With over 505,000 gadgets bought in Malaysia throughout 3 generations, the Toyota Vios is an important bread and butter style for UMW Toyota Motor (UMWT). This will likely wonder you, however whilst the primary two generations of the Vios hung round for between 4 to 6 years every, the third-generation style has been on sale for 9 years.
First offered in 2013, the third-generation Vios underwent two facelifts – one in 2018 and every other in 2020 – to stay it related. Even so, there’s no denying {that a} general overhaul was once wanted, particularly when the Vios’ closest rival – the Honda Town – upped the ante in its 5th era.
Fortunately, an all-new Vios was once precisely what we were given to look closing August with the debut of the fourth-generation style in Thailand. We now have needed to wait a short time for the most recent Vios to be introduced in Malaysia, however on March 20, 2023 at 8pm, Toyota’s B-segment sedan will formally cross on sale – estimated pricing is between RM90k to RM96k throughout two variants.
Forward of the following day’s release match, we had the chance to check out out the fourth-generation Vios (designated AC100) in Langkawi to revel in simply how a lot of an growth it’s over its predecessor and the way it kind of stacks up towards a fellow heavyweight within the B-segment sedan ring.
Daihatsu bones, Toyota pores and skin
Even ahead of the AC100 Vios got here to mild, it was once closely reported that Daihatsu could be concerned within the style’s building (the undertaking was once internally referred to as D92A). Daihatsu’s mum or dad corporate is Toyota, and in 2016, each events introduced the status quo of an inside corporate known as the ‘Rising-market Compact Automotive Corporate’ or EMCC.
EMCC is answerable for the improvement of the AC100 Vios, and the joint building product that resulted followed the Daihatsu New International Structure (DNGA). With the brand new platform, the Vios has grown relatively, measuring in at 4,425 mm lengthy (+5 mm), 1,740 mm large (+10 mm) and 1,480 mm tall (+5 mm).
Of extra importance is the wheelbase, which has been greater through 70 mm to hit 2,620 mm. For context, the Town’s wheelbase is two,600 mm, however measures 4,553 mm lengthy and 1,748 mm large – the peak is relatively much less at 1,467 mm.
The long wheelbase is mirrored within the styling, with an aspect view showcasing the promise of a roomy inside. Visually shorter overhangs also are a part of the profile, and Toyota is eager to indicate the Vios’ fastback design with its gently sloping C-pillars – do you trust this declare?
Up entrance is the place the Vios is maximum unique given its new face that appears trendy and no more curvaceous than the outgoing style. A big gaping mouth remains to be provide, however the surrounding components assist to make the design more straightforward in this eyes, no less than for this author.
Highlights come with sharper headlamps that seem to be “striking” through the top of the L-shaped daylight hours working lighting, with the impact additional emphasized through the skinny black bar working throughout the Toyota badge. This additionally acts as a divider between the huge decrease grille and body-coloured trim trailing from the clamshell bonnet, offering a much less “busy” glance in comparison to the former style.
The decrease apron additionally will get a couple of neat touches like a spoiler lip and purposeful air curtains (with ‘VORTEX GENERATORS’ published on them), with the latter helping channel air for stepped forward aerodynamics and could also be claimed to assist cool the entrance brakes.
The entrance lip is a part of an aerokit that still comes packaged with facet skirts, a boot lid lip spoiler and a diffuser-like part for the rear bumper, the closing of which additionally will get air curtain-like bits, even supposing they’re purely ornamental. Additionally on the rear are angular back lights (with sequential flip alerts!) related through a black trim piece that properties the opposite digicam and boot unencumber button.
The preferred consensus some of the motoring media is the Vios seems roughly like a “child Camry,” which is rather merited. To my eyes, the brand new Vios additionally will get a little bit little bit of Corolla and is a thorough departure from its predecessor. After all, seems are a subjective subject, so be happy to previous judgement and evaluate it to the Town within the feedback beneath.
Top class inside with acquainted bits, some inconveniences
Identical to the outside, the Vios’ inside additionally will get overhauled and now includes a more practical dashboard design this is devoid of the former automotive’s many traces and sophisticated shapes. Taking centre degree is a 9-inch touchscreen head unit this is surprisingly off-centred in its placement, so OCD folks may really feel a little bit uneasy.
Positioning apart, the pinnacle unit very similar to the only you to find in Corolla Pass, that means you get a high-resolution show this is spectacular for a automotive on this phase. Much more spectacular is the enhance for wi-fi Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which is a characteristic this is unusual within the realm the Vios lives in – the Town depends on a stressed connection. Throughout the media force, my Samsung Galaxy S21 simply attached to the device for Android Auto and didn’t endure any dropouts as we navigated from position to position.
The top unit is surrounded through soft-touch subject matter, which could also be used for the armrest at the door playing cards and centre console in addition to the motive force’s knee pad. Those give a contribution to the top class really feel, however you’ll nonetheless to find some fundamental plastic parts in maximum spaces, even supposing sure items are made to be shiny black and textured.
Any other exchange from the former automotive is the raised centre console that has no cupholders. If you need someplace to position your beverages, there at the moment are cupholders on the corners of the sprint just like within the Perodua Ativa, with the only on driving force’s facet being a little bit fancier with a push-to-deploy mechanism.
The brand new centre console additionally properties two small garage cubbies and controls for an digital parking brake (with auto brake dangle) this is making its debut on fourth-generation style. There also are two buttons for the 64-colour ambient lights device, even supposing this simplest illuminates restricted spaces within the cabin.
On the tail finish of the centre console below the armrest is every other garage space that comprises a wi-fi telephone charger, however you’ll must conscious about how thick your telephone is to make use of it. My co-driver’s S22 Extremely with a thicker case couldn’t are compatible into the slot, however an S21 with a Spigen Liquid Air had no such issues.
Given Daihatsu’s involvement within the AC100 undertaking, you’ll realize slightly a couple of acquainted bits just like the guidance wheel and power lever glance precisely like what’s within the Ativa. In other places, the configurable 7-inch TFT software cluster show is just about just like the only within the Ativa, albeit with Toyota-specific animations and graphics.
As for existence within the rear, the Vios additionally after all will get rear AC vents on this era, which is most probably a characteristic many had been looking ahead to, and there are ergonomically positioned cupholders to enrich higher garage wallet at the door playing cards.
There also are two charging ports – one USB-C and one USB-A – for rear passengers, however the ones on the entrance simplest get one USB-A at the head unit. There aren’t any devoted USB charging retailers on the entrance of the cabin (in contrast to the Vios/Yaris Ativ in Thailand), so that you’ll must spend money on a charger to plug into the 12-volt energy socket that interestingly has blanked out sections flanking the all-seat seatbelt reminder.
On the other hand, it’s worthwhile to simply plug into the rear retailers and drag the cable to the entrance, which is what we did. It isn’t chic, however while you’re pressed for time and completely require high-wattage speedy charging – which the rear retailers may give – it positive beats a wi-fi charger.
In the meantime, legroom is beneficiant because of the wheelbase, even if the motive force’s seat is adjusted for my co-driver’s 178 cm body. Then again, rear headroom was once a subject for my force spouse as his head was once touching the headliner when sitting upright. With my 170 cm top, there was once a little bit more room – about one to 2 hands value – however I needed to slouch relatively to in fact be relaxed at the transfer.
Interestingly, this was once much less of a subject within the earlier automotive in addition to the Town, so possibly the fastback form is extra shape over serve as. Most likely deeper concaves within the headliner – as noticed on the entrance – would assist treatment this.
Any other shortcoming is the removing of a folding rear bench, so looking to load lengthy items of flatpack furnishings shall be a subject. We had been advised through the engineers that the rear seat bench could be too skinny if it may well be folded down, so a call was once made to not give you the characteristic – there isn’t a rear armrest both.
On boot house itself, you do get 475 litres (down from 502 litres) and a big access aperture, so getting large pieces in shouldn’t be an excessive amount of of trouble. With the boot tray and flooring lifted, you’ll get much more house to stow pieces, even supposing there’s no room for a spare tyre. The volume of room below the boot flooring is indisputably sufficient to deal with hybrid parts, and a Vios Hybrid has been mentioned to make its debut someday this yr.
Succesful engine, new CVT
The transfer to the DNGA platform additionally sees the Vios be powered through the 2NR-VE, which is Daihatsu’s model of the 2NR-FE that incorporates 1.5 litres of displacement, four-cylinder, DOHC and Twin VVT-i. Turning in 106 PS at 6,000 rpm and 138 Nm of torque at 4,200 rpm, the 2NR-VE is marginally much less robust than the departing 2NR-FE that made 107 PS and 140 Nm.
Paired with the 2NR-VE is a CVT that incorporates seven digital speeds and paddle shifters (new for the Vios). Consistent with the Vios’ building workforce, the transmission is basically Daihatsu’s D-CVT (Twin mode CVT) with a split-gear device that mixes belt force with a tools force – we’ve detailed the era ahead of. This mixture, along side the extra aerodynamic external, is said to ship a gas intake of five.2 litres according to 100 km.
Pushed in a civilised way, the setup delivers energy easily to stand up to commonplace speeds maximum could be at on their day-to-day force. In scenarios the place immediacy is wanted, say for overtaking impulsively or charging up Gunung Raya, the CVT drops digital gears to convey the engine revs up and also you get to listen to slightly a little of noise from the engine because it makes an attempt to pile on velocity.
The transmission comes to a decision when the tools force kicks in in response to how a lot of the accelerator pedal is depressed, however there’s nonetheless some rubber banding impact felt, even supposing it isn’t as serious as what would revel in in older CVTs. Acceleration is aggressive sufficient as opposed to the Town in a demonstrated drag race and is helped through the truth that the DNGA platform trims round 110 kg off the Vios’ weight in comparison to the outgoing style. In terms of the G variant we spent all our time in, the kerb weight is indexed as only one,035 kg – the former G was once 1,145 kg.
With expectancies set proper and a mild proper foot, the powertrain stays fairly quiet and delightful to make use of typically, however there shall be moments the place the transmission sees are compatible to kick down and also you’ll be listening to the extra of the 2NR-VE that you simply wish to. The Vios additionally comes with 3 force modes (Standard, Eco and Energy) if you want to power the engine to be extra responsive (retaining the engine at upper revs) or reserved (much less aware of throttle inputs for gas potency).
Progressed convenience and dealing with
Different touted advantages of the brand new platform are stepped forward dealing with and luxury, either one of which have been on show on a closed direction with a slalom and fast lane exchange. In each workout routines, the Vios stay composed and confident with fast directional adjustments, helped alongside through its wider 205/50 profile Continental PremiumContact C tyres wrapped round 17-inch wheels – the most important for the style but. As ahead of, the suspension is still MacPherson struts up entrance and a torsion beam on the rear, however the chassis is stiffer.
Throughout our runs up and down Gunung Raya, the Vios felt agile throughout the corners and supplied excellent brake really feel (i.e. now not too comfortable). The electrically assisted guidance is correct sufficient however there’s now not a lot in the best way of comments, with the point of interest extra on making it mild and simple to manoeuvre.
On commonplace roads, the Vios was once compliant to be extra relaxed than its predecessor. Number one trip was once excellent, with the auto final composed over massive bumps, whilst secondary trip was once neatly treated so it doesn’t really feel too obnoxious to the purpose that we’re bounced round. The operated by hand seats had been additionally supportive and supplied enough convenience, even supposing an extended force could be extra conclusive.
Noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) had been additionally a lot stepped forward over the former era because of the fitment of acoustic glass for the entrance windscreen and facet home windows. Sure spaces of the chassis additionally get foam inserts to assist hose down out undesirable intrusions, additional making improvements to NVH.
Toyota Protection Sense made higher
When the third-generation Vios were given its 2nd replace, the Toyota Protection Sense suite was once added to reinforce its protection chops, however simplest got here with two methods: Pre-Collision Machine (self reliant emergency braking) and Lane Departure Caution.
The most recent style takes issues many steps additional through including Lane Departure Prevention, Entrance Departure Alert, Adaptive Cruise Regulate, Lane Maintaining Regulate and Auto Top Beam. You even get Pedal Misoperation Regulate, Blind Spot Observe with Rear Pass Site visitors Alert, a three-D panoramic view track, entrance and rear parking sensors in addition to a multi-view opposite digicam.
Those are on best of the usual six airbags and record of passive methods (VSC, ABS, EBD, brake help, hill get started help, and so on.) In these days’s international the place such energetic protection methods may also be discovered on automobiles that price much less, it was once inexcusable if the Vios simplest introduced simplest the fundamentals, however fortunately, this isn’t the case.
A winner in some ways with some faults
In comparison to its predecessor, the fourth-generation Vios is a big soar ahead in lots of sides, in particular when it comes to trip and dealing with in addition to NVH. The excellent characteristic set additionally enhances the top class inside really feel, whilst the expanded record of security measures is an absolute necessity and warmly welcomed. As for the brand new powertrain, it doesn’t publish upper figures, nevertheless it does neatly sufficient in maximum riding scenarios in case you taper expectancies.
Then again, there are a few things associated with practicality that automotive consumers may to find to be a subject with just like the headroom limitation for in particular tall rear seat passengers. The shortcoming to fold the rear seat bench down could also be some extent of rivalry, particularly when the Town gives this as usual throughout its whole variant line-up – the former Vios 60:40 split-folding rear seats at the E and G variants. Those are viable issues for many who depend on just one automotive to satisfy as many desires as imaginable, together with ferrying other folks and/or shipment.
Toyota took their time with the AC100 Vios and the outcome is a product that impresses in some ways and higher suited for compete towards the two-year-old-plus Town. It’s now not with out faults, however there are many positives and enhancements that some might omit the shortcomings.
GALLERY: 2023 Toyota Vios media check force authentic footage
GALLERY: 2023 Toyota Vios authentic footage
