“Lady repellant” is what one staff member’s wife-to-be called our Absolutely Red Toyota Yaris hatchback. The same woman, embarking on a day trip with our road tester, laughed at the car as it sat at the curb: “It looks like some kids left their toys out overnight,” she said between giggles. Yeah, the Yaris is a jaunty looking package, a four-wheeled beanie with a propeller on top. It’s hard to take seriously, especially in Los Angeles where, more than most places, people are what they drive. Still, every time I looked at the Yaris, it made me think of Europe where owning something like this is a mark of intelligence, not low earning potential.