CLOUDS PART FOR NEW TOYOTAS

Vios, Yaris get new engine, transmission

PROVIDING A NEEDED break from the monsoon weather drenching Manila the past couple of weeks was the official introduction of the upgraded Toyota Vios and Yaris. Already available in showrooms, the cars’ display was the highlight of Toyota Motor Philippines’ (TMP) 28th anniversary and midyear thanksgiving celebration held on Aug. 22 at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig.

TMP recently announced it had made “back- to- back upgrades” on its best- selling Vios subcompact sedan and the stylish Yaris hatchback. Though both cars’ exterior remains identical, the Vios and Yaris are now equipped with Toyota’s new dual VVT-i engine, which is matched to a continuously variable transmission, or CVT. As a result, the Vios and Yaris are “at their best versions to date,” according to TMP.

With these engine and transmission upgrades, TMP said that the Vios and Yaris now have improved mileage and fuel economy ratings, higher engine output, and decreased fuel emissions, all of which are similar to other Toyota vehicles such as the Altis, Camry, and RAV4. The new dual VVT-i engine still displaces either 1.3 liters or 1.5 liters, with a power output of 98hp at 6,000rpm and 123Nm @ 4,200rpm, or 106hp at 6,000rpm and 140Nm at 4,200rpm in the case of the bigger engine. The CVT that replaced the previous cars’ four- speed automatic gearbox has a sevenspeed mode with a sequential-shift function.

Apart from the upgrades to their power plants, the look of the new Yaris and Vios has been tweaked with some sporty touches — the Yaris with its new interior seat fabric and new dark silver face display for the audio head unit; the Vios with the new chrome trims for the fog lamps (for the G variant) and the addition of two new body colors called alumina jade metallic and blackish red mica. The Yaris retains its standard color lineup.

According to TMP, the changes give the new versions of the Vios and Yaris “a much more style-oriented feel.”

The new Vios ranges in price from P599,000 for the 1.3- liter base model to P991,000 for the 1.5- liter TRD version with a white pearl color, while the new Yaris sells for P743,000 in 1.3- liter E M/T trim and P883,000 in 1.5- liter G A/T spec.