Toyota gives a glimpse of what’s here and around the corner
AT THE 45th staging of the biennial Tokyo Motor Show (TMS) last year, Toyota declared how it had ceased to be “just” an automaker. “Starting today, Toyota is more than a car company. We’re a human movement company,” declared the brand in a short video before the main talk and presentation of EVP and board member Didier Leroy at the Tokyo Big Sight venue. Three words encapsulate the vision of “better mobility for all,” as the company exhorts us to “Start Your Impossible.”
It was not merely lip service in light of the forthcoming Olympic and Paralympic hosting of Japan’s capital in 2020 (which Toyota is partner of), but truly reflective of what the firm’s designers and engineers were and have been working on.
Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP), the country’s undisputed auto leader, will afford Filipinos a tantalizing look at the present and near future of mobility at the 7th Philippine International Motor Show.
VIOS
It headlines an eightmodel lineup with the allnew Vios, the country’s bestselling sedan. Bearing a “bold exterior, optimized interior comfort, signature Dual VVT-i
fuel efficiency, and unmatched safety features,” the car gets numerous upgrades and updates. A horizontally oriented blackout grille helps to stress the model’s wider stance, and the vehicle receives LED daytime running lights and fog lamps. So-called Prime grades get unique character lines and skirting, plus 16-inch alloy wheels, rear combination lamps with LED line guides, and halogen projector headlamps. The new Vios gets redesigned spoilers and an aero-stabilizing shark fin antenna.
A push start and smart entry system, and eco and sport power modes give added value to the price point. TMP says the all-new Vios is the only model in the subcompact segment whose “variants are all certified by the ASEAN New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) with an astounding five-star rating, the highest in its charts.”
Speaking of the Vios, the Toyota booth will also feature the Vios Cup pace car — a 1.5 G Prime CVT variant with a livery of Vios Cup sponsors, Rota alloy wheels, bucket seats, roof-mounted light bar, TRD suspension, and limited-slip differential.
RUSH
The Rush is Toyota’s first-ever entry-level SUV, boasting a “tasteful exterior, modern interior, and advanced features.” Sharing a platform with its Avanza MPV sibling, the similarities end there, as the Rush is imbued with higher ground clearance of 220 millimeters, generous 31-degree entry and 26-degree exit angles, 17-inch alloy wheels, and other accoutrements that earn it enhanced utilitarian capability worthy of an SUV.
Powered by a fuel-efficient 1.5L VVT-i engine, the Rush comes in a fiveand seven-seater variants — all offering a spacious luggage compartment and a push start/stop button. Other features include a capacitive touchscreen audio system, Optitron meter with multi-information display (MID), back camera, and an Apple-certified seveninch entertainment system.
FORTUNER
“Our concept was to build a true SUV that has style and confidence. The all-new Fortuner is the outcome of our continuous efforts to redefine toughness,” said Toyota executive chief engineer Hiroki Nakajima of the popular SUV. Longer and wider than the previous generation, the G grade comes equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, while the V grade has a set of 18s. Drive Mode Selection, capacitive touchscreen audio with navigation, and a multi-information display positively enhance the driving experience.
A new GD-series engine allows the all-new Fortuner to “balance power with fuel efficiency,” and the new engine is also “considerably more discreet in practical usage conditions—vibrations and road noise are well-suppressed even on rough terrain.”
LAND CRUISER
Widely regarded as a “status vehicle” according to TMP, the Toyota Land Cruiser is a burly yet elegant premium SUV with true off-roading
capabilities. The LC Premium has an off-roading exterior, redesigned chrome grille, LED headlights, front fog lamps, and rear combination lamps. It rides on 18-inch alloy wheels, and comes with a bumper overrider and the signature Land Cruiser body stripe. In the cabin is a high-resolution touch screen display and four-zone automatic climate control.
The LC Premium also boasts leathertrimmed, multi-stage heated seats, and a built-in 14-speaker setup by JBL Synthesis. Powering the model is a robust 5.7-liter DOHC 32-valve V8 engine.
INNOVA
If the Vios is the bestselling sedan in the country, the Innova takes its place as the most popular multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) since its launch in 2005. TMP introduces the Touring Sport variant, which assumes a more aggressive stance among Innova grades. It has 16inch matte-black alloy wheels, smoked headlamps, a chrome front grille, and fender molding with FR and RR diffusers near the bumper.
The Innova Touring Sport is also equipped with an anti-theft system, reverse sensors, and door-ajar warning.
PRIUS C
Verily a poster child of Toyota’s sustainable-fuel juggernaut, the Prius badge was first launched in 1997 and has been “continually evolving since.” The compact, Prius C variant, predicated on the Toyota New Global Architecture, has a striking new design as a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) with a minimum emissions and unparalleled fuel economy.
TJ CRUISER
First, before you get too excited, the TJ Cruiser is not the successor to the widely popular FJ Cruiser SUV (whose production ceased in 2016). Rather, it is a totally different concept borne of a survey among young Japanese respondents. Notwithstanding its aggressive stance and robust, Herculean fascia, the concept vehicle is actually a hybrid van-SUV that is expected to undercut the FJ’s price point, according to our interview with a Toyota executive in Japan. “T” stands for “toolbox,” and the “J” stands for joy — professing this Toyota’s USPs of space and being fun to drive. The roomy interiors are modular, highly configurable to swallow cargo (such as a bike or surfboard) up to three meters in length. Definitely selfie-worthy, so take lots with the TJ Cruiser.