Last month, Toyota released a facelifted version of their entry level model, the Toyota Vios. Since the beginning of the year, Toyota has sold almost 10,000 units of this basic car, 2,275 of which were sold throughout April. It is the most popular non-Malaysian car, ranking 6th overall in sales. The facelifted model featured a few visual tweaks such as an updated front grill and steering wheel amongst other things.
The Vios sports a 4 cylinder 1.5 litre VVTI engine, the same unit powering the previous Vios, outputting a decent 107 horsepower and producing 141 Nm of torque from 4200 rpm. In this case, it is mated with a 5 speed manual transmission. I found this manual variant to be quite lively, owed to a few different things.
The first is a final drive ratio that seems to be unusually low (2.923 according to some sources) which would give it more torque at the expense of a lower top speed. To compare,the Honda City final drive ratio is roughly 4. However this results in slightly reduced fuel economy as even in top gear at a cruising speed of 100 km/h, it runs at a high 3000 RPM (most cars run between 1500 and 2500).
Another factor that aids the car's "liveliness" are gears that are relatively close in size. When accelerating through the rev range, I was constantly shifting through the gears without falling too far out of the torque band. Even in top gear, the Vios can quite easily accelerate to a top speed of 200 km/h. The gearbox is precise in the sense of the spacing between gear gates, though the stick may seem a bit stiff and rubbery if one is not used to it. The clutch seems to be a bit of a let down, having a rather imprecise feel (barely any warning before it stalls).
The handling on the car is mostly neutral, even when put through it's paces on tight B-roads. Neither front nor tail seems eager to break loose, though there is slight body roll when cornering hard. This is due to the compromise in handling in order to increase ride comfort; the shock absorbers are somewhat soft to allow for bumps and potholes, but increases body roll and the chance of liftoff oversteer at higher speeds. Steering is eerily devoid of feedback, with perhaps too much power assist. If you are slightly taller than the average Malaysian, you may also encounter problems as the steering wheel does not rise high enough to be completely clear of your knees, forcing you to sit further back than normal.
Noise insulation is good enough for everyday driving, with the engine noise only becoming evident when pushed hard. At cruising speeds, the engine is barely audible allowing a smooth driving experience. Tyre noise is also not too loud on normal road surfaces.
The interior of the Vios J is relatively bare. Being the lowest spec, it comes with a simple stereo system. However, it also has electric retractable mirrors, powered windows, intermittent wipers (something not standard on the old Vios), electric brake force distribution, a reverse parking sensor, features which are usually omitted from basic models.
Overall, the car is very good value for money. I'm not sure how the driving dynamics of the automatic variants would be, but the overall handling should be the same with a slight decrease in power and response. The TRD variant has quite a stiff suspension, which is favourable for those who prefer handling over ride quality.
It would be best to take in the car with a pinch of salt during a test drive. It is known that the test units may feel slightly different due to harsh treatment by motoring journalists and customers alike, and it does take a while to get used to the somewhat vague clutch (longer than the period of time for a normal test drive). That being said, head down to your nearest Toyota showroom and try it out for yourself.
Were I to change only one thing in the car, it would most likely be the seats. The seating position is simply too awkward for someone who is relatively tall to remain comfortable while driving.
THE TAGLINE SHOULD HAVE BEEN:
Lots of fun for not a lot of money.
RANDOM THING:
And now, for a random picture of Mr Kon, writer for Autoworld.com.my, flying by in the Peugeot 3008. Congratulations on his 1 year anniversary at Autoworld.
No comments:
Post a Comment