Zippy Family Fun: 2015 Toyota Vios

What it is:

This would be the latest iteration of the third generation Vios, a name that means 'moving forward' in Latin. Time to find out how far it has moved forward.



On the outside:

The new Vios is significantly different from it's past versions. The rounded shape of the second gen car (also known as Belta and Yaris sedan from 2007-2013) looked like a docile, squashed bulldog puppy. That was a stubby little car with decent, polite city-car characteristics much like aforementioned puppy.

This third generation changes all that. Now it is Toyota's new design language that is all about sharp angles and Gundam robot influences. It is longer, sleeker and in tune with conventional customer desires, it also looks a little menacing. Those squinty eyed headlights coupled with the muscular chin forward bumper give give this car a renewed appeal. I prefer the goatee look of this car over the Mark X's silly cross-hair nose.

The wide sides are visually slimmed by the double crease that merges into one from the rear light to the front. It's a tall car but the sharply outlined profile gives off a visual slickness. A lot of thought and visual trickery went into making a sub-compact car look sporty. What we hate are the tiny wheels. It needed rims that are at least one size bigger with fewer or narrower spokes. That one single change would make this car go from very good looking into 'visually exciting' category.

On the inside:

The cabin is spacious with the smartly contoured surfaces that are easy on the eye. The design appears more upmarket even though the interior is all plastic with fake leather stitching effect on the door panels.  The pro being these light coloured panels should be very easy to keep clean. I hate the soft touch plastics and light colored cloth insert on the common Allion/Premio/Corolla counterparts. 3-4 years down the line those cars have grime stained interiors that look like you could catch and die from ebola. While the plastic in the Vios sounds and feels hard, it will pay off down the line when your car interior looks bright and pristine because surprise: you can wash it.

The seats are on the firm side of comfortable so your buttocks don't tire out from sitting in Dhaka traffic for days. You do sit more upright and the view outside is more open. There's just enough space for three passengers in the back tested with my wider than usual photographer. Rear legroom is excellent although headroom is a little low for anyone over six feet. If you're not a WWE wrestler, this will not be an issue.



Power:

The 1.5 litre engine is surprisingly responsive for a engine that is mass produced to be driven by the masses. It's 107bhp might not set brochures on fire but the way those horses are delivered make it a fun little package of a city car. Here's how: it's zippy quick and the torque delivery starts early. It will dart in and out of traffic maneuvers without stuttering. I'm sad that these things aren't sold in Bangladesh with a manual. New manuals have soft clutches and provide more fun factor. But us car journo types are an endangered species here.



How does it ride?

Eerily quiet. The cabin is very well insulated from all that is going on around you so the ride is comfortably hushed at all times. The auto shifts smartly without letting the occupants know of its existence and that is what makes it an even better city car: it moves without fuss.



Does it stop?

The rear disc brakes offer excellent feel at all times with just a tap of the foot. Repeated hard stops showed the brakes will hold up very well even in harder than usual abuse. Brakes on a city car need to be brilliant to avoid bikers with death wishes. And let's not forget our Bangladeshi pedestrians that don't want to wear out the foot over-bridges by using them. These may well be the best brakes we've found in this segment of car.



Extras & efficiency:

The Vios gets ABS and EBD along with dual airbags. The steering wheel has volume controls and the speaker setup in clear and distortion free. It has a bigger trunk than the previous model (81 litres) and is about 4 inches longer to add more rear legroom.

We haven't had the car long enough to test the fuel efficiency but it records an average of 8.5 km/litre. Manufacturers state 12-14 km/litre. Stick to the 'Economy' light glowing in the gauges and your should be able to get a very good output.



Coffee or sleeping pill?

The Vios was originally made to move people across spaces without making any splash. The new one ups that by being so much better to look at. It also rides sharply exhibit a slightly tighter suspension than other models available in Bangladesh market under the Toyota badge. That helps keep the car out of the sleeping pill category. I like how the Vios responds quickly to accelerator and braking inputs. The electrically assisted steering won't give you much road feel but buyers of this car won't be asking for that. The verdict stands that you will not be falling asleep from boredom. It rides well, handles decently without exhibiting too much body roll and it has a responsive engine that is also fuel efficient. Change the wheels and you've also got a great looker.

Price of VIOS

Grade E - 31.50 lak

Grade G - 33.75 lak

Grade S - 35 lak

These are the rack prices. But right now there are 50k-1.5k discounts depending on the three models. 09666770077 for discount query.

Specs

Engine: 1.5 litre 1NZ-FE 16 valve VVTI four cylinder (107 horsepower and 103 lb-ft torque @6000RPM)

Transmission: 4 speed automatic 

Brakes: 4 wheel disc brakes (ventilated front, solid disc rear) with ABS/EBD

Features: Steering mounted audio controls, cupholders, third brake light, smart keyless entry, start-stop, halogen projector headlamps, leather insert interior, dual airbags. 

Contact Navana Ltd. for pricing, availability and details.