Will the 2022 model Toyota Vios be a rockstar?

This is our thoughts on the soon to arrive Toyota Vios.

You have to first understand the concept of the Toyota Vios from day one. Launched somewhere in June 2003, it was a model created to take advantage of the 2003 ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) agreement which gave all ASEAN nations except Myanmar and Burma one common duty structure.

The idea was to allow easy trading between the nations where the population was the fastest growing in the world and also had the fastest-growing automotive markets.

The Toyota Vios was designed to take advantage of the AFTA agreement and provide a low-cost family sedan that would be priced to allow lower-middle-class families to have their first decent car. 

The first generation Vios was launched with a 1.5L engine in a few variants priced from RM 73,000 to RM 81,000. It was a runway success in Malaysia, Thailand, and also Indonesia. The Vios was derived from the Toyota Soluna which was a direct rival to the first-ever Honda City that was designed and made in Thailand. 

This first generation Vios carried a 1.5L DOHC 16-valve engine that was good for 109 PS and 142 Nm of torque from 4,200 rpm. With its lightweight 980 kg (slightly more than a Mazda MX-5 roadster) it was livery and spirited to drive while delivering good fuel economy.

Now, fast forward to 2022, and we have a brand new Toyota Vios about to arrive. This latest version is welcomed as the current Vios is already nine years old and starting to show its age behind the wheel. 

The 2022 Vios will be built on a brand new DNGA platform (Daihatsu New Global Architecture), and the first country to get this all-new Vios will be Thailand.

Please note that Daihatsu is part of the Toyota family, just like Perodua. This also means that this all-new Vios might come with a hybrid powertrain. This is the e-Smart hybrid powertrain which is currently being used by the Daihatsu Raize (called the Rocky in Japan) and has been seen on test in Malaysia with the Perodua Ativa styling.

Toyota’s brand guardian in Malaysia, UMW Toyota, might launch this e-Smart hybrid Vios with a 1.2L petrol engine that works to keep a battery system running the motor-driven front wheels and a simpler 1.5L DOHC VVT-I petrol engine for the less adventurous car buyers. 

The e-Smart hybrid has an electric motor with 105 hp and 170 Nm of torque that powers the front wheels, eliminating the need for a gearbox. The driver will benefit from the Smart Pedal (S-PDL) feature, allowing one-pedal drive. Toyota claims the average fuel consumption of this e-SMART hybrid is about 3.57 litres per 100 km which is measured on the WLTC cycle.

 Like its immediate rival, Honda, which offers both a simple 1.5L engine and also a hybrid-powered e-HEV powertrain for the Honda City, UMW Toyota will give Malaysian car buyers the option to choose.

Our guess with the selling price will be between RM 75,000 for a base petrol engine Vios to RM 101,000 for the Vios powered by the e-Smart hybrid engine. 

Also read:  UMW Toyota Q1 2022 sales, new 3S centre, Ramadan celebrations, upcoming models and more