I Test-Drove a New Ride… and Ended Up in Someone Else’s Story

I swear I wasn’t looking for trouble when I booked the test drive. I just wanted to see what the hype was about.

The 2024 Toyota GR Yaris had been blowing up on my feed—everyone from YouTubers to Reddit car geeks was raving about it. Lightweight, turbocharged, AWD beast in a hatchback body? Count me in.

I rolled into the dealership in Yaba, pretending like I knew what I was doing. The sales guy, Ugo, looked like he didn’t want to be there. He tossed me the keys like I’d done this a hundred times. I hadn’t.

The second I turned the ignition, I felt something shift. Maybe it was the rumble. Maybe it was my inner Vin Diesel. But I forgot I was in Lagos, where danfo drivers run red lights like it’s a sport and LASTMA agents appear like genies from potholes.

Now, let me be honest: the GR Yaris is a monster. The acceleration is stupid smooth. You barely tap the gas and boom—you’re gone. I was on Third Mainland Bridge, windows down, turbo singing, when I hit 140 km/h without even realizing.

Then came the twist.

I spotted flashing lights in my rearview. I thought it was just a regular roadblock. I slowed down, pulled over like a responsible adult. But these officers weren’t smiling.

One leaned in and said, “Step out of the car. This vehicle matches the description of a getaway car from a robbery in Surulere.”

I laughed. Because, seriously, what are the odds?

Bad move.

They didn’t find it funny.

They searched me, checked the car plate, asked me to unlock my phone. My heart dropped—not because I did anything wrong, but because I had no idea how to prove I wasn’t the person they were looking for.

And here’s the kicker—the actual thief? He had the same model, same color, and same dealership tag on the car.

Ugo from the dealership had loaned out two test cars that day. And the other guy? He never brought his back.

Long story short: I spent 4 hours at the station explaining I wasn’t the “Yaris bandit.” Ugo showed up sweating, apologizing, bringing paperwork to save me from sleeping in a cell.

When I got home that night, I parked my own car and just sat there, engine off, still shaking. But I couldn’t stop thinking about how powerful that Yaris felt. That drive before the madness? It was electric.

Would I buy it? Honestly… still thinking about it. But next time, I’m wearing a shirt that says: “I’M JUST A TEST DRIVER.”