingertips.
The downswept center dash includes stereo controls mounted above the HVAC unit, both employing simple buttons, knobs, and rotary dials. Wardlaw gives Toyota a gold star for including a handy tuning knob for the stereo. Interior materials get high marks in terms of appearance and tactile feel, despite the excessive use of hard plastics, which tend to scratch easily. But the plastic surround that encompasses the shifter, power window controls, ashtray and power point can be removed without hand tools, a distressing indication that Toyota is taking the road most often traveled by General Motors with regard to interior assembly quality. At certain times of the afternoon, when using the clutch, sun glare off the unoccupied dead pedal can be blinding.