With 106 horses and 103 lb.-ft. of torque on tap, the 2007 Toyota Yaris is hardly a performance machine, but once its driver gets used to where the meat of the motor is and learns how best to extract the power, this littlest of Toyotas offers acceptable gusto considering its place in the subcompact segment. Off-the-line acceleration is less than thrilling, though once the revs climb a bit the engine starts to stir, making sure that the Yaris will at least get out of its own way. But to be sure, you’ve got to wring the little four-banger out in every gear to get decent acceleration. Provided there’s plenty of highway, cruising at 80-90 mph takes little effort, though don’t expect to tap into reserves for any multi-car passes. The five-speed manual transmission is a bit vague, and we felt a grind a few times when engaging reverse. Our average gas mileage reached only 27.5 mpg, which no doubt reflected a staff of heavy-footed editors. Those with more patience will surely see better results.