Toyota Vios: Selling price starts from RM 89,600, is it a Mini Camry?

Since its launch in 2003, the Toyota Vios has performed well in the Malaysian market. The 2023 Toyota Vios (AC100) has made several improvements and upgrades based on the successful genes of previous generations to face the increasingly fierce market competition. This article will introduce  the appearance, interior, power, safety configuration, and fuel economy of this new carin detail, and compare the configuration differences between the 1.5 E and 1.5 G models to help people better understand the advantages and characteristics of this model.

Exterior Design: "Mini Camry"?

The 2023 Toyota Vios boldly innovated in exterior design. It incorporated the design elements of the Camry, making the whole car look more stylish and dynamic. The design inspiration for the front of the car obviously comes from the Camry, which, with the right color, makes the car quite attractive in appearance. Vios has adopted a fastback body style, which, although sacrifices some interior space, has brought new vitality to the B-Segment Sedan market.

The side silhouette of the car is more personalized than the Honda City, and the unique body lines make this car very eye-catching on the road. The standard body kit not only enhances the sporty appearance of the exterior, but it should be noted that the front lip may easily scrape when entering and exiting shopping center parking lots.

Interior Design: Bicolor enhances luxury, with rich functional configuration

Entering the car, Vios's interior design fully demonstrates the design genes of the Toyota family. The interiors of the E and G versions are designed with black and dark brown, which enhances the overall premium atmosphere. The 8-inch touch screen on the center console supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, greatly facilitating daily use for users.

Although the feel of the door handle is a bit thin, the texture is satisfying. Like most Japanese cars, Vios is intuitive to operate and doesn't require a detailed study of the manual. Once the driver gets in the car and make a slight adjustment, he can start driving right away with all the features you use daily at your fingertips.

However, Vios still has some shortcomings in terms of space. Due to the slanted line of the rear roof, taller passengers may feel a bit oppressed. The driver's side space is also restricted by the high center console, although it has an excellent armrest, it feels a bit "cramped".

Power Aspect: Four-cylinder Engine

The Vios is equipped with a 1.5-liter 2NR-VE naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine, with a maximum power of 106 horsepower and a maximum torque of 138 Nm. The new D-CVT gearbox combines a steel chain and a planetary gear group, reducing the "rubber band" feeling of the traditional CVT gearbox, making acceleration smoother.

Fuel Economy: Average Performance Among its class

In terms of fuel economy, the performance of the Vios is quite good. Under a mixture of highway and urban driving conditions, fuel consumption is 6.1 liters/100km, slightly better than the Honda City (6.3 liters/100km), but slightly worse than the Nissan Almera (5.8 liters/100km).

Safety configuration

The Toyota Vios comes standard with the Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) driver assist system, which includes pre-collision warning, lane deviation warning, and lane keeping assistance. In addition, the top-of-the-line 1.5G version of the Vios also features lane keeping control, automatic high beam, and adaptive cruise control (ACC). While the adaptive cruise control is not very smooth when stopping or accelerating, its overall detection and ease of use are excellent.

Model Selection and Price

Two versions of the 2023 Toyota Vios are available in Malaysia, the 1.5 E and the 1.5 G, priced at RM 89,600 and RM 95,500 respectively. Both models are equipped with a 1.5 liter Dual-VVT-i engine and a 7-speed CVT transmission.

1.5 E Version Configuration

- Price: RM 89,600

- Interior: Black and dark brown two-tone interior

- Control screen: 8-inch touch screen, supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

- Air conditioning: Rear seat air conditioning vents

- Wireless charging: Standard configuration

- Safety configuration: Toyota Safety Sense system, including pre-collision warning, lane departure warning and lane keep assist

- Other configurations: Keyless entry and push-to-start system, foot lighting

1.5 G version configuration

- Price: RM 95,500

- Interior: Black and dark brown dual-tone interior, leather steering wheel (with front/rear/up/down adjustment), leather seats

- Central control screen: 9-inch touch screen, supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

- Dashboard: 7-inch all-digital dashboard

- Shift paddles: Standard configuration

- Electric parking brake: With automatic hold function

- Safety configuration: Add lane keep control, automatic high beams and full-speed adaptive cruise control (ACC) based on the 1.5 E version

- Other configurations: The same as the 1.5 E version

Conclusion: A reliable choice worth buying

The 2023 Toyota Vios has significantly improved in several aspects, and combines comfort and manoeuvrability. However, the flexibility of the rear space and trunk still has room for improvement. Despite this, Vios is still competitive in its class, especially in offering configurations such as adaptive cruise control, all-digital dashboard and wireless mobile connection within its price range.

In addition, with Toyota's consistently reliable after-sales service (5-year/100,000km warranty) and a comprehensive service network, the Vios is undoubtedly a choice worth considering. Since its first launch in 2003, Vios has been a best-selling model in the Malaysian market, with 500,000 units sold to date. For consumers seeking a reliable, comfortable and cost-effective family sedan, the 2023 Toyota Vios is undoubtedly a good choice.