Toyota has launched the all-new Vios sedan at the Bangkok International Motor Show. Looking much handsomer than the current model, the new car clocks in at 4410mm long x 1700mm wide x 1475mm height. The Vios carries the new Toyota family look as introduced on the Corolla facelift (and soon all-new model) and RAV4.
Under the hood is a 1.5-liter inline-four gasoline engine good for 108 bhp and 141 Nm. The suspension setup is the familiar McPherson strut front, torsion-beam rear. The base variants make do with a disc front / drum rear brake combination, while the top two variants use discs at all four wheels. The interior layout has the meter cluster moving back to the conventional position in front of the driver. Features like keyless entry and start-stop button make their way into the smallest of the Toyota sedans.
The base variant will sell for the equivalent of P780,000 while the highest-end variant shoots up to the equivalent of P1,025,000.
What is most striking about the Vios is its volume: 130,000 units to be produced in Thailand in 2013, with 80,000 for sale in Thailand and more than 40,000 for export. This highlights just how far the Philippine auto industry still has to go to catch up (if it can).
Here’s more from Toyota: In an effort to bring the fun of driving and the joy of ownership to first-time car buyers, Toyota has designed the new Vios—combining a refined exterior with class-leading comfort and high fuel efficiency—specifically for growing markets.
Approximately 130,000 units of the Vios are planned for production in Thailand this year, with more than 80,000 for domestic sales and more than 40,000 for export.
At a press conference marking the premiere, TMC Managing Officer Kyoichi Tanada said: “the Vios is not only exclusively developed for Thai customers, but also for Growing Market customers. Thailand is a leading global production hub for new Vios exports to over 80 countries around the world.”
In 1997, the Vios, aka the Soluna, was first produced and sold in Thailand. It was well-received and was ranked as the top-selling model in the Thai compact car market for ten consecutive years from 2003. Exports from Thailand to other countries in ASEAN began in 1999 and cumulative sales have reached approximately 187,000 units in seven countries.
True to its founding principle of contributing to society through the manufacture of automobiles, Toyota is committed to working toward the growth of the automobile industry in Thailand while continuing to develop products that exceed consumer expectations.
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