Toyota's rise in becoming the world's second largest automaker has been marked by the excellence of its luxury Lexus line and hybrid engine program, but this new, second-generation Yaris is a solid reminder that Toyota earned its way into this elevated position by building good, basic transportation.

The Yaris, however, is better than just good. This replacement for the unloved Toyota Echo boasts the good looks, suave road manners, perky performance and well-tailored interior that establish new benchmarks in the entry-level game. And this will cause the increasing competition in that market many sleepless nights figuring out how to offset Toyota's deep well of talent, materials and technology.

The Yaris combines the economies of an inexpensive sticker, outstanding fuel mileage and the solid integrity that underlies every Toyota vehicle. Sure, certain aspects of the car, such as noise isolation and driving position, are far from ideal, but the Yaris owner will never feel as though he or she had to settle for second best, even if they didn't have to pay much to get the best.