It can be tough at the top. Not too long after Toyota was declared the biggest car company in the world, the global car market went in the dumper.

In recent months and closer to home, Toyota, the darling of every auto consumer reliability and quality survey, has been hit with a barrage of safety recalls and grilled by governments for its conduct.

If this has rocked the trust that the Canadian consumer has in the Toyota brand, so far it hasn't shown up in the most accurate of all quality measurements -- resale value. In the most recent Canadian Black Book annual Retained Value Awards, Toyota and Lexus models took top spot in seven of seventeen categories.

The winner in the subcompact segment, the Toyota Yaris, is the focus of this review. Yaris is also the lowest-priced new Toyota that you can buy and has a start price of just $13,995 for a three-door hatchback version call the Yaris CE.

Moving up the model line, there's a five-door hatchback version of Yaris that comes in both LE and RS trim levels and has a start price of $14,905. In addition, there's also a four-door sedan edition of the Yaris with a start price of $14,990.

My test Yaris was a four-door sedan with an automatic transmission ($1,000) and it also came with a Convenience Package ($1,600) that includes air conditioning, power windows, power mirrors, power door locks, keyless entry and bunch of other stuff. It also bumped the full price to $17,350.

Something to keep in mind before you get carried away with Yaris options is that its larger sibling the Toyota Corolla has a start price of just $15,460. Then again, while the Corolla offers more car for the money, perhaps you want less car and the best possible fuel economy.

When it comes to fuel economy Yaris is the best of the best, as it's in a class full of super fuel misers. A combined city/highway fuel efficiency rating of just 6.3L/100 km for a Yaris with a manual transmission and 6.3L/100 km with an automatic has allowed it claim the federal ecoENERGY award in the subcompact class for five years straight.

THE LOOKS

A stretched body with a trunk gives the Yaris sedan a more conservative look than the Yaris hatchback. The sedan is significantly longer, by 475 mm (18.7 inches), its wheelbase is also longer (by 90 mm) and it's a little lower (65 mm).

Although they look the same from a front view, the overall design doesn't have the same perkiness as the hatchback and the longer wheelbase also gives it a wider turn circle. Of course it has redeeming qualities on the inside: more passenger and cargo space.

THE INSIDE

The stretched outer dimensions of the sedan give its rear-seat occupants considerably more leg room. While there's a little less headroom, most users won't even notice a difference, as the well-designed passenger cabin still has a roomy feel.

The driver seating position is upright and the centre-dash position instrument panel allows better forward sightlines, especially for parking. While there's sound design and economic logic behind the unique instrument panel placement, the traditional location in front of the driver is still my preferred position.

The steering wheel had a tilt adjustment but no telescopic feature. On both ends of the dash were handy built-in cup holders that tumbled out when needed. Console storage bins on either side of the centre stack are another clever, user-friendly idea.

SAFETY

An anti-lock braking system (ABS) is now standard on Yaris, except for the base CE trim. An electronic stability control system is a new feature that's standard on RS and optional on the sedan. It also comes with a Brake Assist system on RS.

On the passive-protection side, front seat-mounted side airbags and side curtain airbags (front and rear) are an option and standard on RS. These safety features, however, are standard on some competitors of the Yaris, in this class.

THE DRIVE

An urban warrior, the Yaris excels as a city runabout thanks to its agile handling, light but quick steering and park-friendly size. While its engine horsepower numbers (106) may not sound very exciting, Yaris not a heavy vehicle so there's enough power and then some.

Yaris also performs surprisingly well out on the highway and despite its size does not feel out of place in traffic at elevated cruising speeds. Cabin noise, however, is not a Yaris strong point.

It's especially noticeable at higher speeds, but it depends on the road surface . . . and audio volume.

The four-speed automatic in my test Yaris worked well. It came with a gated lever that could also be shifted through its gears manually, but it's more likely to used by drivers in engine braking or passing situations.

THE SCORE

The Toyota Yaris is an inexpensive car to buy, it's cheap to run, super reliable, nimble to drive, easy to park and it's likely to have a high resale value if you ever want to sell it . . . a perfect commuter car!

THE SPECS

Trim levels: CE (3dr/hatch), LE/RS (5dr/hatch) & 4dr sedan

Sticker Price: $13,995 to $20,555

Power: 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, 105 horsepower

Transmission: 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic

Fuel consumption (man): 6.9/5.5 L/100 km (city/highway)

Fuel consumption (auto): 7.0/5.7 L/100 km (city/highway)

Basic Warranty: 3 years / 60,000 km

Powertrain Warranty: 5 years / 100,000 km

Rust Warranty: 5 years /unlimited km

THE COMPETITION

Chevrolet Aveo $13,950 - $16,850

Honda Fit $14,480 - $18,780

Hyundai Accent $13,588 - $18,999

Kia Rio $13,695 - $15,795

Nissan Versa $12,698 - $20,598

Suzuki Swift $14,715 - $17,055